Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
The growth and development of the other species of _Smilisca_ do not
differ significantly from that of _S. phaeota_. The tadpoles of _S.
sila_ and _sordida_ from streams have relatively longer tails at
hatching. For example, in tadpoles of _S. sordida_ the average length of
tail is 64.0 per cent of the body-length in stage 25, and in stage 37,
67.0 per cent.
_Behavior_
The tadpoles of _S. baudini_, _cyanosticta_, _phaeota_, and _puma_ are
pelagic inhabitants of shallow ponds. Early stages of _S. baudini_ in
which external gills are present have been observed to hang vertically
with the gills spread out at the surface of the water, a behavior noted
by Zweifel (1964:206) in tadpoles of _Phrynohyas venulosa_, which also
develop in warm, standing water having a relatively low oxygen-tension.
When disturbed the pelagic tadpoles usually dive and seek shelter amidst
vegetation or in mud on the bottom. This behavior was observed in _S.
baudini_, _cyanosticta_, and _phaeota_ by day and at night. No tadpoles
of _S. puma_ were observed by day; those seen at night were near the
surface of small water-filled depressions in a grassy marsh; they
responded to light by taking refuge in the dense grass. Perhaps tadpoles
of this species are negatively phototactic and remain hidden by day.
The stream-inhabiting tadpoles of _S. sila_ and _sordida_ live in clear
pools in rocky streams, where they were observed to cling by their
mouths to rocks in the stream and to seek shelter amidst pebbles or
beneath rocks and leaves on the bottom. These tadpoles are not found in
shallow riffles.
We have not found tadpoles of two species of _Smilisca_ in the same body
of water and therefore cannot offer observations on ecological
relationships in sympatric situations.
PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS
Identifiable hylid remains are known from the Miocene to the Recent, but
these fossils are mostly fragmentary and provide little useful
information regarding the phylogenetic relationships of living genera.
Frogs of the genus _Smilisca_ are generalized and show no striking
adaptations, either in their structure or in their modes of life
history.
Interspecific Relationships
In attempting to understand the relationships of the species of
_Smilisca_ we have emphasized osteological characters. The phylogeny
suggested by these characters is supported by other lines of evidence,
including external morphology, tadpoles, and breeding calls.
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