Megophryidae |  |
276 species in 12 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. The Megophryidae are generally cryptic frogs, often mimicking dead leaves on the forest floor. For example, 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.
Notably in 2018, Mahony et al. 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.
Written by AmphibiaWebNotable 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 limited to South and Southeast Asia, extending through India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, Borneo, Philippines, and Sunda Islands.
Cartography Credit: Zoe Yoo, UC Berkeley
Range maps sources: AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley, and IUCN RedListRelevant Reference
Chen et al 2018 Large-scale phylogenetic analyses provide insights into unrecognized diversity and historical biogeography of Asian leaf-litter frogs, genus Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 124: 162-171.
Mahony, S, R G. Kamei, E C. Teeling, and S. D. Biju. 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 (2018): 1–96
Mahony, S., N. M. Foley, S. D. Biju, and E. C. Teeling. 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, 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.
Subfamily Leptobrachiinae (162 species)
Genus Leptobrachella (80 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 no 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 no 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 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 hamidi no account photos no sound/video Leptobrachella heteropus no account photos sound/video Leptobrachella jinshaensis 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 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 no 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 nahangensis no 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 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 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 wuhuangmontis account no photos no sound/video Leptobrachella wulingensis 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 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 no 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 no 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 no 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 (1 species) [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Leptolalax mangshanensis no account no photos no sound/video
Genus Oreolalax (19 species) [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Genus Scutiger (24 species) [subfamily Leptobrachiinae]
Scutiger adungensis no account no photos no sound/video Scutiger bhutanensis 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 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 maculatus account no photos no sound/video Scutiger mammatus 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 (114 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 Brachytarsophrys (7 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 no photos no sound/video
Genus Megophrys (6 species) [subfamily Megophryinae]
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 no photos no sound/video Ophryophryne gerti no account no 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 Panophrys (58 species) [subfamily Megophryinae]
Panophrys acuta no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys angka no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys anlongensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys baishanzuensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys baolongensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys binchuanensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys binlingensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys boettgeri no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys brachykolos no account photos no sound/video Panophrys caobangensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys caudoprocta no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys cheni no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys chishuiensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys daiyunensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys daoji no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys daweimontis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys dongguanensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys fansipanensis no account photos no sound/video Panophrys frigida no account photos no sound/video Panophrys hoanglienensis no account photos no sound/video Panophrys huangshanensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys insularis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys jiangi no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys jingdongensis no account photos no sound/video Panophrys jinggangensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys jiulianensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys kuatunensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys leishanensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys liboensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys lini no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys lishuiensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys lushuiensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys minor no account photos no sound/video Panophrys mirabilis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys mufumontana no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys nankunensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys nanlingensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys obesa no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys ombrophila no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys omeimontis no account photos no sound/video Panophrys palpebralespinosa no account photos no sound/video Panophrys qianbeiensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys rubrimera no account photos no sound/video Panophrys sangzhiensis no account photos no sound/video Panophrys sanmingensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys shimentaina no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys shuichengensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys shunhuangensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys spinata no account photos no sound/video Panophrys tongboensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys tuberogranulatus account no photos no sound/video Panophrys wawuensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys wugongensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys wuliangshanensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys wushanensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys xiangnanensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys xianjuensis no account no photos no sound/video Panophrys yangmingensis no account no 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 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 no account no photos no sound/video Xenophrys dringi no account photos no sound/video Xenophrys feii 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 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 pachyproctus 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 vegrandis no 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:AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use.