Pipimorpha (original) (raw)

Pipimorpha is an unranked clade containing all frogs which are more closely related to living Pipidae species than to living Rhinophrynus species. Members of this group are highly adapted to aquatic life. The oldest pipimorphs are Neusibatrachus and from the Early Cretaceous of Spain, with other records of the group known from Afro-Arabia and South America like modern Pipidae. The extinct family Palaeobatrachidae, particularly the genus Palaeobatrachus were widespread and abundant in Europe during the Cenozoic, until their extinction during the Middle Pleistocene around 500,000 years ago due to being unable to cope with the increasing aridity and freezing temperatures of the ice ages.