The Alytidae are a family of primitive frogs. Their common name is painted frogs or midwife toads. Most are endemic to Europe, but three species occur in northwest Africa, and a species formerly thought to be extinct is found in Israel.
This family is also known as Discoglossidae, but the older name Alytidae has priority and is now recognized by major reference works. Some researchers, though, suggest that Alytes and Discoglossus are different enough to be treated as belonging to separate families, implying resurrection of the Discoglossidae. The term "discoglossid" has also been used to refer to many primitive fossil frogs that share plesiomorphic (ancestral) similities to alytids, but that are probably not closely related.
Genera and species The family contains three extant genera, Alytes, Discoglossus, and Latonia. The first is somewhat toad-like and can often be found on land. The second is smoother and more frog-like, preferring the water. The third genus was until recently considered extinct, and is represented by the recently rediscovered Hula painted frog. All of the species have pond-dwelling tadpoles.
The genera Bombina and Barbourula also used to be under this family, but have now been moved to the Bombinatoridae.
Extant genera Image Genus Species Alytes Alytes cisternasii - Iberian midwife toad Alytes dickhilleni - southern midwife toad Alytes maurus - Moroccan midwife toad Alytes muletensis - Majorcan midwife toad Alytes obstetricans - common midwife toad Discoglossus Discoglossus galganoi - West Iberian painted frog Discoglossus jeanneae - Spanish painted frog Discoglossus montalentii - Corsican painted frog Discoglossus pictus - common painted frog Discoglossus sardus - Tyrrhenian painted frog Discoglossus scovazzi - Moroccan painted frog Latonia Latonia nigriventer - Hula painted frog Latonia seyfriedi Latonia gigantea Latonia vertaizoni Latonia ragei
Extinct genera Family Alytidae Genus †Enneabatrachus (prehistoric) †Enneabatrachus hechti Genus †Aralobatrachus (prehistoric) †Aralobatrachus robustus Genus †Callobatrachus (prehistoric) †Callobatrachus sanyanensis Genus †Bakonybatrachus (prehistoric) †Bakonybatrachus fedori Genus †Eodiscoglossus (prehistoric) †Eodiscoglossus oxoniensis †Eodiscoglossus santonjae
References
External links