The Brachycephalidae (/ˌbrækɪsɪˈfælɪdi/) are a family of frogs confined to eastern and southern Brazil and northern Argentina.[1] The family is composed of two externally quite different genera: the tiny, often (but not always) colourful and plump saddleback toads (Brachycephalus) from Brazil, and the larger, slimmer and more drab genus Ischnocnema from both Brazil and Argentina. The family is mainly defined by molecular characteristics, and are linked by few anatomical features.[2] It was erected from two genera of the previously large family Eleutherodactylidae, which is now split into four families.[3]
| Brachycephalidae | |
|---|---|
| |
| |
| Brachycephalus ephippium (above), Ischnocnema izecksohni (below) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Clade: | Brachycephaloidea |
| Family: | Brachycephalidae Günther, 1858 |
| Type genus | |
| Brachycephalus Fitzinger, 1826
| |
| Genera | |
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Brachycephalina Günther, 1858 | |
The Brachycephalidae all have direct development and hatch like miniature adults rather than as tadpoles like most frogs. The members of the genus Brachycephalus are all very diminutive animals, with many species under 1 cm (0.4 in) in snout–to–vent length.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b Frost, Darrel R. (2020). "Brachycephalidae Günther, 1858". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
- ^ "Brachycephalidae". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
- ^ Hedges, S. B.; Duellman, W. E. & Heinicke, M. P. (2008). "New World direct-developing frogs (Anura: Terrarana): Molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography, and conservation" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1737: 1–182. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1737.1.1.
- ^ Zweifel, Richard G. (1998). Cogger, H.G.; Zweifel, R.G. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 103. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.
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