Bombinatoridae is a family of found in Eurasia. Species of the family have flattened bodies and some are highly toxic.
Taxonomy and systematics
Fossil specimens of the genus
Bombina are known from the
Pliocene to the
Pleistocene. The earliest fossil specimens are
Eobarbourula from the
Eocene of India, and
Hatzegobatrachus from Late Cretaceous of
Hateg island, Romania. The genus
Barbourula was considered to be situated intermediate between
Discoglossus and
Bombina, but closer to the latter, so was added to the Bombinatoridae when that family was split from the
Discoglossidae.
Genera
Currently, there are two extant and at least two extinct genera recognised in the family Bombinatoridae:
[ Bombinatoridae at the American Museum of Natural History's Amphibian Species of the World website]
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| | Barbourula - jungle toads |
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Philippine flat-headed frog ( B. busuangensis) or Busuanga jungle toad
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Bornean flat-headed frog ( B. kalimantanensis) or Kalimantan jungle toad
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| | Bombina - firebelly toads |
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Bombina bombina – European fire-bellied toad
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Bombina microdeladigitora – Hubei firebelly toad, and other names
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Bombina maxima – Yunnan firebelly toad
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Bombina orientalis – Oriental fire-bellied toad
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Bombina pachypus – Apennine yellow-bellied toad
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Bombina variegata – yellow-bellied toad
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Extinct Genera
Description
Bombina species are warty, aquatic toads about in length, and most noted for their 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 species are unusual in that the call is produced during inhalation rather than exhalation as in other frogs. They lay pigmented eggs in ponds.
Distribution and habitat
Species of the genus
Barbourula occur in the Philippine Islands and Borneo, while species of the genus
Bombina are found throughout
Eurasia. They are slightly less colored than
Bombina spp., and possess webbed fingers in addition to webbed toes. Characteristics of
of
Barbourula spp. are unknown.
