''Synapturanus'' is a genus of

microhylid The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread family (biology), family of frogs. The 683 species are in 63 genera and 11 subfamilies, which is the largest number of genera of any frog family. Evolution ...

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. They are found in northern

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. Common name disc frogs has been coined for the genus. Because of their

fossorial A fossorial () animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily, but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, meerkats, and mole salamanders, as well as many beetles, wasps, and bees. Prehistoric eviden ...

life style, their natural history is poorly known.

Ecology and behavior

''Synapturanus'' are

and mostly

nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...

tropical rainforest frogs found in the leaf litter and soft soils. Calling takes place usually during rain, which apparently triggers the calling. Eggs are deposited terrestrially in a small burrow below the soil surface. The

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 ...

s are endotrophic (developing without external food sources). Stomach contents have included nematodes and various arthropods (ants, termites, and spiders).

Description

Females are larger than males. Breeding males have a glandular swelling on the wrist. Males and females are otherwise similar. The largest species is '' Synapturanus mirandaribeiroi'', which reaches a snout–vent length of at least .

Species

This genus has ten recognized species:

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2217408 Microhylidae Amphibian genera Taxa named by Antenor Leitão de Carvalho Amphibians of South America