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
Aside from the differences mentioned above, all specimens from
Guatemala are similar in coloration. Three specimens from Honduras
(MCZ 21300 and UMMZ 113102-3) have unspotted white venters. MCZ 21300,
the holotype of _P. spinipollex_, lacks a white stripe above the anal
opening, whereas the stripe is indistinct in UMMZ 113102-3.
_Description of tadpole._--The following description is based on KU
60053 from Fina Los Alpes, Depto. Alta Verapaz, Guatemala (Figs. 4D
and 6D). No limb buds; total length, 37.2 mm.; body length, 12.2 mm.;
body length/total length, 32.8 per cent. Body rounded, not depressed,
as wide as deep, ovoid in dorsal profile; mouth directed ventrally;
eyes small, directed dorsolaterally; nostrils barely protuberant and
directed anterolaterally, somewhat closer to eye than snout; spiracle
sinistral and posteroventrad to eye; anal tube dextral. Caudal fin
low, bluntly rounded posteriorly; greatest depth of caudal musculature
about one-half depth of caudal fin; musculature extends nearly to tip
of tail.
Mouth large; lips having deep lateral folds; two complete rows of
papillae on lips; six or seven rows of papillae laterally; beaks
moderately developed, bearing fine blunt serrations; slender lateral
projections on upper beak; tooth-rows 4/7; upper rows subequal in
length; fourth row interrupted medially; lower rows 1-4 equal in
length to upper rows; lower rows 5-7 decreasing in length; first lower
row interrupted medially.
Top of head and tip of snout brown; venter creamy gray; caudal
musculature tan; caudal fin transparent; faint cream-colored, narrow,
crescent-shaped mark on posterior edge of body, not bordered
posteriorly by dark brown mark; brown flecks scattered on caudal
musculature and caudal fin; only a few flecks on anterior half of
ventral caudal fin; eye bronze-color in life.
_Variation._--The variation in size and proportions as compared with
tadpoles of other species is given in Table 2. Of the 57 tadpoles of
this species that I have examined, 21 have only six lower tooth-rows,
although in some of these specimens a faint ridge for a seventh row is
present. In those specimens having seven lower rows, the seventh often
is broken.
There is considerable variation in coloration. None has a distinct
cream-colored, crescent-shaped mark bordered posteriorly by a dark
brown bar or triangle, as in the other species in the _Ptychohyla
euthysanota_ group. Most specimens have a rather indistinct crescent;
some have no crescent. In a few specimens there is a weakly outlined
dark mark posterior to the crescent. Some specimens in a series of
tadpoles from 32 kilometers north of Morazan, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
have faint dorsal blotches on the dorsal musculature, much like those
in tadpoles of _Ptychohyla leonhardschultzei_.
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