Kassina

Kassina
red-legged running frog
Kassina maculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Kassina
Girard, 1853
Synonyms

Eremiophilus Fitzinger, 1843 (suppressed name)
Hylambates Duméril, 1853
Cassiniopsis Monard, 1937 "1936"

Kassina is a genus of hyperoliid frogs, commonly referred to as running frogs or kassinas. They are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.[1] They are characterized by preferring a distinctive "walking" with the back legs instead of the more traditional frog-hopping.[2]

Species

There are 16 recognized species in the genus Kassina:[1][3]

In captivity

K. maculata is frequently exported from Tanzania for the exotic pet trade.

Research

It is the source of "kassinin", a frequently studied tachykinin peptide.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Kassina Girard, 1853". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  2. Ahn, A. N.; E. Furrow; A. A. Biewener (2004). "Walking and running in the red-legged running frog, Kassina maculata". Journal of Experimental Biology 207 (3): 399–410. doi:10.1242/jeb.00761.
  3. "Hyperoliidae". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  4. Perfumi M, de Caro G, Panocka I, Polidori C, Massi M (1988). "Effects of kassinin, a tachykinin of the skin of the African frog Kassina senegalensis, on body fluid homeostasis in rats". Pharmacological Research Communications. 20. Suppl 5: 67–70. doi:10.1016/S0031-6989(88)80843-9. PMID 3247356.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 25, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.