Arthroleptidae

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Arthroleptidae
Scotobleps gabonicus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Family: Arthroleptidae Mivart, 1869
Genera
See text

Arthroleptidae is a family of order Anura found in Sub-Saharan Africa. These frogs are also known as squeakers because of their high-pitched call. They are small, less than 4 centimetres in length, terrestrial frogs found mostly in leaf litter on the forest floor. They completely bypass any aquatic stage. The eggs are laid on the ground, in crevices or in leaf litter, and the offspring undergo direct development. Sometimes the hatched frogs will be completely metamorphosed into frogs, while other times they will still have tails.

This family contains a unique frog, the Hairy Frog (Trichobatrachus robustus). Breeding male Hairy Frogs develop highly vascularised, hair-like projections on their thighs and flanks. They will sit on their eggs for long periods of time, and it is thought that the hairs assist in respiration through the skin, while they cannot use their lungs in the water. The hairy frog is also notable in possessing retractable "claws" (though unlike true claws, they are made of bone, not keratin), which is may project through the skin, apparently by intentionally breaking the bones of the toe ^[1]. In addition, the researchers found a small bony nodule nestled in the tissue just beyond the frog's fingertip. When sheathed, each claw is anchored to the nodule with tough strands of collagen, but, as Blackburn had discovered firsthand, when the frog is grabbed or attacked, the frog breaks the nodule connection and forces its sharpened bones through the skin.

Amphibian researcher and biologist David Wake of the University of California, Berkeley, says that this type of weaponry appears to be unique in the animal kingdom. But David Cannatella, a herpetologist at the University of Texas, Austin, questions whether the bony protrusions are meant for fighting. They could allow a frog's feet "to get a better grip on whatever rocky habitat they might be in," he says. ^[1]

[edit] Taxonomy

Arthroleptidae is separated into two sub-families: Arthroleptinae and Leptopelinae. Some consider these to be separate families ^[2].

The two sub-families consist of the following genera:

Subfamilia	Spe- cies	Common name	Scientific name
Arthroleptinae Mivart, 1869
	37	Screeching Frogs	Arthroleptis Smith, 1849
	11	Night Frogs	Astylosternus Werner, 1898
	15	Long-Fingered Frogs	Cardioglossa Boulenger, 1900
	15	Egg Frogs	Leptodactylodon Andersson, 1903
	1		Nyctibates Boulenger, 1904
	1	Gaboon Forest Frogs	Scotobleps Boulenger, 1900
	1	Hairy Frogs	Trichobatrachus Boulenger, 1900
Leptopelinae Laurent, 1972	51	Forest Treefrogs	Leptopelis Günther, 1859

[edit] Notes

^ *" 'Horror frog' breaks own bones to produce claws." NewScientist.com, 2008

^  *Amphibian Species of the World - Arthroleptidae Mivart, 1869

[edit] References

• ADW: Arthroleptidae: Information
• Cogger, H.G.; R.G. Zweifel, and D. Kirschner (2004). Encyclopedia of Reptiles & Amphibians Second Edition. Fog City Press. ISBN 1-877019-69-0. 

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