Ceratophryinae
Encyclopedia
The Ceratophryinae, known as common horned frogs, are a subfamily of the leptodactylid
frog
s. All species in this subfamily live in South America
. Fossils of the giant Beelzebufo
from Cretaceous
Madagascar
suggest that the subfamily may have once ranged throughout the prehistoric supercontinent
of Gondwana
. Despite the common name, not all species in the subfamily have the horn-like projections at the eyes. All are carnivorous, terrestrial
or semi-aquatic
and notably thickset with proportionally large heads and mouths. Some species (especially from the genera Ceratophrys and Lepidobatrachus) are popular in herpetoculture
.
Leptodactylidae
Leptodactylidae is a diverse family of frogs that probably diverged from other hyloids during the Cenozoic era, or possibly at the end of the Mesozoic. There are roughly 50 genera, one of which is Eleutherodactylus, the largest vertebrate genus, with over 700 species...
frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
s. All species in this subfamily live in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Fossils of the giant Beelzebufo
Beelzebufo
Beelzebufo ampinga was a particularly large species of prehistoric frog first identified in 2007. Common names assigned by the popular media include "Devil Frog", "Devil Toad", and "The Frog From Hell"...
from Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
suggest that the subfamily may have once ranged throughout the prehistoric supercontinent
Supercontinent
In geology, a supercontinent is a landmass comprising more than one continental core, or craton. The assembly of cratons and accreted terranes that form Eurasia qualifies as a supercontinent today.-History:...
of Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
. Despite the common name, not all species in the subfamily have the horn-like projections at the eyes. All are carnivorous, terrestrial
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
or semi-aquatic
Aquatic animal
An aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
and notably thickset with proportionally large heads and mouths. Some species (especially from the genera Ceratophrys and Lepidobatrachus) are popular in herpetoculture
Herpetoculture
Herpetoculture is the keeping of live reptiles and amphibians in captivity, whether as a hobby or as a commercial breeding operation. "Herps" is an informal term that refers to both reptiles and amphibians...
.
Genera
- †BeelzebufoBeelzebufoBeelzebufo ampinga was a particularly large species of prehistoric frog first identified in 2007. Common names assigned by the popular media include "Devil Frog", "Devil Toad", and "The Frog From Hell"...
, Evans, Jones, & Krause, 2008. - CeratophrysCeratophrysCeratophrys is a genus of frogs in the family Leptodactylidae, subfamily Ceratophryinae. They are also known as South American horned frogs as well as Pacman frogs due to their characteristically large mouth and abdomen, thus resembling the video game character Pac-Man.-Gender differentiation:The...
, Wied-Neuwied, 1824. - Chacophrys, Reig & Limeses, 1963.
- LepidobatrachusLepidobatrachusLepidobatrachus is a genus of leptodactylid frogs. They are commonly referred to as Budgett's frogs, in honor of the scientist who described the genus.- Geographic range :...
, Budgett, 1899. - Macrogenioglottus, Carvalho, 1946.
- OdontophrynusOdontophrynusOdontophrynus is a genus of frog in the Leptodactylidae family.It contains the following species:* Odontophrynus achalensis* Odontophrynus americanus* Odontophrynus barrioi* Odontophrynus carvalhoi* Odontophrynus cordobae...
, Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862. - ProceratophrysProceratophrysProceratophrys is a genus of frog in the Leptodactylidae family. Notable species are:* Proceratophrys appendiculata* Proceratophrys avelinoi* Proceratophrys bigibbosa* Proceratophrys boiei* Proceratophrys brauni...
, Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920.