Evolutionary reorganizations of ontogenesis in related frog species of the family Myobatrachidae

Literary data on the comparative embryology of Australian endemic frogs of the family Myobatrachidae have been considered. Six main types of development have been recognized, the important criteria for which are egg size, the site of embryo and tadpole development (in water or on land), the character of larval nutrition (exotrophic or endotrophic), the occurrence of direct development, brooding, etc. An attention has been also paid to the character of the early cleavage process in the embryos of various species. The peculiarities of ontogeny in Myobatrachidae are compared with those in representatives of other families in the order Anura. The perspectives of some further embryological studies of this Australian frog family have been out-lined.