Bombinatoridae

Taxobox
name = Bombinatoridae

---

image_caption = Bombina variegata
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
subclassis = Lissamphibia
superordo = Batrachia
ordo = Anura
subordo = Archaeobatrachia
familia = Bombinatoridae
range_

range_map_caption = Distribution of Bombinatoridae (in black)
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = 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.

References

*cite journal
last = San Mauro
first = Diego
title = Phylogenetic relationships of discoglossid frogs (Amphibia:Anura:Discoglossidae) based on complete mitochondrial genomes and nuclear genes
doi = 10.1016/j.gene.2004.10.001
journal = Gene
volume = 343
pages = 357–366
year = 2004
month = December
coauthors = Mario Garcia-Paris and Rafael Zardoya
*cite journal
last = San Mauro
first = Diego
title = Initial diversification of living amphibians predated the breakup of Pangaea
url = http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/AN/journal/issues/v165n5/40546/40546.html
journal = American Naturalist
volume = 165
pages = 590–599
year = 2005
month = May
coauthors = Miguel Vences, Marina Alcobendas, Rafael Zardoya and Axel Meyer
doi = 10.1086/429523
format = dead link|date=June 2008 – ^{[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3ASan+Mauro+intitle%3AInitial+diversification+of+living+amphibians+predated+the+breakup+of+Pangaea&as_publication=American+Naturalist&as_ylo=2005&as_yhi=2005&btnG=Search Scholar search]}