Femoral gland

Femoral glands are classified into four distinct morphological types, varying from minute granular structures to conspicuous patches characterised by large granules and prominent central indentations.

Research indicates that compounds from femoral glands in mantellid frogs can specifically activate olfactory neurons, responsible for detecting and transmitting odour signals to the brain.

This difference in structure, as seen in molecules like the gephyromantolide A (a macrocyclic lactone) from Gephyromantis boulengeri compared to its counterpart in Hyperolius cinnamomeoventris, results in distinct chemical signals for each species.

[6] The Dutch herpetologist Blommers-Schlösser regarded these glands as an ancestral trait within the Mantellidae, supporting a phylogenetic standpoint that views the family as a descendant of the early rhacophorid lineage.

[8] The variation of the femoral glands in the species Nyctibatrachus major may reflect hormonal regulation akin to thumb pad elaboration, a common secondary sex characteristic in male frogs.

[4] For instance, in the Madagascar-native frog Mantidactylus betsileanus, macrolide compounds produced by the femoral glands stimulate female attraction and generally heighten activity in both genders.

[14] In contrast, a 2011 taxonomic review of the genus Nyctibatrachus determined the presence of male femoral glands to be an unreliable characteristic for diagnosis due to their inconsistent seasonal prominence.