Sexual Dichromatism in Frogs - Species List

By Rayna Bell, Cornell University, August 2012

Hyperolius ocellatus © Rayna Bell

Two classes of dichromatism, dynamic and ontogenetic, are distinguished. Dynamic sexual dichromatism is especially prevalent in the Ranidae, Bufonidae and Hylidae but due to its ephemeral nature, this class of dichromatism is likely under-documented in the literature and may be far more common among frogs. In particular, we anticipate future records of dynamic dichromatism within lineages where it has already been documented and is fairly common (e.g. Bufonidae). Ontogenetic dichromatism appears to be more taxonomically widespread but the vast majority of these dichromatic species are in the Hyperoliidae, Bufonidae and Hylidae. Bell, R.C., Zamudio K.R. 2012 Sexual dichromatism in frogs: natural selection, sexual selection, and unexpected diversity. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B. Dynamic Dichromatic Species Ontogenetic Dichromatic Species

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Species displaying Dynamic Dichromatism

Family	Species	Distribution	Description	Reference
Bufonidae	Amietophrynus kisoloensis	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Channing 2001
	Bufo bufo	Temperate	breeding male more uniform/yellow, female with spots	Kuzmin 1999
	Bufo japonicus	Temperate	breeding male yellow	Maeda & Matsui 1990
	Incilius luetkenii	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Doucet & Mennill 2010
	Pseudepidalea viridis	Temperate	breeding male with green dorsal background, female grayish	Arnold 2002
Dendrobatidae	Mannophryne trinitatis	Tropical	male turns black while calling	Duellman & Trueb 1986
Dicroglossidae-Dicroglossinae	Hoplobatrachus tigerinus	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Glaw & Vences 2007
Hylidae-Hylinae	Dendropsophus minutus	Tropical	breeding male yellow	A. Lima (pers comm)
	Hypsiboas fasciatus	Tropical	breeding male brighter	A. Lima (pers comm)
	Hypsiboas multifasciatus	Tropical	breeding male brighter	A. Lima (pers comm)
	Isthmohyla pseudopuma	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Savage 2002
	Osteocephalus leprieurii	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Sztatecsny et al. 2010
	Scinax fuscovarius	Tropical	breeding male brighter	C.F.B. Haddad (pers comm)
	Scinax hayii	Tropical	breeding male brighter	C.F.B. Haddad (pers comm)
	Scinax rizibilis	Tropical	breeding male brighter	C.F.B. Haddad (pers comm)
Hylidae-Pelodryadinae	Litoria jungguy	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Tyler & Knight 2009
	Litoria lesueuri	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Tyler & Knight 2009
	Litoria wilcoxii	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Tyler & Knight 2009
Mantellidae-Laliostominae	Aglyptodactylus madagascariensis	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Glaw & Vences 2007
	Aglyptodactylus securifer	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Glaw & Vences 2007
Mantellidae-Mantellinae	Guibemantis liber	Tropical	breeding male black	Glaw & Vences 2007
Phrynobatrachidae	Phrynobatrachus latifrons	Tropical	breeding male bright yellow or green	Roedel 2000
	Phrynobatrachus natalensis	Tropical	breeding male with green dorsal patches	Roedel 2000
Ranidae	Clinotarsus curtipes	Tropical	breeding male yellow	B. Das (pers comm)
	Hylarana aurata	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Gunther 2004
	Hylarana grisea	Tropical	breeding male yellow	S. Richards (pers comm)
	Hylarana volkerjane	Tropical	breeding male yellow	Gunther 2004
	Rana arvalis	Temperate	breeding male blue	Arnold 2002
	Rana graeca	Temperate	breeding male black/brown	Valakos et al. 2008
	Rana sylvatica	Temperate	breeding male darker	Harding 1997
	Rana temporaria	Temperate	breeding male grey	Arnold 2002

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Species displaying Ontogenetic Dichromatism

Family	Species	Distribution	Description	Reference
Alsodidae	Hylorina sylvatica	Tropical	Males brighter	Barrio 1967
Arthroleptidae-Leptopelinae	Leptopelis concolor	Tropical	Males brown/green; Females tan/brown	Passmore & Carruthers 1979
	Leptopelis flavomaculatus	Tropical	Males green with yellow spots; Females uniform green	Harper et al. 2010
	Leptopelis notatus	Tropical	Males green/tan; Females green	Schiotz 1999
	Leptopelis parkeri	Tropical	Males yellow pattern; Females uniform color	Schiotz 1999
	Leptopelis vermiculatus	Tropical	Males green; Females brown	Schiotz 1999
Bufonidae	Amietophrynus kassasii	Tropical	Males yellower with fewer spots	Baha El Din 2006
	Amietophrynus xeros	Tropical	Females more contrasting pattern	Roedel 2000
	Anaxyrus americanus	Temperate	Males yellower	Wright & Wright 1949
	Anaxyrus boreas	Temperate	Males less spotted	Elliot et al. 2009
	Anaxyrus canorus	Temperate	Males yellow-green to olive; Females gray, tan or brown with black spots	Karlstrom 1973
	Atelopus chiriquiensis	Tropical	Males yellow; Females dark with red/white spots	Savage 2002
	Atelopus senex	Tropical	Males uniform; Females patterned	Savage 2002
	Atelopus varius	Tropical	Males more uniform; Females more patterned	Savage 1972
	Incilius aurarius	Tropical	Males orange; Females olive with brown or black markings	Mendelson et al 2012
	Incilius marmoreus	Temperate	Females green middorsal mark	Duellman & Trueb 1986
	Incilius melanochlorus	Tropical	Females spots/lines	Savage 2002
	Incilius periglenes	Tropical	Males bright orange; Females olive to black with red spots	Savage 1966
	Mertensophryne taitana	Tropical	Males mid-dorsal pattern of 3 dark blotches; Females reddish-brown	Stewart 1967
	Nectophrynoides tornieri	Tropical	Males brown/red; Females rusty red	Channing & Howell 2006
	Pedostibes hosii	Tropical	Males brown; Females green with spots	Inger & Stuebing 1997
	Peltophryne lemur	Tropical	Males yellower	Matos-Torres 2006
	Pseudepidalea sicula	Temperate	Females more contrasting pattern	Stoeck et al. 2008
	Rhinella icterica	Tropical	Males bright green/yellow	Haddad et al. 2008
	Rhinella marina	Tropical	Males yellow; Females brown spots	Easteal 1963
	Rhinella veredas	Tropical	Males yellow; Females brown/green	Brandão et al. 2007
	Rhinella yanachaga	Tropical	Males dark brown/green; Females tan/brown	Lehr et al. 2007
	Werneria preussi	Tropical	Females dorsolateral stripe	Duellman & Trueb 1986
Craugastoridae-Pristimantinae	Pristimantis bicolor	Tropical	Males red on legs; Femalesyellow on legs	Rueda & Lynch 1983
	Pristimantis erythropleura	Tropical	Males yellow spots on legs; Females orange-pink spots on legs	Lynch 1992
	Pristimantis factiosus	Tropical	Males yellow spots on legs; Females orange-pink spots on legs	Lynch & Rueda 1998
Dendrobatidae	Oophaga pumilio	Tropical	Males brighter	Mann & Cummings 2009
Hemiphractidae	Gastrotheca andaquiensis	Tropical	Males brown; Females green	Hoffman & Blouin 2000
Hylidae-Hylinae	Dendropsophus bokermanni	Tropical	Males lateral marking; Females dorsolateral striped	Riviero 1969
	Dendropsophus leucophyllatus	Tropical	Males lateral marking; Females dorsolateral striped	Riviero 1969
	Dendropsophus parviceps	Tropical	Females dorsolateral stripe	Duellman & Trueb 1986
	Hypsiboas boans	Tropical	Males brown; Females orange/brown	A. Lima (pers comm)
	Isthmohyla calypsa	Tropical	Females dark mottling	Savage 2002
	Scinax ruber	Tropical	Males yellow; Females brown	A. Lima (pers comm)
	Triprion petasatus	Tropical	Males olive green; Females tan/olive brown	Duellman 2001
Hyperoliidae	Cryptothylax greshoffi	Tropical	Females redder	Schiotz 1999
	Heterixalus alboguttatus	Tropical	Males uniform; Females spotted	Schiotz 1999
	Heterixalus tricolor	Tropical	Males uniform; Females spotted	Schiotz 1999
	Heterixalus variabilis	Tropical	Males inconspicuous; Females yellow with black markings	Glaw & Vences 1994
	Hyperolius argus	Tropical	Males pale green; Females pale to dark brown with white spots	Stewart 1967
	Hyperolius bocagei (kachalolae)	Tropical	Females redder	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius castaneus	Tropical	Males white dorso-lateral stripe; Females stripe absent	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius cinnamomeoventris	Tropical	Males brown or green with dorso-lateral stripe; Females uniform green	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius concolor	Tropical	Males dorsolateral line	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius discodactylus	Tropical	Males white stripe on sides and back; Females stripe absent	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius fusciventris	Tropical	Males light green with stripe; Females solid green	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius glandicolor	Tropical	Males hourglass pattern; Females dark dorsum with white spots	Schiotz 1971
	Hyperolius guttulatus	Tropical	Males green with stripe; Females dark brown with spots	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius viridiflavus karissimbiensis	Tropical	Males dorsal pattern; Females uniform	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius kivuensis	Tropical	Males three dorso-lateral stripes; Females stripes absent	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius lateralis	Tropical	Males brown/green with stripe; Females solid green	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius mariae	Tropical	Males hourglass pattern; Females uniform yellow or brown	Schiotz 1971
	Hyperolius marmoratus	Tropical	Males brown with hourglass; Females uniform yellow/brown with four dark stripes	Stewart 1967
	Hyperolius nasutus	Tropical	Males dorso-medial and dorso-lateral stripes; Females stripes absent	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius ocellatus	Tropical	Males green with dorsolateral stripes; Females silver to red-brown with dark spots	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius pardalis	Tropical	Males uniform; Females spotted	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius parkeri	Tropical	Males white lines; Females solid green	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius phantasticus	Tropical	Males green; Females yellow	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius pickersgilli	Tropical	Males brown; Females lime-green	Channing 2001
	Hyperolius picturatus	Tropical	Males hourglass pattern; Females solid	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius platyceps	Tropical	Males silver; Females green	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius quinquevittatus	Tropical	Males gold/brown with stripes; Females green with lateral stripes	Laurent 1957
	Hyperolius riggenbachi	Tropical	Males green with stripe; Females red/black/yellow patterns	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius spatzi	Tropical	Males white; Females light grey with black spots	Schiotz 1971
	Hyperolius tuberculatus	Tropical	Males hourglass pattern; Females grey with black spots	Schiotz 1971
	Hyperolius tuberilinguis	Tropical	Males brown or mottled green; Females bright green	Stewart 1967
	Hyperolius viridiflavus viridiflavus	Tropical	Males brown; Females green	Laurent 1950
	Hyperolius wermuthi	Tropical	Males light green; Females red stripe	Schiotz 1999
	Hyperolius zonatus	Tropical	Males brown with bars; Females uniform and yellowish	Schiotz 1999
	Taychynemis seychellensis	Tropical	Males brown; Females green	Nussbaum & Wu 1995
Mantellidae-Boophinae	Boophis albilabris	Tropical	Females more brownish spots	Glaw & Vences 2007
	Boophis laurenti	Tropical	Males grey; Females brown	Glaw & Vences 2007
	Boophis microtympanum	Tropical	Males green; Females yellow-green	Glaw & Vences 1994
	Boophis pauliani	Tropical	Males green; Females brown	Glaw & Vences 1994
Mantellidae-Mantellinae	Blommersia angolafa	Tropical	Males yellow; Females brown	Andreone et al. 2010
Microhylidae-Dyscophinae	Dyscophus antongilii	Tropical	Males yellow; Females red	Glaw & Vences 2007
	Dyscophus guineti	Tropical	Males yellow; Females red	Glaw & Vences 2007
Microhylidae-Microhylinae	Ramanella variegata	Tropical	Males with cream colored spots; Females solid	Dutta & Manamendra-Arachchi 1996
Microhylidae-Scaphiophryninae	Scaphiophryne gottlebei	Tropical	Females brighter colored than male	Glaw & Vences 1994
Pelodytidae	Pelodytes caucasicus	Temperate	Males darker coloration than female	Kuzmin 1999
Pyxicephallinae	Pyxicephalus edulis	Tropical	Males green; Females brown	Roedel 2000
Ranidae	Rana hosii	Tropical	Males green; Females green/tan	Manthey & Grossman 1997
	Rana longicrus	Tropical	Males yellow/brown; Females red	Lue 1990
	Rana septentrionalis	Temperate	Females dark pigmentation in reticulate pattern	Kramek & Stewart 1980
	Rana vaillanti	Tropical	Males green; Females grey/brown	Ramirez et al. 1998
	Sanguirana aurantipunctata	Tropical	Males green; Females green with orange spots	Fuiten et al. 2011
Rhacophoridae-Rhacophorinae	Raorchestes chromasynchysi	Tropical	Males yellow/brown; Females green	Vijayakumar (pers comm)
Scaphiopodidae	Scaphiopus couchii	Temperate	Males yellower	Stebbins 2003

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