Leptodactylidae |  |
214 species in 15 genera
Commonly Called Tropical Grass Frogs, Southern Frogs, White-lipped Frogs
Leptodactylus plaumanni
Photo by Mirco Sole
(Click for family gallery)This large and diverse New World family has undergone substantial taxonomic revision (Frost et al. 2006; Grant et al. 2006; Hedges et al. 2008). They are medium to large frogs, including Leptodactylus pentadactylus which can reach up to 185 mm snout-vent length and are sometimes consumed by humans. Commonly strong jumpers, these frogs have robust hindlimbs. They typically have tadpoles which may be aquatic or nonfeeding endotrophic larvae. Leptodactylus are known to create foam-nests made from cloacal secretions; their placement (surface of water, in treeholes, in foliage above streams, etc) are species-specific and vary widely.
Leptodactylids occur from southern Texas and Florida through Mexico and in South America. Some members also occur in the West Indies. They are sister taxon to Leiuperidae.
Written by AmphibiaWebNotable Family Characteristics
- Terrestrial
- Tadpoles both aquatic and free-living and endotrophic
- Leptodactylus build foam-nests in a variety of micro-habitats that are species-specific
- Territorial; some species also guard larvae from potential predators (e.g., Leptodactylus latrans)
- Morphological features include: 1) paired palatines and frontoparietals in skull; 2) eight presacral vertebrae; 3) intercalary cartilages between the terminal and penultimate phalanges absent; 4) variable tips of terminal phalanges; 5) distinct tympanum
- Distribution limited to southern North America (southern Texas, Florida, and Sonoran Mexico) through the West Indies, Central America, and throughout South America
Relevant Reference
Frost, D. R., Grant, T., Faivovich, J., Bain, R. H., Haas, A., Haddad, C. F. B., de Sá, R. O., Channing, A., Wilkinson, M., Donnellan, S. C., Raxworthy, C. J., Campbell, J. A., Blotto, B. L., Moler, P., Drewes, R. C., Nussbaum, R. A., Lynch, J. D., Green, D. M., and Wheeler, W. C. (2006). The amphibian tree of life. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 297, 1-370.
Grant, T., Frost, D. R., Caldwell, J. P., Gagliardo, R., Haddad, C. F. B., Kok, P. J. R., Means, D. B., Noonan, B. P., Schargel, W. E., and Wheeler, W. C. (2006). Phylogenetic systematics of dart-poison frogs and their relatives (Amphibia: Athesphatanura: Dendrobatidae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 299, 1-262.
Hedges, S. B., Duellman, W. E., and Heinicke, M. P. (2008). New World direct-developing frogs (Anura: Terrarana): Molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography, and conservation. Zootaxa, 1737, 1-182.
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 Adenomera (19 species)
Adenomera ajurauna no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Adenomera andreae AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera araucaria no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Adenomera bokermanni no AmphibiaWeb account no photos sound/video Adenomera coca no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera cotuba no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera diptyx no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Adenomera engelsi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Adenomera heyeri no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Adenomera hylaedactyla AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera juikitam no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera lutzi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Adenomera marmorata no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera martinezi no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera nana no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Adenomera saci no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera simonstuarti AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Adenomera thomei no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Adenomera kweti no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video
Genus Crossodactylodes (5 species)
Crossodactylodes bokermanni no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Crossodactylodes itambe no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Crossodactylodes izecksohni no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Crossodactylodes pintoi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Crossodactylodes septentrionalis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Genus Edalorhina (2 species)
Edalorhina nasuta AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Edalorhina perezi AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Genus Engystomops (9 species)
Engystomops coloradorum no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Engystomops freibergi no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Engystomops guayaco no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Engystomops montubio no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Engystomops petersi no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Engystomops pustulatus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Engystomops pustulosus AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Engystomops puyango no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Engystomops randi no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Genus Eupemphix (1 species)
Eupemphix nattereri no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video
Genus Hydrolaetare (3 species)
Hydrolaetare caparu no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Hydrolaetare dantasi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Hydrolaetare schmidti no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Genus Leptodactylus (77 species)
Leptodactylus albilabris no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus bolivianus AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus bufonius no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus caatingae AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus camaquara no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus chaquensis no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus colombiensis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus cunicularius no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus cupreus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus didymus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus diedrus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus discodactylus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus elenae AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus fallax AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus flavopictus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus fragilis AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus furnarius no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus fuscus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus gracilis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus griseigularis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus guianensis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus hallowelli no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus hylodes no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus insularum no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus jolyi no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus knudseni no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus labrosus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus labyrinthicus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus laticeps no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus latinasus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus latrans AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus lauramiriamae no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus leptodactyloides no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus lithonaetes AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus longirostris no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus macrosternum no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus magistris no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus marambaiae no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus melanonotus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus myersi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus mystaceus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus mystacinus AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus natalensis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus nesiotus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus notoaktites no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus ochraceus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus oreomantis no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus paraensis no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus pascoensis no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus pentadactylus AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus peritoaktites no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus petersii no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus plaumanni no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus podicipinus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus poecilochilus AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus pustulatus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus rhodomerus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus rhodomystax no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus rhodonotus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus rhodostima no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus riveroi no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus rugosus AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus sabanensis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus savagei no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus sertanejo no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus silvanimbus AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus spixi no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus stenodema no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Leptodactylus syphax no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus tapiti no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Leptodactylus troglodytes no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus turimiquensis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus validus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus vastus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus ventrimaculatus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus viridis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Leptodactylus wagneri no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Genus Lithodytes (1 species)
Lithodytes lineatus AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video
Genus Paratelmatobius (7 species)
Paratelmatobius cardosoi AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Paratelmatobius gaigeae AmphibiaWeb account no photos sound/video Paratelmatobius lutzii AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Paratelmatobius mantiqueira AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Paratelmatobius pictiventris no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Paratelmatobius poecilogaster AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Paratelmatobius yepiranga no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video
Genus Physalaemus (47 species)
Physalaemus aguirrei no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus albifrons no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus albonotatus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus angrensis no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus atim no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus atlanticus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus barrioi AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus biligonigerus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus bokermanni no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus caete no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus camacan no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus centralis AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus cicada no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus crombiei no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus cuqui no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus cuvieri no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus deimaticus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus ephippifer AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus erikae no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus erythros no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus evangelistai no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus feioi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus fernandezae no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus fischeri no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus gracilis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus henselii no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus insperatus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus irroratus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus jordanensis AmphibiaWeb account no photos sound/video Physalaemus kroyeri no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus lateristriga no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus lisei no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus maculiventris no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus marmoratus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus maximus no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus moreirae AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus nanus no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus obtectus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus olfersii no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Physalaemus orophilus no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus riograndensis no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus rupestris no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus santafecinus AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus signifer no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus soaresi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Physalaemus spiniger no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Physalaemus carrizorum no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video
Genus Pleurodema (15 species)
Pleurodema alium no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pleurodema bibroni no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pleurodema borellii no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema brachyops no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema bufoninum no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema cinereum no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema cordobae no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pleurodema diplolister AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Pleurodema fuscomaculatum no AmphibiaWeb account no photos sound/video Pleurodema guayapae no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema kriegi no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema marmoratum AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema nebulosum no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pleurodema thaul AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pleurodema tucumanum no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Genus Pseudopaludicola (25 species)
Pseudopaludicola ameghini no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Pseudopaludicola atragula no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola boliviana no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola canga no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola ceratophyes no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola facureae no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Pseudopaludicola falcipes no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola giarettai no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Pseudopaludicola hyleaustralis no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola ibisoroca no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola llanera no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola mineira no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola motorzinho no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola murundu no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola mystacalis no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Pseudopaludicola parnaiba no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola pocoto no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola pusilla no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola saltica no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola serrana no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola ternetzi no AmphibiaWeb account photos sound/video Pseudopaludicola florencei no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola matuta no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola restinga no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video Pseudopaludicola (Leiuperinae) jaredi no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video
Genus Scythrophrys (1 species)
Scythrophrys sawayae no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Genus Somuncuria (1 species)
Somuncuria somuncurensis no AmphibiaWeb account no photos no sound/video
Subfamily Paratelmatobiinae (1 species)Genus Rupirana (1 species) [subfamily Paratelmatobiinae]
Rupirana cardosoi no AmphibiaWeb account photos no sound/video
Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: https://amphibiaweb.org/. (Accessed:AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use.