Pristimantis is a very large genus of frogs distributed in the southern Caribbean islands (Lesser Antilles) and in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina and southern Brazil.[1] With 596 described species (as of October 2022), the genus had more species than any other genus of vertebrate animals.[2] Many of these species genus are endemic to the Northwestern Andean montane forests ecoregion in north-western South America.[3]
From the greek πριστις, serrated and μαντις, arboreal frog.[4]
Placement of this genus has varied greatly. Pristimantis was long included in the massive genus Eleutherodactylus, and considered part of the family Leptodactylidae. Currently, the genus is placed placing in the family Strabomantidae, subfamily Strabomantinae,[2][5][1]
As of October 2022, there are 592 species, but new ones continue to be described on a regular basis (e.g., [6][7][8][9][10]):[1]
Pristimantis is a very large genus of frogs distributed in the southern Caribbean islands (Lesser Antilles) and in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina and southern Brazil. With 596 described species (as of October 2022), the genus had more species than any other genus of vertebrate animals. Many of these species genus are endemic to the Northwestern Andean montane forests ecoregion in north-western South America.