Frogs and Toads (Anura)

Abstract

Anura (frogs an toads) constitute over 90% of living amphibian diversity. Recent timetree constructions have show that their diversification was a highly episodic process, with establishment of the major clades in three periods: Triassic, end of Jurassic to early Cretaceous, and end of Cretaceous to early Paleogene. The early diversification of anurans predated the initial north-south breakup of Pangaea, and resulted in distincte assemblages in both heisheres. The sbsequent radiation of neobatrachian frogs has been largely determined by godwanan fragmentation and resulted in recurrent patterns of continent-scale endemism.