Hyperoliidae
| Hyperoliidae | |
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| Heterixalus alboguttatus | |
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| Family: | Hyperoliidae
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The Hyperoliidae, sedge and bush frogs, are a large family of small to medium-sized, brightly colored frogs which contains more than 250 species in 19 genera. Seventeen genera are native to sub-Saharan Africa.[1] In addition, the monotypic genus Tachycnemis occurs on the Seychelles Islands, and the genus Heterixalus (currently 10 species) is endemic to Madagascar.
Hyperoliids range from 1.5 to 8 cm (0.59 to 3.15 in) in body length. Many species have smooth, brightly patterned skin that almost looks enameled.[2]
Most hyperoliids are arboreal, but some are terrestrial, including several Kassina species that move by walking or running rather than hopping. Diets vary widely, with examples including Tornierella, which specializes on snails[citation needed], and Afrixalus fornasini, the only terrestrial frog known to prey on eggs of other species of anurans.
Breeding in this family begins at the start of the rainy season, where hyperoliids congregate at breeding sites. Most hyperoliids lay their eggs in water, although foam nesting, tree-hole breeding, and laying of eggs in vegetation above water are all known behaviors.[2] Afrixalus builds leaf nests for its eggs, by folding and gluing the edges of the leaves. Tadpoles are pond type larvae with large dorsal fins on their tails.
No fossil hyperoliids are known.
Classification
Family HYPEROLIIDAE
- Subfamily Hyperoliinae
- Genus Acanthixalus - African wart frogs
- Genus Alexteroon - midwife frogs
- Genus Arlequinus - Mebebque frogs
- Genus Callixalus - African painted frogs
- Genus Chlorolius - Koehler's green frogs
- Genus Chrysobatrachus - Itombwe golden frogs
- Genus Cryptothylax - wax frogs
- Genus Heterixalus - Madagascan reed frogs
- Genus Hyperolius - African reed frogs
- Genus Nesionixalus
- Subfamily Kassininae
- Genus Afrixalus - banana frogs
- Genus Kassina - running frogs
- Genus Kassinula - clicking frogs
- Genus Opisthothylax - grey-eyed frogs
- Genus Paracassina - common striped frogs
- Genus Phlyctimantis - African striped frogs
- Genus Semnodactylus - Weal's frogs
- Genus Tornierella
- Subfamily Tachycneminae
- Genus Tachycnemis - Seychelles Islands frogs
References
Schiotz, A. 1999. Treefrogs of Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt, ISBN 3-930612-24-0
Further reading
Burton, R.; Burton, M. (2002). "Reed frogs" (PDF). Marshall Cavendish International Wildlife Encyclopedia. Vol. Volume 15 (3rd ed.). Marshall Cavendish. p. 2146–2147. ISBN 978-0-7614-7266-7. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
