Pleurodema

Pleurodema
Pleurodema brachyops
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Leptodactylidae
Subfamily: Leiuperinae
Genus: Pleurodema
Tschudi, 1838
Type species
Pleurodema bibroni
Tschudi, 1838
Species

15, see the text.

Pleurodema is a genus of leptodactylid frogs from South America. They are sometimes known under the common name four-eyed frogs,[1] although this name can also refer to a particular species, Pleurodema bibroni.[2] The common name is a reference to two inguinal poison glands that resemble eyes.[3] When threatened, the frog lowers its head and raises its rear. When the frog adopts this posture, the poison glands are also raised toward the predator. The predator may also confuse the frog's raised posterior for the head of a larger animal.[4]

Species

The genus contains only the following 15 species:[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Pleurodema Tschudi, 1838". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  2. ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Pleurodema bibroni Tschudi, 1838". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  3. ^ "Species profile: four-eyed frog". Conservacion Patagonic. 2012-11-16. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  4. ^ Duellman, William E. (1994). Biology of Amphibians. Baltimore: JHU Press. p. 670. ISBN 9780801847806.


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