Different opinions exist about mantelline relationships. Major causes are differences in observations on tarsals and carpals, and the fact that no consensus has been reached concerning the systematics of the other ranoid frogs, so making it difficult to determine the polarity of character states. Therefore a series of osteological characters was investigated in several ranoids, especially in the Mantellinae, and a cladogram of the “firmisternal” frogs was constructed. This cladogram splits into two main branches; the Microhyloidea containing the Sooglossidae, Dendrobatidae, Microhylidae and Hemisotidae (including the Brevicipitinae) and the Ranoidea comprising the Arthroleptidae, Hyperoliidae and Ranidae, including the Mantellinae and Rhacophorinae.