A New Species of Frog (Genus Tomodactylus) from Western MéxicoWebb, Robert G. (Robert Gravem)
Science
A New Species of Frog (Genus Tomodactylus) from Western México
Webb, Robert G. (Robert Gravem)
Frogs
_Variation._--Twelve males closely resemble the holotype. Two
specimens from Pueblo Nuevo are soft and not well preserved.
The ranges of variation (means in parentheses) for the 13
males comprising the type series are: snout-vent length,
25.5-31.5 (27.9); width of head, 9.7-11.2 (10.5); diameter of
eye, 2.9-3.6 (3.2); horizontal diameter of tympanum, 1.1-1.8
(1.4); length of tibia, 11.1-13.1 (12.1); length of foot,
11.0-13.1 (12.1).
The pale ground color of the marbled pattern in most
specimens is least extensive on the back and arms, but most
extensive on the legs. The lumbar glands are slightly
elevated and conspicuous, and in KU 63328 are extremely
protuberant, or (KU 63330) evident on left side but flattened
and indistinct on right side. The back is rough having low,
scarcely elevated pustules, but becomes less rough anteriorly
and most of the top of head is smooth. The three specimens
from Pueblo Nuevo, Durango, differ slightly from the other
specimens examined in lacking pairs of postanal white spots,
and in having smooth backs (slightly pustulate in MSU 4088).
The tibiotarsal articulation fails to reach the eye in KU
63330. The small inner palmar tubercle is continuous with the
large median tubercle on the right hand of KU 63330, and
lacking on both hands of KU 63329 and on the left hand of KU
63328. The tip of the tongue is entire in some specimens and
in others has an irregular margin.
_Coloration of living specimens._--Marbled pattern on back
and top of head of dark brown to blackish on yellowish-gold;
pattern slightly less contrasting on limbs than on back,
consisting of brown to grayish on pale yellow; side of head
and body grayish sometimes having pale yellow to whitish
spots; iris blackish having fine reticulation of yellowish to
greenish-gold; venter dirty white.
_Habitat._--The three records of occurrence for _Tomodactylus
saxatilis_ are in a mixed boreal-tropical habitat, which is
transitional between a pine-oak forest at higher elevations and a
tropical deciduous forest at lower elevations. The mixed
boreal-tropical habitat is most conspicuous at elevations between
approximately 7800 and 5500 feet on southerly exposed slopes of
barrancas and arroyos of the dissected plateau of the Sierra Madre
Occidental. The mixed boreal-tropical habitat occurs for approximately
30 miles along the paved highway (Mexican Highway 40) between Cd.
Durango, Durango, and Mazatlán, Sinaloa. The records of occurrence in
those states that are along this highway are separated by 14.5 miles
(_via_ road).
[Illustration: FIG. 1. _Tomodactylus saxatilis_ new species,
adult male, KU 63326, holotype (× 2), dorsal view.]
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