''Noblella'' is a genus of frogs in the family
Strabomantidae
The Strabomantidae are a family of frogs native to South America. These frogs lack a free-living larval stage and hatch directly into miniature "froglets". This family includes ''Pristimantis'', the most speciose genus of any vertebrate.
System ...
. They are found on the eastern slopes 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 ...
and in the
Amazon Basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...
in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and western Brazil.
[ The name refers to Gladwyn K. Noble, who described the first species.]
Taxonomy
The genus ''Noblella'' was originally erected to accommodate '' Sminthillus peruvianus'', but subsequently synonymized, first with ''Eleutherodactylus
''Eleutherodactylus'' is a genus of frogs in the family Eleutherodactylidae.Hedges, S. B., W. E. Duellman, and M. P. Heinicke . 2008. New World direct-developing frogs (Anura: Terrarana): molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography, and co ...
'' (1971) and then with ''Phrynopus
''Phrynopus'' is a genus of frogs of the family Strabomantidae. Their common name is Andes frogs. They are endemic to Peru and inhabit the upper humid montane forest and supra-treeline grassland in the Cordillera Oriental, with one record from ...
'' (1975). ''Noblella'' was resurrected by De la Riva and colleagues in 2008. At the same time, the genus ''Phyllonastes'' was placed into synonymy with ''Noblella''.polyphyletic
A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of converg ...
.[
]
Description
Species of the genus ''Noblella'' are small frogs measuring up to in snout–vent length. Head is no wider than the body. Tympanic membrane
In the anatomy of humans and various other tetrapods, the eardrum, also called the tympanic membrane or myringa, is a thin, cone-shaped membrane that separates the external ear from the middle ear. Its function is to transmit sound from the air ...
is differentiated except in '' Noblella duellmani''. Dorsum is pustulate or shagreen. Venter is smooth.[
]
Species
The following species are recognised in the genus ''Noblella'':[
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q93606
Strabomantidae
Amphibians of South America
Amphibian genera
Taxa named by Thomas Barbour