Micrixalidae |  |
24 species in 1 genus
Commonly Called Tropical Frogs, Indian Dancing Frogs
Micrixalus kottigeharensis
Photo by K.P. Dinesh
(Click for family gallery)These frogs are found exclusively in the Western Ghats of India, similar to the Nyctibatrachidae, and likewise our natural history knowledge is incomplete. What is known, mostly from Micrixalus saxicola, is fascinating; males contest for nesting sites by foot-flagging displays where they extend one hindleg at a time, spreading their webbing on foot. It has been documented in several species (Micrixalus elegans, M. fuscus, M. herrei, M. kottigeharensis, M. nelliyampathi, M. niluvasei, M. saxicola, M. specca, M. uttaraghati). Females lay their eggs underground or bury them where they hatch. In Micrixalus herrei at least, tadpoles live a fossorial lifestyle, using their eel-like bodies to maneuver through the substrate.
Written by AmphibiaWebNotable Family Characteristics
- Inhabits streams, stream banks in tropical rainforest
- Males engage in foot-flagging displays to establish nesting sites
- Eggs laid underground with fossorial tadpoles
- Morphological characters include: Finger and toes with dermal fringes, and discs dilated with dorsoterminal grooves; pupil oval; webbing absent on hand; pineal ocellus present, vomerine teeth and ridge absent.
- Distribution limited to Western Ghats of India
Cartography Credit: Zoe Yoo, UC Berkeley
Range maps sources: AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley, and IUCN RedListRelevant Reference
Biju, S. et al., (2014). DNA barcoding reveals unprecedented diversity in Dancing Frogs of India (Micrixalidae, Micrixalus): a taxonomic revision with description of 14 new species. Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Sciences). 43(1), pp.37–123. http://doi.org/10.4038/cjsbs.v43i1.6850
Pough, F. H., R. M. Andrews, M. L. Crump, A. H. Savitzky, K. D. Wells, and M. C. Brandley. 2015. Herpetology. Fourth Edition. Massachusetts: Sinauer.
Vitt, L. J., and J. P. Caldwell. 2013. Herpetology. An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Fourth Edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Genus Micrixalus (24 species)
Micrixalus adonis no account photos no sound/video Micrixalus candidus no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus elegans no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus frigidus no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus fuscus account photos no sound/video Micrixalus gadgili no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus herrei account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus kodayari no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus kottigeharensis no account photos no sound/video Micrixalus kurichiyari no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus mallani no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus nelliyampathi no account photos no sound/video Micrixalus nigraventris no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus niluvasei no account photos no sound/video Micrixalus nudis no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus phyllophilus no account photos no sound/video Micrixalus sairandhri no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus sali no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus saxicola account photos sound/video Micrixalus silvaticus no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus specca no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus spelunca no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus thampii no account no photos no sound/video Micrixalus uttaraghaati no account no photos no sound/video
Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: https://amphibiaweb.org/. (Accessed:
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