Niceforonia


Niceforonia is a genus of frogs in the family Strabomantidae found in northern South America. It is the only genus in the subfamily Hypodactylinae. The name refers to Nicéforo María, Colombian herpetologist.

Taxonomy

The genus Niceforonia was resurrected from the synonymy of Phrynopus by Hedges and colleagues in 2008. No genetic data exist, and Hedges et al. placed it provisionally in the subfamily Strabomantinae along with the genera Phrynopus, Oreobates, and Lynchius with which it shares a synapomorphy. Based on genetic data from these three genera, Padial and colleagues moved them all into the subfamily Holoadeninae in 2014.

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Niceforonia:Niceforonia adenobrachia Niceforonia aderca Niceforonia araiodactyla Niceforonia babax Niceforonia brunnea Niceforonia columbiana Niceforonia dolops Niceforonia elassodiscus Niceforonia fallaciosa Niceforonia latens Niceforonia lucida Niceforonia mantipus Niceforonia nana Goin and Cochran, 1963Niceforonia nigrovittata

Description

Species of the genus Niceforonia are small frogs measuring up to in snout–vent length. The head is narrower than the body and the tympanic membrane is differentiated, but in some species only the tympanic annulus is visible under skin. The dorsum is smooth to weakly tuberculate, whereas the venter is smooth or areolate. The terminal discs on digits are not expanded but usually bear weak circumferential grooves. The terminal phalanges are narrow and T-shaped. Toes III and V are about equal in length.