Bombinatoridae

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Bombinatoridae
Bombina variegata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Subclass: Lissamphibia Superorder: Batrachia Order: Anura Suborder: Archaeobatrachia Family: Bombinatoridae
Distribution of Bombinatoridae (in black)
Species
Genus Barbourula     Barbourula busuangensis     Barbourula kalimantanensis Genus Bombina     Bombina bombina     Bombina fortinuptialis     Bombina lichuanensis     Bombina maxima     Bombina microdeladigitora     Bombina orientalis     Bombina pachypus     Bombina variegata

Bombinatoridae are often referred to as Fire-bellied toads because of their brightly colored ventral sides which show that they are highly toxic. This family includes two genera, Barbourula and Bombina, both of which have flattened bodies.

Bombina are warty, semiaquatic toads most noted for the bright bellies. They often display the unken reflex when disturbed. The animal will arch its back and limbs to expose the bright belly, and may turn over on its back. This acts as a warning to predators. The vocal behavior of some Bombina is unusual in that the call is produced during inhalation rather than exhalation as in other frogs. They lay pigmented eggs in ponds.

Barbourula occur in the Philippine Islands and Borneo, while Bombina species are found throughout Eurasia. They are slightly less colored than Bombina, and possess webbed fingers in addition to webbed toes. Tadpoles of Barbourula are unknown.

Barbourula was considered to be situated intermediate between Discoglossus and Bombina, but closer to the latter, and was therefore also added to the Bombinatoridae when that family was split from the Discoglossidae.

Fossil Bombina are known from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene; there are no fossils of Barbourula.

[edit] References

• San Mauro, Diego; Mario Garcia-Paris and Rafael Zardoya (December 2004). "Phylogenetic relationships of discoglossid frogs (Amphibia:Anura:Discoglossidae) based on complete mitochondrial genomes and nuclear genes". Gene 343: 357-366. doi:10.1016/j.gene.2004.10.001. 
• San Mauro, Diego; Miguel Vences, Marina Alcobendas, Rafael Zardoya and Axel Meyer (May 2005). "Initial diversification of living amphibians predated the breakup of Pangaea". American Naturalist 165: 590-599. 

v • d • e Chordata – Amphibia – Families of Anura Allophrynidae – Amphignathodontidae – Arthroleptidae – Ascaphidae – Bombinatoridae – Brachycephalidae – Bufonidae – Centrolenidae – Dendrobatidae – Discoglossidae – Heleophrynidae – Hemisotidae – Hylidae – Hyperoliidae – Leiopelmatidae – Leptodactylidae – Mantellidae – Megophryidae – Microhylidae – Myobatrachidae – Nasikabatrachidae – Pelobatidae – Pelodytidae – Pipidae – Ranidae – Rhacophoridae – Rhinodermatidae – Rhinophrynidae – Scaphiopodidae – Sooglossidae