Megophryidae |  |
291 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. 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 2022Notable 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.
Cartography Credit: Zoe Yoo, UC Berkeley
Range maps sources: AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley, and IUCN RedListRelevant 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 (167 species)
Genus Leptobrachella (85 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 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 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 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 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 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 shiwandashanensis 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 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 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 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 (124 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 (65 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 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 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 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 no photos no sound/video Brachytarsophrys qiannanensis 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 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 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 account 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.