Hoplophryne

Hoplophryne is a genus of microhylid frogs.[2][3][4] The genus is endemic to mountain forests of Tanzania.[2][4] They are also known as three-fingered frogs[2][4] or African banana frogs[2] (not to be confused with Afrixalus, another African genus known as "banana frogs"[5]).

Hoplophryne
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Microhylidae
Subfamily: Hoplophryninae
Genus: Hoplophryne
Barbour and Loveridge, 1928[1]
Type species
Hoplophryne uluguruensis
Barbour and Loveridge, 1928
Species

2 species (see text)

Species

There are two species in this genus,[2][3][4] both endangered:[6]

Description

Hoplophryne are small frogs, reaching 32 mm (1.3 in) in snout–vent length (female H. rogersi).[4] Their distinctive characters is that male frogs have only three fingers: the thumb is reduced to a small bump or group of spines.[1][4]

Drawing of two frog forelimbs
The forelimb of the male Hoplophryne uluguruensis (left) and H. rogersi (right) showing the reduced thumb.

Ecology and reproduction

Hoplophryne can be found in leaf litter,[4] under logs, and in bananas and bamboos.[1] Reproduction takes place in phytotelmata. The modified thumbs of males are probably involved in mating, helping the male to embrace the female.[1]

References
  1. Barbour, T. & Loveridge, A. (1928). "A comparative study of the herpetological faunae of the Uluguru and Usambara Mountains, Tanganyika Territory with descriptions of new species". Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Cambridge, Massachusetts. 50: 87–265. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.49344.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2022). "Hoplophryne Barbour and Loveridge, 1928". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  3. "Microhylidae". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  4. Channing, Allan & Rödel, Mark-Oliver (2019). Field Guide to the Frogs & other Amphibians of Africa. Cape Town: Struik Nature. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-77584-512-6.
  5. Frost, Darrel R. (2022). "Afrixalus Laurent, 1944". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  6. IUCN (2022). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". Retrieved 12 July 2022.
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