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
_Tomodactylus saxatilis_, having lumbar glands, also
resembles three species referred to the genus _Syrrhophus_.
_Tomodactylus macrotympanum_ was described by Taylor
(1940:496, 497) as having a large, moderately distinct lumbar
gland; the species was referred to the genus _Syrrhophus_ by
Dixon (_op. cit._:384). According to Firschein (1954:55),
_Syrrhophus smithi_ and _S. petrophilus_ have elongate lumbar
glands shaped like those in _Tomodactylus_. _Tomodactylus
saxatilis_ resembles _macrotympanum_, _smithi_ and
_petrophilus_ more than it does other species; all four
attain large maximal sizes, and have lumbar glands, mostly
smooth ventral surfaces, three palmar tubercles (sometimes
absent in _saxatilis_), and usually contrasting dorsal
patterns (reduced to flecks and spots in all species except
_saxatilis_). _Tomodactylus saxatilis_ differs from
_macrotympanum_ in having an extensive marbled dorsal pattern
and a small tympanum, and differs from _smithi_ and
_petrophilus_ in having a marbled dorsal pattern and the tips
of the outer two fingers widened and truncate. _Tomodactylus
saxatilis_ differs from all other named species of
_Syrrhophus_ in having conspicuous lumbar glands and in
lacking inguinal glands.
_Remarks._--The characteristics delimiting the genera _Tomodactylus_
and _Syrrhophus_ are not agreed upon by all workers (see discussions
by Firschein, 1954:50; Langebartel and Shannon, 1956:164; and Dixon,
1957:383). I have referred _saxatilis_ to the genus _Tomodactylus_ on
the basis of a lumbar gland, which was considered a distinguishing
character for the genus by Smith and Taylor (1948:46) and Langebartel
and Shannon (1956:165). Lumbar glands are longer than broad, at least
one third the distance from axilla to groin, lateral and usually high,
and often conspicuous and protuberant. The elevation or flatness of
the lumbar glands seems to be due to individual variation; living
specimens in the field had conspicuous and protuberant, or
non-elevated, indistinct lumbar glands. Lumbar glands are not to be
confused with inguinal glands, which are roundish, often yellowish,
sometimes diffuse, lateral but low, often inconspicuous, and usually
not protuberant. Inguinal glands occur in the genus _Microbatrachylus_
and in some species of _Eleutherodactylus_, and have been described as
flat, or low, or small, or indistinct for most species of
_Syrrhophus_.
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