| Mantellidae | |
|---|---|
_Ranomafana.jpg) | |
| Variegated golden frog (Mantella baroni) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Clade: | Ranoidea |
| Family: | Mantellidae Laurent, 1946 |
| Subfamilies | |
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| Distribution of Mantellidae (in black) | |
TheMantellidae are anamphibianfamily of theorderAnura (frogs and toads), and areendemic to theIndian Ocean islands ofMadagascar andMayotte.[1][2] At first glance, the diminutive, brightly-coloured mantellas appear visually similar to (and indeed fill similarecological niches as) theLatin American poison dart frogs, such asDendrobates,Oophaga andPhyllobates, among others.
The family Mantellidae is composed of three extremely diverse groups of frogs, across threesubfamilies: theMantellinae (Laurent, 1946) are typically terrestrial or semi-aquatic frogs, theLaliostominae (Vences &Glaw, 2001) are terrestrial, fairly large frogs, and theBoophinae (Vences &Glaw, 2001) are arboreal tree frogs, sharing far more physical and behavioral characteristics with true tree frogs than the tiny mantellids.
Apart from thegenera assigned to the threesubfamilies, the actual placement ofTsingymantis (Glaw, Hoegg &Vences, 2006) is still uncertain.[1][2]
As of 22 September 2022, at least 237 species are recognized in this family.[3]DNA barcoding research has shown, however, that more than 100 distinct genetic lineages remaintaxonomically undescribed.[4][5]
The Mantellidae are Madagascar's most diverse frog family.[2] It has been shown that there is a negative correlation between body size and species diversity in this family, which is probably related to the lowerdispersal potential of smaller animals.[6][7] This family is estimated to have colonized the island of Madagascar 76–87 million years ago.[8] They are phylogenetically nested within Asian frogs, and therefore probably represent a dispersal event from Asia.[8]
Two undescribed species of mantellid frogs are currently resident on the island ofMayotte, off Madagascar's west coast. These species belong to two genera that are otherwise exclusively endemic to Madagascar.[2]
Reproductive modes in the Mantellidae are highly varied. Eggs can be laid in or out of water, on the ground or on leaves, depending on genus and species.[2]Guibemantis frogs of the subgenusPandanusicola lay their eggs either inphytotelms or over slow-flowing water.[2] Some species ofGephyromantis havedirect development ornidicolous tadpoles.[2] Members of the subfamilies Boophinae and Laliostominae haveamplexus, but mantelline frogs do not.[2] Parental care is known from a few species (e.g.Mantidactylus argenteus).[2] Sexual size dimorphism is present in most species, with females being larger than males, but there are exceptions (e.g.Boophis albilabris), where males are larger than females, possibly as a result of males fighting for access to females.[2][9]
Some members of this family are popular in theexotic pet trade for their bright colors (e.g.Mantella andBoophis).[citation needed]
Authority control databases: National |
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