Otophryne

Otophryne is a small genus of microhylid frogs from northern South America. They are sometimes known as the pancake frogs.[1]

Otophryne
Otophryne pyburni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Microhylidae
Subfamily: Otophryninae
Genus: Otophryne
Boulenger, 1900
Diversity
3 species (see text)

Description

Adult Otophryne are diurnally active leaf mimics. They tend to walk rather than jump. Tadpoles burrow into the sandy bottom of shallow streams. They are extremely specialized with minute, dagger-like, keratinized teeth, and a long spiracular tube on the left hand side of its body. It is suggested that the tadpole is a suspension feeder, using the spiracular tube extending to the bottom surface to create a current through its oral cavity, using its teeth to prevent sand from entering its mouth.[2]

Species

Genus Otophryne has three species:[1][3]

References

  1. Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Otophryne Boulenger, 1900". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  2. Wassersug, R. J.; Pyburn, W. F. (1987). "The biology of the Pe-ret' toad, Otophryne robusta (Microhylidae), with special consideration of its fossorial larva and systematic relationships". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 91 (2): 137–169. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1987.tb01726.x.
  3. "Microhylidae". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
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