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Hyperoliidae :
Hyperoliidae, known as the African tree frogs, consist 19 genera and over 200 species. Most frogs are arboreal and brightly colored. There are 4 subfamilies: Hyperoliinae, Kassininae, Leptopelinae, and Tachycneminae. Some frogs of the genus Kassina (running frogs) are terrestrial, but the remaining genera are arboreal (the vernacular name of the family are the sedge and bush frogs). Tadpoles in this family are pond type larvae with large dirsal fins on the tail. Hyperolius argus is sexually dimorphic and is used to study the effects of estrogen-like compounds on development of reproductive organs and external secondary sex features. Breeding for this group begins at the start of the rainy season where Hyperoliids congregate at breeding sites. There are three main ecomorphotypes, the savanna, high forest, and farmbrush. Morphological characters for this group are: 1) nuptial pads absent; 2) posterolateral pocess of hyoid absent; 3) sternum cartilaginous; 4) Dentomentalis muscle present; 5) pupil vertical in most.
Genus :
Acanthixalus (2 species)
Afrixalus (32 species)
Alexteroon (3 species)
Arlequinus (1 species)
Callixalus (1 species)
Chlorolius (1 species)
Chrysobatrachus (1 species)
Cryptothylax (2 species)
Heterixalus (11 species)
Hyperolius (131 species)
Kassina (15 species)
Kassinula (1 species)
Leptopelis (51 species)
Opisthothylax (1 species)
Paracassina (2 species)
Phlyctimantis (4 species)
Semnodactylus (1 species)
Tachycnemis (1 species) |
