A Review of the Middle American Tree Frogs of the Genus Ptychohyla — John Shaqi
A Review of the Middle American Tree Frogs of the Genus PtychohylaDuellman, William Edward
Science
A Review of the Middle American Tree Frogs of the Genus Ptychohyla
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Amphibians -- Mexico; Ptychohyla
Dorsal ground-color of head, body, and limbs pale tan with large
interconnected dark brown blotches on head and body and broad dark
brown transverse bands on limbs; dorsal surfaces of first and second
fingers and of webbing of hands pale brown; dorsal surfaces of third
and fourth fingers dark brown; anterior surfaces of thighs
flesh-color; posterior surfaces of thighs brown; dorsal surfaces of
tarsi and feet dark brown; narrow white stripe along ventrolateral
edges of forearms and tarsi; a faint creamy white stripe above anal
opening; axilla white; flanks creamy white, boldly spotted with black;
throat and chest white; ventral surfaces of tarsi and feet dark brown;
other ventral surfaces dusty cream color; large brown spots on chin
and anterior part of abdomen.
In life the dorsum was reddish brown (Orange-Cinnamon) with dark brown
(Chocolate) blotches; first and second fingers and webbing on hand
pale reddish brown (Cinnamon); webbing on feet dark brown (Clove
Brown); flanks pale creamy white (Pale Olive Buff) with dark brown
(Bone Brown) spots; iris reddish bronze (Apricot Orange).
_Variation._--No noticeable geographic variation is apparent in the
few available specimens; variations in proportions are given in Table
1. The distal subarticular tubercle of the fourth finger is either
bifid or double in all specimens; that on the third finger usually is
bifid, sometimes single. The vertical rostral keel is prominent in all
freshly preserved specimens; in some older specimens it is indistinct.
The tongue always is notched posteriorly; in some individuals the
notch is shallow; in others it is deep.
Some specimens are paler and less boldly marked than the specimen
described above. All specimens from Agua del Obispo and some specimens
from the northern slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Oaxaca have a
pale tan dorsum with brown markings. In most individuals the white
color in the axilla extends onto the posterior edge of the upper arm.
The creamy white color of the flanks is constant and usually extends
slightly dorsad in the inguinal region. The white stripe above, and
sometimes continuing down beside, the anal opening varies from a thin
indistinct line or row of flecks to a distinct continuous stripe. Two
specimens have dark brown spots on the belly; in the others the spots
are confined to the flanks and throat.
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