Gastrotheca

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Gastrotheca

Secure

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Lissamphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Amphignathodontidae
Genus:	Gastrotheca

Species

See text.

Gastrotheca, also known as Marsupial Frogs, is a genus of frogs found in Central and South America. Marsupial Frogs are called that because of the dorsal brood pouch they possess. In some species the eggs are fertilized on the female's lower back, and are inserted in her pouch with the aid of the male's toes. The eggs remain in contact with the female's vascular tissue, which provides oxygen for them. In other species the eggs are laid in damp leaf litter and the male guards them. When they begin to hatch it is not wet enough for the tad poles to survive so as many as possible (not generally all) are taken by the father into 2 pouches on his underside. They remain "inside" his pouch for several weeks until he "gives birth" to live frogs ^[1].

[edit] Scientific classification

Family Amphignathodontidae
- Genus Gastrotheca
  - Gastrotheca abdita
  - Gastrotheca albolineata
  - Gastrotheca andaquiensis
  - Gastrotheca angustifrons
  - Gastrotheca antomia
  - Gastrotheca argenteovirens
  - Gastrotheca atympana
  - Gastrotheca aureomaculata
  - Gastrotheca bufona
  - Gastrotheca carinaceps
  - Gastrotheca christiani
  - Gastrotheca chrysosticta
  - Gastrotheca cornuta
  - Gastrotheca dendronastes
  - Gastrotheca dunni
  - Gastrotheca espeletia
  - Gastrotheca excubitor
  - Gastrotheca fissipes
  - Gastrotheca galeata
  - Gastrotheca gracilis
  - Gastrotheca griswoldi
  - Gastrotheca guentheri
  - Gastrotheca helenae
  - Gastrotheca lateonota
  - Gastrotheca lauzuricae
  - Gastrotheca litonedis
  - Gastrotheca longipes
  - Gastrotheca marsupiata
  - Gastrotheca microdiscus
  - Gastrotheca monticola
  - Gastrotheca nicefori
  - Gastrotheca ochoai
  - Gastrotheca orophylax
  - Gastrotheca ossilaginis
  - Gastrotheca ovifera
  - Gastrotheca pacchamama
  - Gastrotheca peruana
  - Gastrotheca phalarosa
  - Gastrotheca piperata
  - Gastrotheca plumbea
  - Gastrotheca pseustes
  - Gastrotheca psychrophila
  - Gastrotheca rebeccae
  - Gastrotheca riobambae
  - Gastrotheca ruizi
  - Gastrotheca splendens
  - Gastrotheca stictopleura
  - Gastrotheca testudinea
  - Gastrotheca trachyceps
  - Gastrotheca walkeri
  - Gastrotheca weinlandii
  - Gastrotheca williamsoni
  - Gastrotheca zeugocystis

[edit] References

Faivovich, J., Haddad, C.F.B., Garcia, P.C.O., Frost, D.R., Campbell, J.A. & Wheeler, W.C. (2005): Systematic review of the frog family Hylidae, with special reference to Hylinae: Phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 294: 1-240.