The colouration in life, some tadpoles and some mating calls of several species of the genus Heterixalus Laurent, 1944, are described. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Heterixalus rutenbergi (Boettger, 1881), comb. nov. (from Hyperolius); Heterixalus betsileo (Grandidier, 1872) is a valid species (syn. Hyperolius renifer Boettger, 1881); Megalixalus boettgeri Mocquard, 1902, is removed from the synonymy of Heterixalus tricolor (Boettger, 1881). The occurrence of Hyperolius Rapp, 1842, in Madagascar is not confirmed.