Polyploid Amphibians: Three More Diploid-Tetraploid Cryptic Species of Frogs

Abstract

The nominal African species Pyxicephalus delalandii and Dicroglossus occipitalis have diploid and tetraploid populations. There are also cryptic tetraploid and diploid species similar to Bufo kerinyagae. These represent the first bisexual polyploid "species" so far encountered in the major frog families Ranidae and Bufonidae. The contention that polyploidy is a widespread and important evolutionary phenomenon in anuran amphibians is supported.