The reproductive modes of anurans (frogs and toads) are the most diverse of terrestrial vertebrates, and a major challenge is
identifying selective factors that promote the evolution or retention of reproductive modes across clades. Terrestrialized anuran
breeding strategies have evolved repeatedly from the plesiomorphic fully aquatic reproductive mode, a process thought to
occur through intermediate reproductive stages. Several selective forces have been proposed for the evolution of terrestrialized
reproductive traits, but factors such as water systems and co-evolution with ecomorphologies have not been investigated. We
examined these topics in a comparative phylogenetic framework using Afrobatrachian frogs, an ecologically and reproductively
diverse clade representing more than half of the total frog diversity found in Africa (400 species). We infer direct development has
evolved twice independently from terrestrialized reproductive modes involving subterranean or terrestrial oviposition, supporting
evolution through intermediate stages. We also detect associations between specific ecomorphologies and oviposition sites, and
demonstrate arboreal species exhibit an overall shift toward using lentic water systems for breeding. These results indicate
that changes in microhabitat use associated with ecomorphology, which allow access to novel sites for reproductive behavior,
oviposition, or larval development, may also promote reproductive mode diversity in anurans.