Myobatrachidae is a family of frogs found in Australia and New Guinea. Members of this family vary greatly in size, from species less than 1.5 centimetres (0.59 in) long, to the second largest frog in Australia, the Giant Barred Frog (Mixophyes iteratus), at 12 centimetres (4.7 in) in length. The entire family are either terrestrial or aquatic frogs, with no arboreal species.

Characteristics

The Myobatrachidae family contains forms of parental care unique in the animal kingdom. The two species of gastric-brooding frog (genus: Rheobatrachus), are found in this family. The female of these species will swallow her young, where they develop until metamorphosis. The Pouched Frog (Assa darlingtoni) has pouches on the sides of its body. The male will guard the eggs until hatching, and assist the tadpoles into its side, where they stay until metamorphosis.^[1] Another form of parental care, although not unique, is found in many species of the genus, Limnodynastes, where the male will bury itself near an egg mass, and protect the eggs.

While many species are adapted to burrowing, helping them survive in a semi-arid or seasonally arid environment, the Turtle Frog and Sandhill Frog go as far as to lay their eggs directly into moist sand several feet below the surface, rather than into water. These species lack tadpoles, with the eggs hatching directly into miniature frogs.^[1]

These frogs lack adhesive toe discs found in the tree frogs. The family is broken up into three sub-families: Limnodynastinae, Myobatrachinae and Rheobatrachinae. This separation is based mainly upon their egg laying habits. Those of the sub-family Limnodynastinae lay foam nests. The female creates foam by agitating a chemical on her skin with her hands. The foam may float on top of water, or be on land. The sub-family Rheobatrachinae contains the two species of gastric-brooding frog, and the rest are within the sub-family Myobatrachinae.

Taxonomy

The Myobatrachids are split into three sub-families: Myobatrachinae, Limnodynastinae and Rheobatrachinae. Although most sources class the three groups as sub-families some taxonomists recognise them each as individual families.

References

• Cogger, H.G.; R.G. Zweifel, and D. Kirschner (2004). Encyclopedia of Reptiles & Amphibians Second Edition. Fog City Press. ISBN 1-877019-69-0.