| Odontobatrachus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Odontobatrachus arndti, Ivory Coast | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Suborder: | Neobatrachia |
| Clade: | Ranoidea |
| Family: | Odontobatrachidae Barejet al., 2014[2] |
| Genus: | Odontobatrachus Barejet al., 2014[1] |
Odontobatrachus is a genus of frogs comprising the familyOdontobatrachidae. In a 2014 research project Barej, Rödel, Loader & Schmitz separated the genus from the established genusPetropedetes and separated the new family from the established familyPetropedetidae.[2][3][4]
The species had originally been assigned to the genusPetropedetes in thePetropedetidae, a family of so-calledtorrent frogs of Africa, so thetype species isPetropedetes natator Boulenger, 1905. However, recent morphological and genomic investigation showed the species not only to be cladistically alien to the Petropedetidae, but to all other existinganuran families as well. Furthermore, the family Odontobatrachidae turned out to be fairly ancient, estimated to have originated in the mid-Cretaceous period, some 80Ma – 90 Ma ago. Consequently, a new family and genus were assigned, respectively Odontobatrachidae andOdontobatrachus. The details of the evolutionary history of the taxon however, still are open to alternative lines of interpretation.[2]
Like many species of tadpoles inhabiting fast-flowing mountain streams, the larvae ofOdontobatrachus are streamlined, with a flattened body shape, and with large sucker-like mouths adapted to attachment to rocks in defiance of powerful currents.
Differential diagnosis of adultOdontobatrachus is supported by a range of features that distinguish the species from other local species of Anura, and from the Petropedetidae in particular. In external appearance they are moderate-sized frogs with a body length of up to about 65 mm. The skin is granular in texture with glandular ridges. There is no lateral line organ, but nuptial pads are present in the male. Themaxillae (upper jaws) are densely set with sharply pointed, somewhat recurved teeth, some of them also occurring on thevomer. In contrast eachmandible bears just one large, sharply pointed recurvedodontoid tusk.[5] It has been confirmed thatOdontobatrachus do at least on occasion swallow frogs, but it is not certain whether their dentition reflects their being eitherspecialist oropportunistic predators of relatively large frogs.[6]
The Petropedetidae differ fromOdontobatrachus in several ways, including that they lack tusks on the mandibles and that they either lackvocal sacs, or, if they have one it ismedian;Odontobatrachus haslateral vocal sacs.
There are five species:[7]
Odontobatrachus occurs in the upper Guinean forests, Liberia, Sierra Leone, western parts of the Ivory Coast.[2] They frequent forested country close to mountain streams with strong currents and rapids. The distribution is patchy, but where the species does occur it often is plentiful. Human settlements and activities such as logging, agriculture and mining pose ecological threats to the species, causing the loss of forest habitat, though there are some conserved areas.[8]
