Adults and tadpoles of species of Hylodidae (Anura): History and taxonomy perspectives

Abstract

We make a historical review of the rates of descriptions of adult and larval forms of frogs of the three genera of Hylodidae: Crossodactylus Duméril & Bibron, 1841; Hylodes Fitzinger, 1826; and Megaelosia Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923. We analyze and compare the evolution of the number of descriptions of adults and tadpoles of the 42 species presently known in the family. There has been an increase in the number of descriptions of both adult and larval forms in the last decades. Nevertheless, the number of descriptions of tadpoles still does not match the number of adult forms described in Hylodidae. The great number of Hylodidae recent described and the continuous process of deforestation in Atlantic forest remnants emphasize the need to improve research efforts for this group. © 2012 Sociedade Brasileira de Zoologia.