The Rhinophrynidae are a family of frogs containing one extant genus, the
monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispe ...
''
Rhinophrynus
This frog belongs to the Family ''Rhinophrynidae'' and Genus Rhinophrynus. Rhinophrynus dorsalis is the only living representation of the family Rhinophrynidae. This family is also known as the burrowing toads, and is evidently a small and specia ...
'',
[ and a number of fossil genera.][ The family is sometimes known as the Mexican burrowing toads][ or simply burrowing toads.][
''Rhinophrynus'' occurs in the Central America north from Costa Rica to Mexico and Texas.][ Fossil finds of Rhinophrynidae come from Mexico, the United States, and Canada.][ ''Rhinophrynus'' is a burrowing ant and termite eater.][
]
Systematics
The Rhinophrynidae are the sister taxon
In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree.
Definition
The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram:
Taxon A and ...
of the Pipidae.[ The clade formed by these two genera is sometimes referred to as Xenoanura][ or superfamily ]Pipoidea
Pipoidea are a clade of frogs that have variously been defined as a suborder (original definition), superfamily, or an unranked node-based taxon. There is no single, authoritative higher-level classification of frogs, and Vitt and Caldwell (2014) ...
.
Genera
Extant genera:
* ''Rhinophrynus
This frog belongs to the Family ''Rhinophrynidae'' and Genus Rhinophrynus. Rhinophrynus dorsalis is the only living representation of the family Rhinophrynidae. This family is also known as the burrowing toads, and is evidently a small and specia ...
'' or ''Mexican burrowing toad
This frog belongs to the Family ''Rhinophrynidae'' and Genus Rhinophrynus. Rhinophrynus dorsalis is the only living representation of the family Rhinophrynidae. This family is also known as the burrowing toads, and is evidently a small and specia ...
''
Fossil genera:[
* †'']Chelomophrynus
''Chelomophrynus'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric anurans in the family Rhinophrynidae. A single species is known, ''Chelomophrynus bayi'' from the Uintan Wagon Bed Formation of Wyoming. It was probably a subterranean feeder, like the mode ...
'' Henrici 1991 Wagon Bed Formation, Wyoming United States, Eocene
* †''Eorhinophrynus
''Eorhinophrynus'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric frog from Wyoming.
See also
* List of prehistoric amphibians
This list of prehistoric amphibians is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all Genus, genera from the fossil record t ...
'' Hecht 1959 Polecat Bench Formation
The Polecat Bench Formation is a geologic formation in Montana.
It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period.D. E. Russell. 1967. Le Paleocene continental d'Amerique du nord. Memoires du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Serie C ...
, Wyoming, United States, Paleocene
* †''Rhadinosteus
''Rhadinosteus parvus'' (meaning "long slender bone") is an extinct species of prehistoric frogs that lived during the Late Jurassic.Foster, J. (2007). "''Rhadinosteus parvus''." ''Jurassic West: The Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation and Their ...
'' Henrici 1998 Morrison Formation, Utah, United States, Late Jurassic
The affinity of ''Eorhinophrynus'' is uncertain.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3429460
Amphibian families
Late Jurassic first appearances
Taxa named by Albert Günther