Pseudinae

Pseudinae is a subfamily of neotropical frogs in the family Hylidae.[1][2] They are distributed all throughout the tropical and subtropical parts of South America east of the Andes, including Trinidad, all the way down to Uruguay and adjacent parts of Argentina.[1][3]

Pseudinae
Pseudis bolbodactyla
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Subfamily: Pseudinae
Fitzinger, 1843
Type genus
Pseudis
Wagler, 1830
Genera

3 genera (see text)

They are notable because despite being tree frogs, they have convergently evolved with true frogs and have lost most of their tree dwelling traits, becoming semi-aquatic or aquatic.[3] Their name references this similarilty, with Pseudinae coming from the Greek ψεῦδος (pseudos) which means "false" or "pretending".

In the wild they are preyed on by a variety of animals, including aquatic insects, spiders, and birds such as the buff-necked ibis and large-billed tern.[4]

Genera

There are three genera and thirteen species within Pseudinae:[1][2][3]

These frogs have a chromosome component of 2n = 24, the exceptions being Scarthyla goinorum with 2n = 22 and Pseudis cardosoi with 2n = 28.[3]

Morphology and evolution
Scarthyla is the most primitive and hylid-like of the Pseudines.

Pseudine frogs are unique for Hylid frogs because of how different they are in their morphology. While Hylids are generally adapted to living in trees, Pseudine frogs have adapted to aquatic lifestyles and such have lost much of their tree climbing abilities. This is evident in how the intercalary elements, which are the spaces in between a frog's digits, have become ossified in order to strengthen them and help them swim in the water more efficiently. Normally in tree frogs, these intercalary elements remain unossified in order to allow their hands and feet to be flexible.[3][5] They also have a unique ligament cap that connects their knee to their pelvis that has not yet been seen in any other type of frog.[6]

The sister taxon of Pseudinae is Dendropsophinae, splitting apart from them during early Oligocene 25.8–38.7 Mya. This family remained tree frogs and diversified greatly, while Pseudine frogs transitioned to aquatic ecosystems. Scarthyla is the oldest and most Hylid-like of the Pseudines, originating in the central Amazon basin and being restricted to the Guiana region in modern times. Lysapsus and Pseudis diverged during the early Miocene 18.4–24.6 Mya and have since spread down to the Chaco region that is drier and less suited for most tree frogs.[3]

References
  1. "Pseudinae Fitzinger, 1843". Amphibian Species of the World 6.1, an Online Reference. Retrieved 14 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. "Pseudinae Fitzinger, 1843". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 14 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. Duellman; et al. (19 April 2016). "Phylogenetics, classification, and biogeography of the treefrogs (Amphibia: Anura: Arboranae)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 4104 (1): 1–109. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4104.1.1. PMID 27394762 – via The Center for North American Herpetology.
  4. Filho; et al. (April 2019). "Escape or be Preyed: New Records and Current Knowledge on Predators of Pseudinae Frogs (Anura: Hylidae) in South America". Acta Biologica Colombiana. 24 (2): 397–402. doi:10.15446/abc.v24n2.74650. S2CID 165083717 – via ResearchGate.
  5. Manzano; et al. (December 2007). "Intercalary elements, treefrogs, and the early differentiation of a complex system in the Neobatrachia". The Anatomical Record. 290 (12): 1551–1567. doi:10.1002/ar.20608. PMID 17957750. S2CID 19035776 – via American Association for Anatomy.
  6. Manzano; et al. (September 2005). "The iliosacral articulation in Pseudinae (Anura : Hylidae)". Herpetologica. 61 (3): 259–267. doi:10.1655/04-28.1. S2CID 85954675 – via ResearchGate.
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