[3] They are found in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins of South America, the Guianas, Trinidad, and southern and eastern Brazil.

[1] The majority of the species are associated with the Atlantic Forest domain in Brazil.

[4] Sphaenorhynchus has been suggested to be the sister taxon of the clade Scarthyla + Scinax.

[1] Faivovich and colleagues (2005) placed it in the tribe Dendropsophini, together with Dendropsophus, Lysapsus, Pseudis, Scarthyla, Scinax, and Xenohyla.

Most species have well-developed horizontal dermal flaps on each side of the anus.