AmphibiaWeb - Hyperoliidae
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Hyperoliidae

236 species in 17 genera

Commonly Called African Reed Frogs, Running Frogs


Hyperolius argus
Photo by Robert C. Drewes

Afrixalus quadrivittatus
Photo by David Blackburn
(Click for family gallery)

The family Hyperoliidae consists of over 200 species. The diversity of hyperoliids is restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and several islands. One genus, Heterixalus, is endemic to Madagascar; Tachycnemis is found only in the Seychelles Islands. One of the most basal genera, Kassina (running frogs), is terrestrial, but most remaining genera are arboreal (the vernacular name of the family refers to the sedge and bush frogs). Tadpoles typically inhabit ponds, or possibly slow-moving parts of streams, and usually have large tailfins. Many species exhibit bright colors and striking patterns, which are sexually dimorphic in some species. One example is Hyperolius argus, which has been used to study the effects of estrogen-like compounds on development of reproductive organs and external secondary sex features. Males of nearly all species have a prominent gular pad and compete over calling sites. Acanthixalus may communicate via pheromones rather than typical advertisement calls.

Taxonomy is still unsettled for some groups within Hyperoliidae, particularly the following:

The Hyperolius nasutus group, consisting of H. nasutus, H. acuticeps, H. adspersus, H. igbettensis, H. benguellensis, and possibly H. lamottei and H. viridis. Both species delimitation and nomenclature are under debate. For a brief discussion, see the account for H. acuticeps.

The Hyperolius viridiflavus superspecies, where it is generally accepted that the group consists of several biological species, but where the species delimitation has not been settled. The superspecies is here treated as an entity under the name H. viridiflavus, and the forms which are regarded by some as full species are treated also under their respective names: H. angolensis, H. glandicolor, H. marginatus, H. mariae, H. marmoratus, H. nitidulus, H. pyrrhodichtyon, H. reesi, H. rhodesianus, H. sheldricki, H. swynnertoni, and H. viridiflavus.

The Afrixalus fulvovittatus complex, which probably consists of several cryptic species. In West Africa, the restricted western farmbush form A. fulvovittatus and the widespread savanna form A. vittiger are reasonably well separated. From Cameroun eastwards the taxonomy is unclear, with the names A. vittiger, A. quadrivittatus, and A. brevipalmatus used in recent literature.

The "Eastern Dwarf" Afrixalus are a bewildering group of small, savanna-living forms. The taxonomy used here follows the latest revision, that of Pickersgill (2007). This group consists of Afrixalus aureus, A. crotalus, A. delicatus, A. knysnae, A. morerei, A. septentrionalis, A. spinifrons, and A. stuhlmanni. (account by Arne Schiøtz)

News Highlight:

July 22,2019: Despite the theory that sexually dimorphic traits under strong sexual selection lead to rapid diversification, phylogenetic studies testing for correlations between sexual dichromatism (sexual differences based on coloration and pattern) and diversification have had mixed results. Although sexual dichromatism is rare in most frogs, it is common in the species-rich African reed frogs (Family Hyperoliidae) with females being more strikingly ornate than males. Portik et al. (2019) examined the group to better understand the evolutionary origins of sexual dichromatism and how it relates to their diversification. Sexual dichromatism evolved once followed by multiple reversals to monochromatism. Clades displaying dichromatism had about double the rates of diversification of monochromatic clades. African reed frogs are a promising group for exploring the role of natural and sexual selection on the evolution of sexual dichromatism. (AChang)

Written by AmphibiaWeb

Notable Family Characteristics

  • Arboreal primarily, some terrestrial
  • A range of habitats, forests and open savanna
  • Diurnal in most
  • Sexual dimorphism in some species, including striking dichromatism
  • Morphological characters for this group are: 1) presence of unique gular gland; 2) nuptial pads absent; 3) posterolateral process of hyoid absent; 4) sternum cartilaginous; 5) dentomentalis muscle present; 6) pupil vertical in most.
  • Distribution limited to sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and several islands, including the Seychelles
Hyperoliidae Richness map

Cartography Credit: Zoe Yoo, UC Berkeley
Range maps sources: AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley, and IUCN RedList

Relevant Reference

Schiøtz, A. (1999). Treefrogs of Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

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 Acanthixalus (2 species)
Acanthixalus sonjae account no photos no sound/video
Acanthixalus spinosus account photos no sound/video

Genus Afrixalus (35 species)
Afrixalus aureus account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus brachycnemis account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus clarkei account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus crotalus account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus delicatus account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus dorsalis account photos sound/video
Afrixalus dorsimaculatus account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus enseticola account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus equatorialis account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus fornasini account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus fulvovittatus account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus knysnae account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus lacteus account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus lacustris no account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus laevis account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus leucostictus account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus lindholmi no account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus morerei account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus nigeriensis account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus orophilus account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus osorioi account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus paradorsalis account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus phantasma no account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus quadrivittatus account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus schneideri account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus septentrionalis account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus spinifrons account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus stuhlmanni account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus sylvaticus account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus uluguruensis account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus upembae account no photos no sound/video
Afrixalus vibekensis account photos no sound/video
Afrixalus vittiger account photos sound/video
Afrixalus weidholzi account photos sound/video
Afrixalus wittei account photos no sound/video

Genus Arlequinus (1 species)
Arlequinus krebsi account photos no sound/video

Genus Callixalus (1 species)
Callixalus pictus account no photos no sound/video

Genus Chrysobatrachus (1 species)
Chrysobatrachus cupreonitens account photos no sound/video

Genus Congolius (1 species)
Congolius robustus account photos no sound/video

Genus Cryptothylax (2 species)
Cryptothylax greshoffii account photos no sound/video
Cryptothylax minutus account no photos no sound/video

Genus Heterixalus (11 species)
Heterixalus alboguttatus account photos sound/video
Heterixalus andrakata account photos sound/video
Heterixalus betsileo account photos sound/video
Heterixalus boettgeri account photos sound/video
Heterixalus carbonei account photos sound/video
Heterixalus luteostriatus account photos sound/video
Heterixalus madagascariensis account photos sound/video
Heterixalus punctatus account photos sound/video
Heterixalus rutenbergi account photos sound/video
Heterixalus tricolor account photos sound/video
Heterixalus variabilis account photos sound/video

Genus Hyperolius (155 species)
Hyperolius acuticephalus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius acuticeps account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius acutirostris account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius ademetzi account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius adspersus no account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius albofrenatus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius angolensis account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius atrigularis account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius baumanni account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius benguellensis account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius bicolor account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius bocagei no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius brachiofasciatus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius burgessi no account photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius chabanaudi no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius chelaensis no account photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius cinnamomeoventris account photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius constellatus no account photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius dartevellei no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius davenporti account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius diaphanus account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius fasciatus account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius ferrugineus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius friedemanni no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius fuscigula account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius ghesquieri account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius glandicolor no account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius gularis account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius howelli no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius igbettensis no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius inyangae no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius jackie no account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius jacobseni no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius kibarae account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius laticeps account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius lupiroensis no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius maestus account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius marginatus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius mariae no account photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius microps no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius nasicus no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius nienokouensis account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius obscurus account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius parallelus no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius pyrrhodictyon no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius quadratomaculatus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius quinquevittatus account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius raveni account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius raymondi account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius reesi account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius rhizophilus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius rhodesianus no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius riggenbachi account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius rubrovermiculatus account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius ruvuensis account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius rwandae no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius sankuruensis account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius schoutedeni account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius seabrai account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius semidiscus account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius sheldricki account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius soror account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius spatzi no account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius spinigularis account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius steindachneri account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius stenodactylus no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius stictus no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius substriatus no account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius swynnertoni no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius sylvaticus account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius tanneri account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius thomensis account photos no sound/video
Hyperolius thoracotuberculatus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius tornieri account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius torrentis account photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius ukwiva no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius veithi no account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius vilhenai account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius watsonae no account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius xenorhinus account no photos no sound/video
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Hyperolius (Alexteroon) hypsiphonus account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius (Alexteroon) jynx account no photos no sound/video
Hyperolius (Alexteroon) obstetricans account photos no sound/video

Genus Kassina (15 species)
Kassina arboricola account photos no sound/video
Kassina cassinoides account photos sound/video
Kassina cochranae account no photos sound/video
Kassina decorata account photos no sound/video
Kassina fusca account photos sound/video
Kassina jozani account no photos no sound/video
Kassina kuvangensis account photos no sound/video
Kassina lamottei account photos no sound/video
Kassina maculifer account photos no sound/video
Kassina maculosa account photos no sound/video
Kassina mertensi account no photos no sound/video
Kassina schioetzi account photos no sound/video
Kassina senegalensis account photos sound/video
Kassina somalica account photos no sound/video
Kassina wazae account no photos no sound/video

Genus Kassinula (1 species)
Kassinula wittei account photos no sound/video

Genus Morerella (1 species)
Morerella cyanophthalma account no photos no sound/video

Genus Opisthothylax (1 species)
Opisthothylax immaculatus account photos no sound/video

Genus Paracassina (2 species)
Paracassina kounhiensis account photos no sound/video
Paracassina obscura account photos no sound/video

Genus Phlyctimantis (5 species)
Phlyctimantis boulengeri account photos no sound/video
Phlyctimantis keithae account photos no sound/video
Phlyctimantis leonardi account photos no sound/video
Phlyctimantis maculatus account photos no sound/video
Phlyctimantis verrucosus account photos no sound/video

Genus Semnodactylus (1 species)
Semnodactylus wealii account photos no sound/video

Genus Tachycnemis (1 species)
Tachycnemis seychellensis account 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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