AmphibiaWeb - Megophryidae
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(Translations may not be accurate.)

Megophryidae

316 species in 14 genera

Commonly Called Asian Horned Frogs, Asian Toads, Asian Toadfrogs, Leaf Litter Frogs


Megophrys (Xenophrys) major
Photo by Nikolai Orlov
(Click for family gallery)

These are the largest, most ecologically and morphologically diverse group of non-neobatrachian frogs in South and Southeast Asia, extending through India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, Borneo, Philippines, and Sunda Islands. Megophryid frogs are generally cryptic, often mimicking dead leaves on the forest floor. For example, Pelobatrachus (formerly Megophrys) nasuta, when viewed dorsally, resembles a leaf with its coloration, overall shape, and even leaf-vein looking epidermal growths! These frogs are nocturnal and are poor jumpers, instead preferring to walk around. Tadpoles are aquatic and vary widely in natural history with many buccal adaptations. Megophryids have highly glandular skin with concentrations of glands in the axilla, pectoral and femoral areas.

Megophryid genera currently are taxonomically unstable with several studies disagreeing about the number of genera or the elevation of subgenera. Mahony et al. (2017) compiled and analyzed a molecular, morphological, and timetree dated phylogeny for the subfamily Megophryninae, in which they proposed it is comprised of the single genus Megophrys with support for seven subgenera: Megophrys, Atympanophrys, Brachytarsophrys, Ophryophryne, Panophrys, Pelobatrachus, and Xenophrys. However, Chen et al. 2017 propose elevating those subgenera to full genera.

Written by AmphibiaWeb, February 2022

Notable Family Characteristics

  • Inhabits forest floors or streamsides
  • Terrestrial
  • Nocturnal
  • Eggs are deposited in water to hatch into aquatic tadpoles
  • Morphological characters for this family are: 1) ceratohyals absent in adults; 2) intervertebral cartilages with ossified centers; 3) paddle-shaped tongue; 4) pectoral girdle arciferal with long bony sternum; 5) sacral diapophyses expanded antero-posteriorly; 6) palatines absent, with a palatal process of maxilla instead present in this area. Other features include highly glandular skin with concentrations of glands in the axilla, pectoral and femoral areas
  • Distribution through South and Southeast Asia, extending through India, Pakistan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Borneo, Philippines, and Sunda Islands.
Megophryidae Richness map

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

Relevant Reference

Chen JM, Poyarkov NA Jr, Suwannapoom C, Lathrop A, Wu YH, Zhou WW, Yuan ZY, Jin JQ, Chen HM, Liu HQ, Nguyen TQ, Nguyen SN, Duong TV, Eto K, Nishikawa K, Matsui M, Orlov NL, Stuart BL, Brown RM, Rowley JJL, Murphy RW, Wang YY, Che J. Large-scale phylogenetic analyses provide insights into unrecognized diversity and historical biogeography of Asian leaf-litter frogs, genus Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2018 Jul;124:162-171. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.02.020.

Mahony S, Kamei RG, Teeling EC, and Biju SD. 2018. Cryptic diversity within the Megophrys major species group (Amphibia: Megophryidae) of the Asian Horned Frogs: Phylogenetic perspectives and a taxonomic revision of South Asian taxa, with descriptions of four new species. Zootaxa, 4523.1: 1–96

Mahony S, Foley NM, Biju SD, and Teeling EC. 2017. Evolutionary history of the Asian Horned Frogs (Megophryinae): Integrative approaches to timetree dating in the absence of a fossil record. Molecular Biology and Evolution 34: 744-771.

Pough FH, Andrews RM, Crump ML, Savitzky AH, Wells KD, and Brandley MC. 2015. Herpetology. Fourth Edition. Massachusetts: Sinauer.

Vitt LJ, and Caldwell JP. 2013. Herpetology. An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Fourth Edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Subfamily Leptobrachiinae (183 species)

Genus Leptobrachella (95 species)    [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Leptobrachella alpina no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella applebyi account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella arayai no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella ardens no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella aspera no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella baluensis no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella bidoupensis account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella bijie no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella bondangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella botsfordi account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella bourreti no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella brevicrus no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella chishuiensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella crocea no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella damingshanensis account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella dong no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella dorsospina no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella dringi no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella feii no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella firthi no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella flaviglandulosa no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella fritinniens no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella fuliginosa no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella fusca no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella gracilis no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella graminicola no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella hamidi no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella heteropus no account photos sound/video
Leptobrachella jinshaensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella jinyunensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella juliandringi no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella kajangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella kalonensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella kecil no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella khasiorum no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella korifi no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella lateralis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella laui account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella liui no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella macrops no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella maculosa no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella marmorata no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella maura no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella melanoleuca no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella melica no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella mjobergi no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella murphyi no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella nahangensis account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella namdongensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella natunae no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella neangi account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella niveimontis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella oshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella pallida account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella palmata no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella parva no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella pelodytoides no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella petrops no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella phiadenensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella phiaoacensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella picta no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella platycephala no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella pluvialis no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella purpura no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella purpuraventra no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella pyrrhops no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella rowleyae no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella sabahmontana no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella serasanae account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella shangsiensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella shimentaina no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella shiwandashanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella sinorensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella sola no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella suiyangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella sungi account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella tadungensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella tamdil no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella tengchongensis no account photos sound/video
Leptobrachella tuberosa no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella ventripunctata no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella verrucosa no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella wuhuangmontis account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella wulingensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella wumingensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella yeae no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella yingjiangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella yunkaiensis account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella yunyangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella zhangyapingi no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella (Lalos) aerea no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella (Lalos) eos no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella (Lalos) maoershanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella (Lalos) minima no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachella (Lalos) nyx no account photos no sound/video

Genus Leptobrachium (38 species)    [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Leptobrachium abbotti account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium ailaonicum no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium banae no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium bompu account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium boringii no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium buchardi no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium chapaense no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium guangxiense no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium gunungense no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium hainanense no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium hasseltii account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium hendricksoni account photos sound/video
Leptobrachium huashen no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium ingeri no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium kanowitense no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium kantonishikawai no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium leishanense no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium leucops account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium liui no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium lumadorum no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium lunatum no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium mangyanorum no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium montanum account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium mouhoti no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium ngoclinhense no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium nigrops no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium nokrekensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium promustache no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium pullum no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium rakhinense no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium smithi no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium sylheticum no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium tagbanorum no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium tenasserimense no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium tengchongense no account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium waysepuntiense account photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium xanthops no account no photos no sound/video
Leptobrachium xanthospilum no account photos no sound/video

Genus Leptolalax (2 species)    [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Leptolalax mangshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Leptolalax pingbianensis no account no photos no sound/video

Genus Oreolalax (19 species)    [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Oreolalax chuanbeiensis account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax granulosus account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax jingdongensis account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax liangbeiensis account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax lichuanensis account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax longmenmontis no account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax major account photos no sound/video
Oreolalax multipunctatus account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax nanjiangensis account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax omeimontis account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax pingii account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax popei account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax puxiongensis account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax rhodostigmatus account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax rugosus account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax schmidti account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax sterlingae account photos no sound/video
Oreolalax weigoldi account no photos no sound/video
Oreolalax xiangchengensis account no photos no sound/video

Genus Scutiger (29 species)    [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Scutiger adungensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger bangdaensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger bhutanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger biluoensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger boulengeri no account photos no sound/video
Scutiger brevipes no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger chintingensis account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger feiliangi no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger ghunsa no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger glandulatus no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger gongshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger jiulongensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger liupanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger luozhaensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger maculatus account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger mammatus no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger meiliensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger muliensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger nepalensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger ningshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger nyingchiensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger occidentalis no account photos no sound/video
Scutiger pingwuensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger sikimmensis no account photos no sound/video
Scutiger spinosus no account photos no sound/video
Scutiger tengchongensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger tuberculatus no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger wanglangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Scutiger wuguanfui no account photos no sound/video
Subfamily Megophryinae (133 species)

Genus Atympanophrys (3 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Atympanophrys gigantica no account photos no sound/video
Atympanophrys nankiangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Atympanophrys shapingensis no account no photos no sound/video

Genus Boulenophrys (68 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Boulenophrys acuta no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys angka no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys anlongensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys baishanzuensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys baolongensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys binchuanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys binlingensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys boettgeri no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys brachykolos no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys caobangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys caudoprocta no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys cheni no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys chishuiensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys congjiangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys daiyunensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys daoji no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys daweimontis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys dongguanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys fanjingmontis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys fansipanensis no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys fengshunensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys frigida no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys hengshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys hoanglienensis no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys huangshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys hungtai no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys insularis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys jiangi no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys jingdongensis no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys jinggangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys jiulianensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys kuatunensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys leishanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys liboensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys lini no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys lishuiensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys lushuiensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys minor no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys mirabilis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys mufumontana no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys nankunensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys nanlingensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys obesa no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys ombrophila no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys omeimontis no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys palpebralespinosa no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys puningensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys qianbeiensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys rubrimera no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys sangzhiensis no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys sanmingensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys shimentaina no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys shuichengensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys shunhuangensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys spinata no account photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys tongboensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys tuberogranulatus account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys wawuensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys wugongensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys wuliangshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys wushanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys xiangnanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys xianjuensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys xuefengmontis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys yangmingensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys yaoshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys yingdeensis no account no photos no sound/video
Boulenophrys yunkaiensis no account no photos no sound/video

Genus Brachytarsophrys (8 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Brachytarsophrys carinense no account photos no sound/video
Brachytarsophrys chuannanensis no account photos no sound/video
Brachytarsophrys feae no account photos no sound/video
Brachytarsophrys intermedia no account photos no sound/video
Brachytarsophrys orientalis no account no photos no sound/video
Brachytarsophrys platyparietus no account no photos no sound/video
Brachytarsophrys popei no account photos no sound/video
Brachytarsophrys qiannanensis no account no photos no sound/video

Genus Jingophrys (5 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Jingophrys feii no account no photos no sound/video
Jingophrys pachyproctus no account no photos no sound/video
Jingophrys vegrandis no account photos no sound/video
Jingophrys yeae no account no photos no sound/video
Jingophrys zhoui no account no photos no sound/video

Genus Megophrys (8 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Megophrys acehensis no account no photos no sound/video
Megophrys selatanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Megophrys (Megophrys) lancip no account no photos no sound/video
Megophrys (Megophrys) montana account photos no sound/video
Megophrys (Megophrys) parallela no account no photos no sound/video
Megophrys (Xenophrys) awuh no account no photos no sound/video
Megophrys (Xenophrys) dzukou no account no photos no sound/video
Megophrys (Xenophrys) numhbumaeng no account no photos no sound/video

Genus Ophryophryne (6 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Ophryophryne elfina no account photos no sound/video
Ophryophryne gerti no account photos no sound/video
Ophryophryne hansi no account photos no sound/video
Ophryophryne koui no account photos no sound/video
Ophryophryne microstoma no account photos no sound/video
Ophryophryne synoria no account photos no sound/video

Genus Pelobatrachus (7 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Pelobatrachus baluensis no account photos no sound/video
Pelobatrachus edwardinae no account photos no sound/video
Pelobatrachus kalimantanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Pelobatrachus kobayashii no account photos no sound/video
Pelobatrachus ligayae account photos no sound/video
Pelobatrachus nasuta no account photos no sound/video
Pelobatrachus stejnegeri no account photos no sound/video

Genus Sarawakiphrys (1 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Sarawakiphrys dringi no account photos no sound/video

Genus Xenophrys (27 species)    [subfamily Megophryinae]
Xenophrys aceras no account photos no sound/video
Xenophrys ancrae no account photos no sound/video
Xenophrys auralensis account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys damrei account photos no sound/video
Xenophrys dehongensis no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys flavipunctata no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys glandulosa no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys himalayana no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys lancangica no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys lekaguli no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys longipes no account photos no sound/video
Xenophrys major no account photos no sound/video
Xenophrys mangshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys medogensis no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys megacephala no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys monticola no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys oreocrypta no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys oropedion no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys pangdaensis no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys parva no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys periosa no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys robusta no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys serchhipii no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys takensis no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys truongsonensis account photos no sound/video
Xenophrys zhangi no account no photos no sound/video
Xenophrys zunhebotoensis 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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