Rhinodermatidae
Encyclopedia
Rhinodermatidae are a family
of small frog
s found on the south-west coast of South America. There is only one genus (Rhinoderma), with just two species, of which the Chile Darwin's Frog (R. rufum) is highly endangered or may already be extinct. The better known Darwin's Frog
(R. darwinii) is vulnerable.
Both species are notable for their unusual breeding, with the tadpole
s being raised inside the mouth of the male. The eggs are laid on the ground. The male frog will transport the tadpoles into its enlarged vocal sac. In the Chile Darwin's Frog, the tadpoles are transported to a water source and released for the duration of their development. In Darwin's Frog, they will reside in the vocal sac until metamorphosis. They may carry between 5 and 15 offspring. Darwin's frogs are separated into a separate family based purely upon this behavioural adaptation, which is unique among frogs.
Darwin's frogs are small, reaching a size of only 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in length. They are predominantly green frogs, with patches of brown, and have a long, narrow nose. They are primarily terrestrial.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of small frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
s found on the south-west coast of South America. There is only one genus (Rhinoderma), with just two species, of which the Chile Darwin's Frog (R. rufum) is highly endangered or may already be extinct. The better known Darwin's Frog
Darwin's Frog
Darwin's Frog is a frog native to the forest streams of Argentina and Chile. It was first described by French Zoologist André Marie Constant Duméril and his assistant Gabriel Bibron, and is named after Charles Darwin who discovered it in Chile during his world voyage on the HMS Beagle.The most...
(R. darwinii) is vulnerable.
Both species are notable for their unusual breeding, with the tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s being raised inside the mouth of the male. The eggs are laid on the ground. The male frog will transport the tadpoles into its enlarged vocal sac. In the Chile Darwin's Frog, the tadpoles are transported to a water source and released for the duration of their development. In Darwin's Frog, they will reside in the vocal sac until metamorphosis. They may carry between 5 and 15 offspring. Darwin's frogs are separated into a separate family based purely upon this behavioural adaptation, which is unique among frogs.
Darwin's frogs are small, reaching a size of only 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in length. They are predominantly green frogs, with patches of brown, and have a long, narrow nose. They are primarily terrestrial.