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The Hemiphractidae are a
An unusual and unique adaptation in this family is the breeding behavior where the eggs are carried on the female's back; the eggs may develop into froglets on the back of the female without free-swimming
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
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 from South
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
and Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
. Previously, this group had been classified as a subfamily (Hemiphractinae) under family Hylidae
Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semiaquatic.
Taxonomy and ...
. More recent research classifies these genera into their own family, or sometimes into three separate families: Amphignathodontidae (''Flectonotus
''Flectonotus'' is a genus of frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest foss ...
'' and ''Gastrotheca
''Gastrotheca'' is a genus of frogs in the family Hemiphractidae. They are found in Central America south of Costa Rica and in South America. Most species occur in the American Cordillera from southern Costa Rica to north-western Argentina. This ...
''), Cryptobatrachidae ('' Cryptobatrachus'' and ''Stefania
''Stefania'' is a genus of frogs in the family Hemiphractidae. They are native to the highlands of the Guiana Shield in southern Venezuela, Guyana, and adjacent far northern Brazil. Most are restricted to the tepui highlands, but '' S. evansi'' ...
''), and Hemiphractidae ('' Hemiphractus''). An active question still exists as to which of these groupings is more accurate.
Breeding behavior
An unusual and unique adaptation in this family is the breeding behavior where the eggs are carried on the female's back; the eggs may develop into froglets on the back of the female without free-swimming 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 ...
stage, be released after hatching as tadpoles, or be deposited in water to complete their development there. In some species (genus ''Gastrotheca
''Gastrotheca'' is a genus of frogs in the family Hemiphractidae. They are found in Central America south of Costa Rica and in South America. Most species occur in the American Cordillera from southern Costa Rica to north-western Argentina. This ...
'' and some ''Flectonotus
''Flectonotus'' is a genus of frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest foss ...
''), this goes as far as to enclose the eggs in a pouch until they hatch. Males in amplexus
Amplexus (Latin "embrace") is a type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species (chiefly amphibians and horseshoe crabs) in which a male grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process, and at the same ...
have been observed to play an active role in placing the eggs on the back or in the pouch of the female. In some species, froglets may stay on the female's back after hatching.
Taxonomy
The Hemiphractidae are divided into these genera: * '' Cryptobatrachus'' — backpack frogs * ''Flectonotus
''Flectonotus'' is a genus of frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest foss ...
'' — Brazilian treefrogs
* '' Fritziana''
* ''Gastrotheca
''Gastrotheca'' is a genus of frogs in the family Hemiphractidae. They are found in Central America south of Costa Rica and in South America. Most species occur in the American Cordillera from southern Costa Rica to north-western Argentina. This ...
'' — marsupial frogs
* '' Hemiphractus'' — horned treefrogs
* ''Stefania
''Stefania'' is a genus of frogs in the family Hemiphractidae. They are native to the highlands of the Guiana Shield in southern Venezuela, Guyana, and adjacent far northern Brazil. Most are restricted to the tepui highlands, but '' S. evansi'' ...
'' — carrying frogs
References
External links
*http://www.tolweb.org/Hemiphractinae/ *http://amphibiaweb.org/lists/Hemiphractidae.shtml *http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=773185 {{Taxonbar, from=Q2852661 Amphibian families Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters Neotropical realm fauna hu:Erszényes békák