Anura

Anura is an order of amphibians comprising frogs and toads. Adults in this group are characterized by the absence of a tail, relatively short bodies, and long hind limbs adapted for jumping. Most have moist skin, a visible tympanum (external hearing organ), and varying degrees of webbing between the toes. The order is highly diverse in size, shape, and ecology, with species occupying a wide range of habitats, from deserts to tropical forests and wetlands.

Life cycle: Most Anura undergo metamorphosis. Fertilization is typically external, with eggs laid in water or moist environments; hatchlings are tadpoles with gills, a tail, and no legs, later undergoing metamorphosis to become adults with legs and loss of tails. Some species exhibit direct development, where terrestrial eggs hatch into miniature adults without a free-living tadpole stage.

Taxonomy and diversity: Anura is divided into two major suborders, Archaeobatrachia (basal frogs) and Neobatrachia (the vast majority of species). The order includes many families, such as Ranidae (true frogs), Bufonidae (true toads), Hylidae (tree frogs), Dendrobatidae (poison-arrow frogs), Pipidae (tongueless frogs), Microhylidae, Mantellidae, and Megophryidae. They are distributed worldwide, except Antarctica.

Ecology and conservation: Frogs and toads are important insectivores and play key roles in food webs, while also acting as bioindicators of environmental health. Many Anura species are threatened by habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and disease, notably chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Effective conservation relies on habitat protection, pollution reduction, and monitoring of amphibian health.