Pipidae

Taxobox
name = Pipidae

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image_caption = African Dwarf Frog
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
subclassis = Lissamphibia
superordo = Batrachia
ordo = Anura
subordo = Mesobatrachia
familia = Pipidae
range_

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range_map_caption = Distribution of Pipidae (in black).

The Pipidae are a family of primitive, tongueless frogs. The thirty species in the family Pipidae are found in tropical South America (genus "Pipa") and sub-Saharan Africa (four other genera).

These frogs are exclusively aquatic and have numerous morphological modifications befitting their habitat. For example, the feet are completely webbed and a lateral line system is present. In addition, pipids possess highly modified ears and vocal structures for producing and receiving sound underwater.

The fossil record for pipids is relatively good with twelve extinct species known. Six of these are placed in the extant genus "Xenopus", the remainder in extinct genera. These fossils are known from Africa, South America, and Middle East back to the Lower Cretaceous.

Genera

* "Hymenochirus", dwarf clawed frogs
* "Pseudhymenochirus", dwarf clawed frogs
* "Xenopus", clawed frogs
* "Silurana", clawed frogs
* "Pipa", star-fingered toads

References

*cite journal
last = Gissi
first = Carmela
title = Mitochondrial phylogeny of Anura (Amphibia): A case study of congruent phylogenetic reconstruction using amino acid and nucleotide characters
doi = 10.1016/j.gene.2005.07.034
journal = Gene
volume = 366
pages = 228–237
year = 2006
month = February
coauthors = Diego San Mauro, Graziano Pesole and Rafael Zardoya
*cite journal
last = Roelants
first = Kim
title = Archaeobatrachian paraphyly and pangaean diversification of crown-group frogs
journal = Systematic Biology
volume = 54
pages = 111–126
year = 2005
month = February
coauthors = Franky Bossuyt
doi = 10.1080/10635150590905894
*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=May 2008

External links