Genera of Leptodactylid Frogs in MéxicoLynch, John D.
Science
Genera of Leptodactylid Frogs in México
Lynch, John D.
Frogs -- Mexico; Leptodactylidae
[Illustration: FIG. 2. Palmar views of the hands and lateral views of
the tip of the third digits of _Eleutherodactylus alfredi_ (left, KU
93994, x 5) and _Hylactophryne augusti_ (right, KU 102594, x 3).]
Supernumerary tubercles rarely are present on the feet of
_Eleutherodactylus_, but are present and numerous in every species of
_Syrrhophus_, _Tomodactylus_, and in the members of the _augusti_ group
of _Eleutherodactylus_ (Fig. 3). The tubercles are small and numerous
in _Syrrhophus_ and larger in _Tomodactylus_ and the _Eleutherodactylus
augusti_ group. Most species of _Eleutherodactylus_ have no plantar
supernumerary tubercles; a few species have such tubercles, which never
extend between the metatarsal tubercles as in _Syrrhophus_ and
_Tomodactylus_.
[Illustration: FIG. 3. Plantar views of feet of _Eleutherodactylus
alfredi_ (left, KU 93994, x 4.5), _Syrrhophus pipilans nebulosus_
(middle, KU 58900, x 7.5), and _Hylactophryne augusti_ (right, KU
102594, x 3) showing differences in size and arrangement of
supernumerary tubercles.]
Tarsal folds and tubercles are lacking in _Syrrhophus_, _Tomodactylus_,
and the _augusti_ group of _Eleutherodactylus_. Several species of
_Eleutherodactylus_ lack tarsal folds and tubercles, but in nearly
every species group, one or more species possess either an inner tarsal
fold, inner tarsal tubercle(s), or outer tarsal tubercles.
The terminal phalanges of _Syrrhophus_, _Tomodactylus_, and all
_Eleutherodactylus_ (except the frogs of the _augusti_ group) are
distinctly T-shaped. In the latter, the bones are knob-shaped distally
(Fig. 4). T-shaped terminal phalanges also are present in _Lithodytes_
and _Trachyphrynus_ but not in other leptodactylid genera. At least one
species of _Eupsophus_ (_E. quixensis_) has terminal phalanges that
resemble those of the _Eleutherodactylus augusti_ group. Several
species of _Eleutherodactylus_, _Syrrhophus_, and _Tomodactylus_ with
slender fingers have T-shaped terminal phalanges although the terminal
dilations proportionately are only scarcely wider than the finger tips
in the _Eleutherodactylus augusti_ group. The presence of a terminal
groove at the tip of the finger is an external indicator of the
T-shaped terminal phalanges.
[Illustration: FIG. 4. Terminal phalanges of four leptodactylid frogs
(all x 13.5). (a) _Eleutherodactylus mexicanus_, KU 55593; (b)
_Eupsophus roseus_, KU 84731; (c) _Eupsophus quixensis_, UIMNH 59643;
and (d) _Hylactophryne augusti_, KU 56192.]
Skull
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