List of amphibians
Encyclopedia
This is not a list of amphibians by Family. It lists all families and subfamilies of amphibians and mentions the number of species in each of them.
The list below largely follows Frost, 2011: Amphibian Species of the World (ASW), an Online Reference. Version 5.5 (31 January, 2011).
Another classification, which largely follows Frost, but deviates from it in part is the one of AmphibiaWeb, by the University of California, Berkeley.
The major differences between the two above classifications are:
- Frost ASW has split several families off from other families (i.e. elevated to distinct families), whereas AmphibiaWeb has not (i.e. keeping them within the original families as subfamilies):
- AmphibiaWeb has also split a few families off from other families (i.e. elevated to distinct families), where Frost ASW has not (i.e. keeping them within the original families):
See Sources below.
Order Anura - Frog
Total 5966 species
Order Caudata - Salamander
Total 619 species
Frost, Darrel R. 2011. Amphibian Species of the World: an online reference. Version 5.5 (31 January, 2011). Electronic Database accessible at http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
See:
and also:
The list below largely follows Frost, 2011: Amphibian Species of the World (ASW), an Online Reference. Version 5.5 (31 January, 2011).
Another classification, which largely follows Frost, but deviates from it in part is the one of AmphibiaWeb, by the University of California, Berkeley.
The major differences between the two above classifications are:
- Frost ASW has split several families off from other families (i.e. elevated to distinct families), whereas AmphibiaWeb has not (i.e. keeping them within the original families as subfamilies):
- From Dendrobatidae: Aromobatidae
- From Myobatrachidae: Limnodynastidae
- From Ranidae: Ceratobatrachidae, Dicroglossidae, Mantellidae, Micrixalidae, Nyctibatrachidae, Petropedetidae, Phrynobatrachidae, Ptychadenidae, Pyxicephalidae, Ranixalidae, Rhacophoridae
- AmphibiaWeb has also split a few families off from other families (i.e. elevated to distinct families), where Frost ASW has not (i.e. keeping them within the original families):
- From Alytidae: Discoglossidae
- From Leiopelmatidae: Ascaphidae
- From Ambystomatidae: Dicamptodontidae
- From Caeciliidae: Scolecomorphidae, Typhlonectidae
- From Ichthyophiidae: Uraeotyphlidae
See Sources below.
Class Amphibia
Total 6771 speciesOrder Anura - FrogFrogFrogs 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 and ToadToadA toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...
s
Total 5966 species
- Suborder ArchaeobatrachiaArchaeobatrachiaArchaeobatrachia is a suborder of Anura containing various primitive frogs and toads. As the name literally suggests, these are the most primitive frogs. Many of the species show certain physiological characteristics which are not present in other frogs and toads, thus giving rise to this group...
- Family Alytidae - Painted Frogs or Disc-Tongued frogs, 12 species. The genus DiscoglossusDiscoglossusDiscoglossus is a genus of frogs in the Discoglossidae family found in southern Europe, northwestern Africa, Israel, and perhaps Syria.-Species:...
, 7 species, is considered a distinct family, DiscoglossidaeDiscoglossidaeDiscoglossidae is a family of primitive frogs, with the common name Disc-Tongued Frogs. Most are endemic to Europe, but there are also three species in North-West Africa, and an extinct species formerly occurred in Israel....
by AmphibiaWeb - Family BombinatoridaeBombinatoridaeBombinatoridae are often referred to as Fire-bellied toads because of their brightly colored ventral sides, which show that they are highly toxic to humans. This family includes two genera, Barbourula and Bombina, both of which have flattened bodies.Bombina are warty, aquatic toads about in...
- Fire Belly toads, 8 species - Family LeiopelmatidaeLeiopelmatidaeLeiopelmatidae, or New Zealand and North American primitive frogs, is a family belonging to the suborder Archaeobatrachia. Their relatively primitive form indicates that they have an ancient lineage...
- New Zealand primitive frogs, 6 species. The genus Ascaphus is considered a distinct family, Ascaphidae, by AmphibiaWeb
- Family Alytidae - Painted Frogs or Disc-Tongued frogs, 12 species. The genus Discoglossus
- Suborder MesobatrachiaMesobatrachiaMesobatrachia is the second largest of the Anura suborders of amphibians. It contains 6 families, 20 genera and 168 species. This is, of course, not matched to the 5,047 species noted in the Neobatrachia suborder...
- Family MegophryidaeMegophryidaeMegophryidae are a large family of frogs native to the warm southeast of Asia, from the Himalaya foothills eastwards, south to Indonesia and the Greater Sunda Islands in Maritime Southeast Asia, and extending to the Philippines. As of mid-2008 it encompasses approximately 70-100 species of frog...
- Litter frogs or Short Legged toads, 156 species - Family PelobatidaePelobatidaeThe European spadefoot toads are a family of frogs, the Pelobatidae, with only one extant genus Pelobates, containing four species. They are native to Europe, the Mediterranean, northwestern Africa and western Asia....
- European Spadefoot toads, 4 species - Family Pelodytidae - Parsley frogs, 3 species
- Family PipidaePipidaeThe Pipidae are a family of primitive, tongueless frogs. The thirty species in the family Pipidae are found in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa ....
- Tongueless frogs or clawed frogs, 33 species - Family Rhinophrynidae - Mexican Burrowing Toad, 1 species
- Family Scaphiopodidae - American spadefoot toads, 7 species
- Family Megophryidae
- Suborder NeobatrachiaNeobatrachiaNeobatrachia are a suborder of the Anura, the order of frogs and toads. This suborder is the most advanced and apomorphic of the three anuran orders alive today; hence its name, which literally means "new frogs"...
- Family Allophrynidae, 1 species
- Family AromobatidaeAromobatidaeThe Aromobatidae are a family of frogs which are native to Central and South America....
- 104 species, considered part of the family Dendrobatidae by AmphibiaWeb- Subfamily: Allobatinae, 46 species
- Subfamily: Anomaloglossinae, 26 species.
- Subfamily: Aromobatinae, 31 species.
- Family ArthroleptidaeArthroleptidaeArthroleptidae is a family of frogs found in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are also known as squeakers because of their high-pitched call. They are small, less than in length, terrestrial frogs found mostly in leaf litter on the forest floor. They completely bypass any aquatic stage, and therefore do...
- Screeching frogs or squeakers, 140 species- Subfamily: Arthroleptinae, 89 species
- Subfamily: Leptopelinae, 51 species
- Family Brachycephalidae - Saddleback toads, 51 species.
- Family Brevicipitidae - 31 species
- Family Bufonidae - True toads, 558 species
- Family Calyptocephalellidae - 4 species
- Family Centrolenidae - Glass frogs, 146 species
- Subfamily: CentroleninaeCentroleninaeCentroleninae is one of three subfamilies of the family. It has nine genera.-Genera:*Centrolene *Chimerella*Cochranella *Espadaranaa*Nymphargus *Rulyrana*Sachatamia*Teratohyla...
, 115 species - Subfamily: Hyalinobatrachiinae, 30 species
- Subfamily: Centroleninae
- Family Ceratobatrachidae, 85 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family Ceratophryidae - 86 species
- Subfamily: Batrachylinae, 14 species
- Subfamily: CeratophryinaeCeratophryinaeThe Ceratophryinae, known as common horned frogs, are a subfamily of the leptodactylid frogs. 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...
, 12 species. - Subfamily: TelmatobiinaeTelmatobiinaeTelmatobiinae was originally a large subfamily of leptodactylid frogs. The subfamily has since undergone extensive revision and most genera have been placed elsewhere. The remaining two genera present in this group have maintained the Telmatobiinae subfamily name but have been placed in a new...
, 60 species
- Family Ceuthomantidae - 4 species, split off from family Brachycephalidae
- Family CraugastoridaeCraugastoridaeCraugastoridae is a family of frogs which consists of 2 genera with a disjunct distribution: Craugastor and Haddadus.The genus Craugastor, with 112 species, has the largest distribution and can be found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America up to northwestern South America. The...
- 115 species - Family Cycloramphidae - 105 species
- Subfamily: Alsodinae, 70 species
- Subfamily: CycloramphinaeCycloramphinaeCycloramphinae is a subfamily of leptodactylid frogs found in South America.-Genera:* Crossodactylodes Cochran, 1938.* Crossodactylus Duméril & Bibron, 1841.* Cycloramphus Tschudi, 1838.* Hylodes Fitzinger, 1826....
, 34 species
- Family Dendrobatidae - Poison dart frogs, 179 species
- Subfamily: Colostethinae, 61 species
- Subfamily: DendrobatinaeDendrobatinaeDendrobatinae is the main subfamily of frogs in the Dendrobatidae family. Dendrobatinae contains the poison-dart frogs and their closest relatives. These species are all brightly colored and toxic....
, 58 species - Subfamily: Hyloxalinae, 58 species
- Family Dicroglossidae, 171 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Subfamily: Dicroglossinae, 149 species
- Subfamily: Occidozyginae, 22 species
- Family Eleutherodactylidae - 201 species
- Subfamily: EleutherodactylinaeEleutherodactylinaeThe 801 described members of family Eleutherodactylidae make up 27% of all neotropical frog species, most of which are grouped in the genus Eleutherodactylus.-Genera:...
, 194 species - Subfamily: Phyzelaphryninae, 7 species
- Subfamily: Eleutherodactylinae
- Family Heleophrynidae - Ghost frogs, 7 species
- Family HemiphractidaeHemiphractidaeHemiphractidae is a family of frogs from South and Central America. Previously, this group had been classified as a subfamily under family Hylidae...
- 94 species - Family Hemisotidae - Shovelnose frogs, 9 species
- Family Hylidae - Tree frogs, 901 species
- Subfamily: HylinaeHylinaeHylinae is the largest of three subfamilies of Hylidae, the "tree frogs". It contains hundreds of species in 38 genera.-Genera:*Subfamily Hylinae*Acris - Cricket Frogs *Anotheca - Spiny-headed Treefrogs...
, 646 species - Subfamily: PelodryadinaePelodryadinaePelodryadinae is a subfamily of Hylidae, the "tree frogs".-External links:* *http://www.tolweb.org/Pelodryadinae*http://amphibiaweb.org/lists/Hylidae.shtml...
, 197 species - Subfamily: PhyllomedusinaePhyllomedusinaePhyllomedusinae is a subfamily of Hylidae, the tree frogs. Commonly called leaf frogs, they are found in the Neotropics. The type genus Phyllomedusa contains more thean half of the known species within this subfamily.- Taxonomy :...
, 58 species
- Subfamily: Hylinae
- Family Hylodidae - 42 species
- Family HyperoliidaeHyperoliidaeHyperoliidae is a family of small to medium sized, brightly colored, frogs which contains more than 250 species in 19 genera. Seventeen genera are native to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition,the monotypic genus Tachycnemis occurs on the Seychelles Islands, and the genus Heterixalus is endemic to...
- Sedge frogs or bush frogs, 209 species - Family Leiuperidae, 86 species
- Family LeptodactylidaeLeptodactylidaeLeptodactylidae 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...
- Southern frogs or tropical frogs, 100 species - Family MantellidaeMantellidaeMantellidae is a family of the order Anura. These frogs are found only in Madagascar and Mayotte.The habits, habitat and appearance of these frogs are widely variable. Most species are terrestrial, though some are arboreal or aquatic. Body size ranges from 3 to 10 centimetres in length...
, 191 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb- Subfamily: Boophinae, 72 species
- Subfamily: LaliostominaeLaliostominaeLaliostominae is a subfamily of frogs in the family Mantellidae containing two genera and a total of four species. These frogs are native to Madagascar.-Genera:* Aglyptodactylus Boulenger, 1919...
, 4 species - Subfamily: MantellinaeMantellinaeMantellinae is a subfamily of frogs in the family Mantellidae. These frogs are native to Madagascar and Mayotte. These frogs are usually quite small and superficially resemble poison dart frogs of the tropical Americas. Indeed, most Mantellinae are also rather poisonous, with brilliant aposematic...
, 115 species
- Family Micrixalidae - 11 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family MicrohylidaeMicrohylidaeMicrohylidae is a geographically widespread family of frogs. There are 413 species in 69 genera and nine subfamilies, which is the largest number of genera of any frog family.-Description:...
- Narrow-mouthed frogs, 487 species- Subfamily: AsterophryinaeAsterophryinaeAsterophryinae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs.-Genera:* Asterophrys Tschudi, 1838* Barygenys Parker, 1936* Callulops Boulenger, 1888* Hylophorbus Macleay, 1878* Mantophryne Boulenger, 1897* Pherohapsis Zweifel, 1972...
, 248 species - Subfamily: CophylinaeCophylinaeCophylinae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. It has at least 58 species in seven genera.-Genera:* Anodonthyla Müller, 1892 * Cophyla Boettger, 1880 * Madecassophryne Guibé, 1974...
, 57 species - Subfamily: DyscophinaeDyscophinaeDyscophinae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs.-Genera:* Calluella Stoliczka, 1872* Dyscophus Grandidier, 1872...
, 3 species - Subfamily: Gastrophryninae, 52 species
- Subfamily: Hoplophryninae, 3 species
- Subfamily: Kalophryninae, 16 species
- Subfamily: MelanobatrachinaeMelanobatrachinaeMelanobatrachinae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs.-Genera:* Hoplophryne Barbour & Loveridge, 1928* Melanobatrachus Beddome, 1878* Parhoplophryne Barbour & Loveridge, 1928...
, 1 species - Subfamily: MicrohylinaeMicrohylinaeMicrohylinae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs.-Genera:* Adelastes Zweifel, 1986* Altigius Wild, 1995* Arcovomer Carvalho, 1954* Chaperina Mocquard, 1892* Chiasmocleis Méhely, 1904* Ctenophryne Mocquard, 1904...
, 70 species - Subfamily: Otophryninae, 3 species
- Subfamily: Phrynomerinae, 5 species
- Subfamily: ScaphiophryninaeScaphiophryninaeScaphiophryninae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs native to Madagascar.-Genera:* Paradoxophyla Blommers-Schlösser & Blanc, 1991* Scaphiophryne Boulenger, 1882...
, 10 species
- Subfamily: Asterophryinae
- Family MyobatrachidaeMyobatrachidaeMyobatrachidae is a family of frogs found in Australia and New Guinea. Members of this family vary greatly in size, from species less than long, to the second largest frog in Australia, the Giant Barred Frog , at in length...
- Australian ground frogs, 85 species - Family Limnodynastidae, 43 species, considered part of the family Myobatrachidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family Nasikabatrachidae - 1 species, formerly included in family Sooglossidae
- Family Nyctibatrachidae - 17 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family Petropedetidae, 18 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family Phrynobatrachidae - 82 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family Ptychadenidae - 53 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family PyxicephalidaePyxicephalidaePyxicephalidae is a family of frogs.-Classification:Pyxicephalidae contains two subfamilies, with a total of 13 genera. This family was formerly considered part of the family Ranidae.Family PYXICEPHALIDAE* Subfamily Cacosterninae...
- 68 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb- Subfamily: Cacosterninae, 63 species
- Subfamily: PyxicephalinaePyxicephalinaePyxicephalinae is a subfamily of frogs under the family Pyxicephalidae-Classification:Pyxicephalinae contains two genera, with a total of 5 species.*Subfamily Pyxicephalinae...
, 5 species
- Family Ranidae - True frogs, 347 species
- Family Ranixalidae - 10 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb
- Family RhacophoridaeRhacophoridaeRhacophoridae is a family of frog species, which occur in tropical regions of Asia and Africa. They are commonly known as shrub frogs, or more ambiguously as "moss frogs" or "bush frogs". Some Rhacophoridae are called "tree frogs"...
- Moss frogs, 321 species, considered part of the family Ranidae by AmphibiaWeb- Subfamily: Buergeriinae, 4 species
- Subfamily: RhacophorinaeRhacophorinaeRhacophorinae is a subfamily of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae.-Genera:* Chirixalus Boulenger, 1893* Chiromantis Peters, 1854* Feihyla Frost et al., 2006 * Kurixalus Ye, Fei, & Dubois In Fei, 1999* Nyctixalus Boulenger, 1882...
, 317 species
- Family SooglossidaeSooglossidaeThe Seychelles Frogs are a family of frogs found on the Seychelles Islands and India. Until recently this family was believed to include the genera Nesomantis and Sooglossus, but following a major revision of amphibians in 2006 the genus Nesomantis was named a junior synonym of Sooglossus;...
Seychelles Frog, 4 species. - Family StrabomantidaeStrabomantidaeStrabomantidae is a family of frogs which are native to South America. These frogs lack a free-living larval stage and hatch directly into miniature "froglets".-Systematics:Holoadeninae*Barycholos*Bryophryne*Euparkerella*Holoaden...
Seychelles Frog, 569 species.- Subfamily: Holoadeninae, 47 species
- Subfamily: Strabomantinae, 522 species, removed from family Brachycephalidae
Order Caudata - SalamanderSalamanderSalamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
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Total 619 species
- Suborder CryptobranchoideaCryptobranchoideaCryptobranchoidea is a suborder of salamanders found in the eastern United States, China, and Japan. They are known as primitive salamanders, in contrast to Salamandroidea, or advanced salamander....
- Family Cryptobranchidae - Giant salamanders, 3 species
- Family Hynobiidae - Asiatic salamanders, 55 species
- Subfamily: Hynobiinae, 54 species
- Subfamily: Protohynobiinae, 1 species
- Suborder SalamandroideaSalamandroideaSalamandroidea is a suborder of salamanders, referred to as advanced salamanders. The members of the suborder are found worldwide except for Antarctica, Southern Sahara, and Oceania. They differ from suborder Cryptobranchoidea as their angular and prearticular bones in their lower jaw are fused and...
- Family Ambystomatidae - Mole salamanders, 37 species. The genus Dicamptodon (4 species) is considered a distinct family, Dicamptodontidae by AmphibiaWeb: Pacific giant salamanders
- Family Amphiumidae - Amphiumas or Congo eels, 3 species
- Family PlethodontidaeLungless salamanderThe Plethodontidae, or Lungless salamanders, are a family of salamanders. Most species are native to the western hemisphere, from British Columbia to Brazil, although a few species are found in Sardinia, Europe south of the Alps, and South Korea...
- Lungless salamanders, 418 species- Subfamily: Bolitoglossinae, 283 species
- Subfamily: Hemidactyliinae, 1 species
- Subfamily: Plethodontinae, 98 species
- Subfamily: Spelerpinae, 36 species
- Family Proteidae - Mudpuppies and Waterdogs, 6 species
- Family Rhyacotritonidae - Torrent salamanders, 4 species
- Family SalamandridaeSalamandridaeSalamandridae is a family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Currently, 74 species have been identified in the northern hemisphere - Europe, Asia, the northern tip of Africa and North America...
- True salamanders and newts, 89 species- Subfamily: Pleurodelinae, 71 species
- Subfamily: Salamandrinae, 16 species
- Subfamily: Salamandrininae, 2 species
- Suborder Sirenoidea
- Family Sirenidae - Sirens, 4 species
Order Gymnophiona - Caecilian
Total 186 species-
- Family CaeciliidaeCaeciliidaeCaeciliidae is the family of common caecilians. They are found in central and south America, equatorial Africa and India. Like other caecilians, they superficially resemble worms or snakes....
- Common caecilians, 125 species. Most species in this family are sometimes placed in the subfamily Caeciliinae, however, this is not always considered a coherent subfamily. The remaining two subfamilies contain a small minority of the species:- Subfamily: Scolecomorphinae, 6 species, considered a distinct family, ScolecomorphidaeScolecomorphidaeScolecomorphidae is the family of tropical caecilians or African caecilians . They are found in Cameroon in west Africa, and Malawi and Tanzania in east Africa. Caecilians are legless amphibians which superficially resemble worms or snakes.Scolecomorphids have only vestigial eyes, which are...
, by AmphibiaWeb - Subfamily: Typhlonectinae, 13 species, considered a distinct family, TyphlonectidaeTyphlonectidaeTyphlonectidae, also known as aquatic caecilians or rubber eels, is a group of Gymnophiona amphibians found in South America.They are viviparous animals, giving birth to young that possess external gills...
, by AmphibiaWeb
- Subfamily: Scolecomorphinae, 6 species, considered a distinct family, Scolecomorphidae
- Family IchthyophiidaeIchthyophiidaeIchthyophiidae is the family of Asiatic tailed caecilians or fish caecilians. They are found in south-east Asia.They are primitive caecilians, lacking many of the derived characters found in the other families. For example, the mouth is not recessed underneath the head, they possess tails, and have...
- Fish caecilians, 50 species. The genus Uraeotyphlus, 7 species, is considered a distinct family, UraeotyphlidaeUraeotyphlidaeUraeotyphlidae is the family of Indian caecilians. It is a monotypic family containing a single genus, Uraeotyphlus. There are six species of caecilians in this genus, all of which are found in the Western Ghats in Kerala State, peninsular India.They are relatively small sized caecilians ranging...
, by AmphibiaWeb - Family RhinatrematidaeRhinatrematidaeRhinatrematidae is the family of neotropical tailed caecilians or beaked caecilians. Members of the family are found in the equatorial countries of South America....
- Beaked caecilians, 11 species
- Family Caeciliidae
Sources, external links
Largely based on:Frost, Darrel R. 2011. Amphibian Species of the World: an online reference. Version 5.5 (31 January, 2011). Electronic Database accessible at http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
See:
and also: