Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Amphibia
Subclassis: Lissamphibia
Ordo: Anura
Familia: Pyxicephalidae
Subfamilia: Pyxicephalinae
Genus: Pyxicephalus
Species: P. angusticeps – P. adspersus – P. edulis – P. obbianus
Name
Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838
Type species: Pyxicephalus adspersus Tschudi, 1838
Synonyms
Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838
Maltzania Boettger, 1881
Phrynopsis Pfeffer, 1893
References
Scott, E. et al. 2013: Revalidation of Pyxicephalus angusticeps Parry, 1982 (Anura: Natatanura: Pyxicephalidae), a bullfrog endemic to the lowlands of eastern Africa. Zootaxa 3599(3): 201–228. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3599.3.1 Reference page.
Tschudi, 1838, Classif. Batr.: 46.
Amphibian Species of the World 5.1 Pyxicephalus access date 27 June 2008
Vernacular names
English: African Bullfrogs
Pyxicephalus (πυξίς, pyxis = "(round) box," κεφαλή, kephalē = "head") is a genus of true frogs from Sub-Saharan Africa, commonly referred to as African bull frogs or bull frogs.[1] They are very large (P. adspersus) to large (remaining species) frogs, with females significantly smaller than males.[2] They may take decades to reach their full size potential and they are some of the longest-living frogs, possibly able to reach ages as high as 45 years.[3]
These bulky and voracious predators will eat any animal (including small vertebrates and conspecifics) they can fit in their large mouth that has two fang-like projections on the lower jaw, but they are themselves commonly eaten by humans, predatory birds, mammals and monitor lizards. They remain hidden—they are fossorial—for much of the year, but emerge to breed in temporary pools after rains. The tadpoles often are guarded by the male.[2][3]
Species
There are four recognized species:[1][4]
Pyxicephalus adspersus Tschudi, 1838 – African bullfrog
Pyxicephalus angusticeps Parry, 1982
Pyxicephalus edulis Peters, 1854 – edible bullfrog
Pyxicephalus obbianus Calabresi, 1927 – Calabresi's bullfrog
P. edulis has long been confused with P. adspersus, and species limits between them are not fully understood.[2] Additionally, P. angusticeps was only revalidated in 2013,[2] and some authorities still do not recognize it.[5] Another sometimes used name is P. cordofanus Steindachner, 1867, but it is a nomen dubium.[6]
References
Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
Scott, E.; J.D. Visser; C.A. Yetman; L. Oliver; D.G. Broadley (2013). "Revalidation of Pyxicephalus angusticeps Parry, 1982 (Anura: Natatanura: Pyxicephalidae), a bullfrog endemic to the lowlands of eastern Africa". Zootaxa. 3599 (3): 201–228. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3599.3.1. hdl:2263/57608. PMID 24613871.
Channing, A.; K.M. Howell (2006). Amphibians of East Africa. Cornell University Press. pp. 318–324. ISBN 9783930612536.
"Pyxicephalidae". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
"Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838". African Amphibians. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Anura". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
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