IV. Amphibia sensu lato-05. Systematics of modern amphibians
List of families of modern amphibians according to international databases
Systematics of modern amphibians
In this course we adopt a division of Amphibia sensu lato (in the broad sense) into four subclasses, which includes the subclass Reptiliomorpha, belonging to the evolutionary branch of reptiles. Amphibia sensu stricto, i.e., the group that can be called batrachomorphs, is considered here as comprising three subclasses: Labyrinthodontia, Lepospondyli and Lissamphibia. The oldest of the batrachomorph subclasses, Labyrinthodontia, existed from the Devonian to the Cretaceous and is extinct. The consequence of treating gymnophionans here as representatives of the subclass Lepospondyli is a somewhat unusual order of presentation of orders, in which the apods appear first in the system.
The system of modern amphibians follows the international database Amphibian Species of the World. The system presented here has been corrected according to the state of the database as of March 2022; it can be assumed that in a short time this system will already be considered outdated (especially regarding the number of species and genera). In the named online database, families within orders are arranged alphabetically; here they are ordered in a more "meaningful" sequence that corresponds to the Family Phylogeny proposed by another international database, AMPHIBIAWEB. Comparison of the two databases reveals some discrepancies, mainly concerning whether certain groups are treated as families or subfamilies. Nevertheless, overall the view of the systematics of modern amphibians is more or less established.
For second‑year students studying vertebrate zoology, knowledge of all families is not required. Families that are considered mandatory for study by students in the general vertebrate zoology course (and included in the final test) are highlighted in brick colour in the system below.
The logic behind family name formation should be discussed. Simplifying somewhat, two approaches can be distinguished: "as in Latin" (all families have the same ending, corresponding to Latin "-idae"), or "as in English" (the family name is simply the plural of some characteristic representatives). The family Salamandridae according to the first approach would be called "Salamandrovyi", whereas according to the second – "Salamanders". Which is correct? The variant you choose and use consistently will be the correct one. Here the second approach is chosen, because the first cannot be applied consistently. Suppose Salamandridae – Salamandrovyi (indeed, this is how it is translated in most sources). But in any case Plethodontidae – lungless salamanders. Since the "as in English" approach is used for Plethodontidae, we will use it for Salamandridae as well.
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Class Amphibia — Amphibians (Lissamphibia): 3 orders; 77 families; ~557 genera; ~8443 species |
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Subclass Lepospondyli — Microsaurs |
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Order Gymnophiona (10 families; 33 genera; 214 species) |
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1. Family Rhinatrematidae (3 genera; 14 species) |
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2. Family Ichthyophiidae (2 genera; 57 species) |
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3. Family Scolecomorphidae (2 genera; 6 species) |
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4. Family Chikilidae (1 genus; 4 species) |
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5. Family Herpelidae (2 genera; 10 species) |
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6. Family Caeciliidae (2 genera; 43 species) |
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7. Family Typhlonectidae (5 genera; 14 species) |
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8. Family Grandisonilidae (7 genera; 24 species) |
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9. Family Dermophiidae (4 genera; 14 species) |
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10. Family Siphonopidae (5 genera; 28 species) |
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Subclass Lissamphibia — Gymnophiona, Caudata, Anura (unarmoured, naked amphibians) |
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Order Caudata (9 families; 65 genera; 766 species) |
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1. Family Cryptobranchidae — giant salamanders (2 genera; 4 species) |
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2. Family Hynobiidae — Asiatic salamanders (2 subfamilies; 9 genera; 87 species) |
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3. Family Sirenidae — sirens (2 genera; 5 species) |
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4. Family Ambystomatidae — mole salamanders (2 genera; 30 species) |
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5. Family Salamandridae — true salamanders (3 subfamilies; 21 genera; 131 species) |
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6. Family Proteidae — mudpuppies (2 genera; 9 species) |
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7. Family Rhyacotritonidae — torrent salamanders, Cascade newts (1 genus; 4 species) |
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8. Family Amphiumidae — amphiumas (1 genus; 3 species) |
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9. Family Plethodontidae — lungless salamanders (2 subfamilies; 25 genera; 493 species) |
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Subclass Lissamphibia — Gymnophiona, Caudata, Anura (unarmoured, naked amphibians) |
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Suborder Archaeobatrachia (4 families; 7 genera; 26 species) |
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1. Family Ascaphidae — tailed frogs (1 genus; 2 species) |
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2. Family Leiopelmatidae — New Zealand frogs (1 genus; 3 species) |
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3. Family Bombinatoridae — fire-bellied toads (2 genera; 9 species) |
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4. Family Alytidae — midwife toads (3 genera; 12 species) |
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Suborder Mesobatrachia (6 families; 20 genera; 360 species) |
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5. Family Rhinophrynidae — Mexican burrowing frogs (1 genus; 1 species) |
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6. Family Pipidae — tongueless frogs (4 genera; 41 species) |
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Subfamily Dactylethrinae (3 genera; 34 species) |
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8. Family Pelodytidae — parsley frogs (1 genus; 5 species) |
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9. Family Megophryidae — Asian horned frogs (2 subfamilies; 11 genera; 300 species) |
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Subfamily Leptobrachiinae (4 genera; 172 species) |
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Suborder Neobatrachia (~7 superfamilies; 47 families; ~432 genera; ~7062 species) |
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11. Family Heleophrynidae — ghost frogs (2 genera; 7 species) |
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12. Family Calyptocephalellidae — Chilean frogs (2 families; 5 species) |
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13. Family Myobatrachidae — Australian ground frogs (2 subfamilies; 20 genera; 135 species) |
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Subfamily Limnodynastidae (7 genera; 44 species) |
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15. Family Alsodidae — spiny‑chested frogs (3 genera; 30 species) |
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16. Family Hylodidae — torrent frogs (5 genera; 46 species) |
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17. Family Batrachylidae (4 genera; 12 species) |
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18. Family Cycloramphidae — disk‑headed frogs (2 genera; 37 species) |
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19. Family Telmatobiidae — Andean water frogs (1 genus; 61 species) |
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20. Family Ceratophryidae — horned frogs (3 genera; 12 species) |
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21. Family Hemiphractidae — marsupial frogs (6 genera; 119 species) |
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22. Family Hylidae — tree frogs (7 subfamilies; 44 genera; 745 species) |
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Subfamily Acridinae (2 genera; 22 species) |
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Subfamily Litoriinae (1 genus; 102 species) |
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25. Family Bufonidae — true toads (52 genera; 632 species) |
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26. Family Leptodactylidae — southern frogs (3 subfamilies; 13 genera; 232 species) |
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Subfamily Leiuperinae (5 genera; 101 species) |
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28. Family Allophrynidae (1 genus; 3 species) |
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29. Family Centrolenidae — glass frogs (2 subfamilies; 12 genera; 156 species) |
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Subfamily Centroleninae (10 genera; 121 species) |
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Subfamily Allobatinae (1 genus; 59 species) |
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Subfamily Colostethinae (5 genera; 68 species) |
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33. Family Eleutherodactylidae — rain frogs (2 subfamilies; 4 genera; 237 species) |
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Subfamily Eleutherodactylinae (2 genera; 223 species) |
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35. Family Craugastoridae (2 genera; 123 species) |
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36. Family Strabomantidae (4 subfamilies; 17 genera; 773 species) |
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Subfamily Holoadeninae (9 genera; 73 species) |
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38. Family Sooglossidae — Seychelles frogs (2 genera; 4 species) |
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39. Family Microhylidae — narrow‑mouth frogs (12 subfamilies; 58 genera; 736 species) |
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Subfamily Adelastinae (1 genus; 1 species) |
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Subfamily Arthroleptinae (2 genera; 66 species) |
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Subfamily Hyperoliinae (12 genera; 201 species) |
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43. Family Hemisotidae — shovelnose frogs (1 genus; 9 species) |
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44. Family Odontobatrachidae (1 genus; 5 species) |
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45. Family Phrynobatrachidae — puddle frogs (1 genus; 96 species) |
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46. Family Ptychadenidae (3 genera; 64 species) |
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47. Family Conrauidae — African giant frogs (1 genus; 8 species) |
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48. Family Petropedetidae — torrent frogs (3 genera; 13 species) |
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49. Family Pyxicephalidae (2 subfamilies; 12 genera; 86 species) |
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Subfamily Cacosterninae (10 genera; 80 species) |
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51. Family Nyctibatrachidae (3 subfamilies; 3 genera; 39 species) |
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Subfamily Astrobatrachinae (1 genus; 1 species) |
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53. Family Ceratobatrachidae (3 subfamilies; 4 genera; 102 species) |
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Subfamily Alcalinae (1 genus; 5 species) |
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Subfamily Dicroglossinae (13 genera; 195 species) |
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56. Family Rhacophoridae — shrub frogs (2 subfamilies; 17 genera; 446 species) |
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Subfamily Buergeriinae (1 genus; 6 species) |
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Subfamily Boophinae (1 genus; 80 species) |
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As already noted, the order of the families is arranged according to the following phylogeny, taken from here: Family Phylogeny .