genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...
s in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Eleutherodactylidae
The Eleutherodactylidae are a family of direct-developing frogs native to northern South America, the Caribbean, and southernmost North America. They are sometimes known under the common name rain frogs. Formerly the subfamily Eleutherodactylina ...
. They are native to northern South America east of the
Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
, known roughly from the area corresponding to the
Guiana Shield
The Guiana Shield (french: Plateau des Guyanes, Bouclier guyanais; nl, Hoogland van Guyana, Guianaschild; pt, Planalto das Guianas, Escudo das Guianas; es, Escudo guayanés) is one of the three cratons of the South American Plate. It is a ...
, as well as to the coastal area of
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
, Brazil. Whether the genus is truly distinct from '' Phyzelaphryne'' remains uncertain. Common name shield frogs has been proposed for this genus, although the stem flea frog is used for some species.
Etymology
The generic name is derived from the Greek words ''adelos'', meaning "unseen, unknown, obscure", and ''phryne'' for "toad". It refers to the fact that these small frogs were seldom collected until relatively lately.
Description
''Adelophryne'' are small leaf-litter frogs. Adults of the largest species, ''A. patamona'', measure no more than in snout–to–
vent
Vent or vents may refer to:
Science and technology Biology
*Vent, the cloaca region of an animal
*Vent DNA polymerase, a thermostable DNA polymerase
Geology
*Hydrothermal vent, a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water ...
length and the remaining all are less than . At in males and in females, ''A. michelin'' is not only the smallest in the genus, but among the smallest frogs of the Americas, with only a few '' Brachycephalus'' species, ''
Eleutherodactylus iberia
The Monte Iberia eleuth (''Eleutherodactylus iberia''), also known as the Monte Iberia dwarf frog, is a species of eleutherodactylid frog. It is critically endangered and endemic to rainforest in a small part of easternmost Cuba. It is the sm ...
'' and '' E. limbatus'' being of roughly similar size.
The
pupil
The pupil is a black hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to strike the retina.Cassin, B. and Solomon, S. (1990) ''Dictionary of Eye Terminology''. Gainesville, Florida: Triad Publishing Company. It appears black ...
of ''Adelophryne'' is oval and horizontally oriented. The tympanum is distinct. The digits are flattened and have asymmetrically pointed, laterally grooved, elongate discs. No webbing is present. The fourth finger is reduced in size. Males have a large, external subgular
vocal sac
The vocal sac is the flexible membrane of skin possessed by most male frogs and toads. The purpose of the vocal sac is usually as an amplification of their mating or advertisement call. The presence or development of the vocal sac is one way o ...
.
Reproduction is through direct development, that is, eggs hatch directly into froglets, without free-living larval (
tadpole
A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found i ...
) stage. Before this was confirmed for ''
Adelophryne maranguapensis
''Adelophryne maranguapensis'' is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to Serra de Maranguape, just west of Fortaleza, in Ceará state, northeastern Brazil.
Description
Based on the type series including two adult ...
'', the relatively large size of the eggs in this genus led many researcher to conclude that direct development was likely to be present.
Adelophryne maranguapensis
''Adelophryne maranguapensis'' is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to Serra de Maranguape, just west of Fortaleza, in Ceará state, northeastern Brazil.
Description
Based on the type series including two adult ...
'' Hoogmoed, Borges, and Cascon, 1994
* '' Adelophryne meridionalis'' Santana, Fonseca, Neves, and Carvalho, 2012
* '' Adelophryne michelin'' Lourenço-de-Moraes, Dias, Mira-Mendes, de Oliveira, Barth, Ruas, Vences, Solé, and Bastos, 2018
* '' Adelophryne mucronatus'' Lourenço-de-Moraes, Solé, and Toledo, 2012
*'' Adelophryne nordestina'' Lourenço-de-Moraes, Lisboa, Drummond, Moura, Moura, Lyra, Guarnieri, Mott, Hoogmoed, and Santana, 2021
* '' Adelophryne pachydactyla'' Hoogmoed, Borges, and Cascon, 1994
* '' Adelophryne patamona'' MacCulloch, Lathrop, Kok, Minter, Khan, and Barrio-Amoros, 2008
The genus is likely to contain several undescribed species.