Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, José Luis Cartes, Rebecca Zarza and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
LEPTODACTYLIDAE - AMERICAN POND FROGS
Fourteen species recorded in Paraguay, all belonging to the same genus and classified in the subfamily Leptodactylinae Werner, 1896. The Leptodactylids bear the same basic shape as the Ranidae of Europe and are ecological equivalents in much of South America, though anatomically they are closer to tree-frogs. Leptodactylids are medium to large, terrestrial and semi-aquatic frogs. They exhibit 8 free procoelous, holochordal presacral vertebrae. Ribs are absent. The urostyle is free with two condyles and the pectoral girdle arciferal. They have bony elements in the sternum and the omosternum is present. The clavicle does not overlie the scapular. Palatines are present. Teeth present on the maxilla and premaxilla, those on the former being pedicellate. Astralagus and calcaneum are fused only at the ends. No intercalary phalanges. The sartorius is a separate and distinct muscle. Pupil usually horizontal. Build foam nests. Larvae aquatic or, more rarely, terrestrial. 2n=18, 20, 22 or 26. Sperm with two tail filaments.
REFERENCES
Cei JM 1980 - Amphibians of Argentina - Monitore Zoologico Italiano Monografia 2.
Fouquette MJ (undated) - Synopsis of Recent Amphibians to Genus - Arizona University.
Whitfield P Ed.1984 - Longman Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia - Guild Publishing, London.
