The genus is divided into several subgenera that form monophyletic genetic clusters and are ecologically similar.

Mantidactylus was erected by Boulenger in 1895 with the type species Rana guttulata.

[1][2] For a long time the genus contained a wide variety of mostly terrestrial Madagascan frogs, that were divided into species groups[3] and/or subgenera.

Several of these groups were subsequently erected to genus level: Blommersia, Boehmantis, Gephyromantis, Guibemantis, Spinomantis and Wakea.

The following list contains all described species as of 6 January 2023, arranged by subgenus: M. gudrunae M. tricinctus M. grubenmanni M. noralottae M. kortei M. katae M. tripunctatus M. jonasi M. incognitus M. betsileanus M. georgei M. jahnarum M. fergusoni M. ulcerosus M. bellyi M. schultzi M. steinfartzi M. stelliger M. brevirostris M. eulenbergeri M. biporus M. augustini M. inaudax M. manerana M. alutus M. mahery M. pauliani M. bourgati M. curtus M. madecassus M. ambohimitombi