Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
The bufonids are species with a cosmopolitan distribution that notably vary in shape, size and diversity of coloration. In terms of size, the Bufonidae species range from diminutive species likeDendrophryniscus carvalhoiIzecksohn, 1994 (less than 20 mm SVL in adults), to species like those ofRhinella marina's group (about 230 mm SVL in adults).
In relation to coloration, there are species that have evident colors in their skins, reminding us the Dendrobatidae family.Atelophus pulcher(Boulenger, 1882), for example, shows a yellowish skin with black patches along their body. On the other hand, other species have a less outstanding coloration, likeRhinella jimi(Stevaux, 2002), which has a slightly greenish body with dark patches at the back.
A bufonids' unique feature is the presence of the Bidder's organ in the male tadpoles; this organ can also persist in the majority of adults. All adult individuals of the family lack teeth on their jaw, what makes the Bufonidae toothless frogs during the adult stage.
Bufonoidea was a proposed superfamily of frogs. It was one of three superfamilies that made up the advanced Neobatrachian frogs in the classification of Dowling and Duellman (1978), the other superfamilies being Microhyloidea and Ranoidea.[1]
The families assigned to Bufonoidea were:[1]
Molecular phylogenetic analyses have led to major revisions of frog taxonomy, with the taxa belonging to these families being extensively revised and a number of new families erected.[2] With the exception of the Australian ground frogs (Myobatrachidae), these families belong to the Hyloidea.[3]
Bufonoidea was a proposed superfamily of frogs. It was one of three superfamilies that made up the advanced Neobatrachian frogs in the classification of Dowling and Duellman (1978), the other superfamilies being Microhyloidea and Ranoidea.
