Mertensophryne, as currently understood, consist of the former "Bufo" taitanus group and the genera Mertensophryne (as formerly defined) and Stephopaedes.[4] The latter is monophyletic and still recognized as a subgenus. The closest relatives of Mertensophryne remain uncertain but probably include Poyntonophrynus, Vandijkophrynus, and Capensibufo.[1]
Description
Mertensophryne lack tympanum and columella. They frequently show digit reduction.[4] They are relatively small frogs; among the ten species studied by Liedtke and colleagues, the maximum female snout–vent length varied between 24 and 46 mm (0.9 and 1.8 in). Eggs are relatively large, 1.8–2.5 mm (0.1–0.1 in) in diameter, and few in number (maximum 35–188).[5]
^ abcdeFrost, Darrel R. (2017). "Mertensophryne Tihen, 1960". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
^ ab"Bufonidae". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
^ abFrost, D. R.; Grant, T.; Faivovich, J. N.; Bain, R. H.; Haas, A.; Haddad, C. F. B.; De Sá, R. O.; Channing, A.; Wilkinson, M.; Donnellan, S. C.; Raxworthy, C. J.; Campbell, J. A.; Blotto, B. L.; Moler, P.; Drewes, R. C.; Nussbaum, R. A.; Lynch, J. D.; Green, D. M. & Wheeler, W. C. (2006). "The amphibian tree of life". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 297: 1–291. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2006)297[0001:TATOL]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5781. S2CID86140137.
^Liedtke, H. Christoph; Müller, Hendrik; Hafner, Julian; Nagel, Peter & Loader, Simon P. (2014). "Interspecific patterns for egg and clutch sizes of African Bufonidae (Amphibia: Anura)". Zoologischer Anzeiger. 253 (4): 309–315. doi:10.1016/j.jcz.2014.02.003.
