Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
The dorsal ground color of _Smilisca cyanosticta_ is pale green to tan
and the venter is creamy white. The dorsum is variously marked with dark
olive-green or dark brown spots or blotches (Pl. 6B). An interorbital
dark bar usually is present. The most extensive dark area is a V-shaped
mark in the occipital region with the anterior branches not reaching the
eyelids; this mark is continuous, by means of a narrow mid-dorsal mark,
with an inverted V-shaped mark in the sacral region. In many specimens
this dorsal marking is interrupted, resulting in irregular spots. In
some specimens the dorsum is nearly uniform pale green or tan with a few
small, dark spots. The hind limbs are marked by dark transverse bands,
usually three or four each on the thigh and shank, and two or three on
the tarsus. The webbing on the feet is brown. The loreal region is pale
green, bordered above by a narrow, dark brown canthal stripe extending
from the nostril to the orbit, which is bordered above by a narrow,
bronze-colored stripe extending from the nostril along the edge of the
eyelid to a point above the tympanum. The upper lip is white. A broad
dark brown mark extends posteriorly from the orbit and encompasses the
tympanum to a point above the insertion of the forelimb. The flanks are
dark brown with many pale blue, rounded spots, giving the impression of
a pale blue ground color with dark brown mottling enclosing spots. The
anterior and posterior surfaces of the thighs are dark brown with many
small pale blue spots. The inner surfaces of the shank and tarsus are
colored like the posterior surfaces of the thighs. Pale blue spots are
usually present on the proximal segments of the second and third toes. A
distinct white stripe is present on the outer edge of the tarsus and
fifth toe; on the tarsus the white stripe is bordered below by dark
brown. A white stripe also is present on the outer edge of the forearm
and fourth finger. The anal region is dark brown, bordered above by a
narrow transverse white stripe. The throat in breeding males is dark,
grayish brown with white flecks.
No geographic variation in the dorsal coloration is evident. Specimens
from the eastern part of the range (Piedras Negras and Chinaja,
Guatemala) have bold, dark reticulations on the flanks enclosing large
pale blue or pale green spots, which fade to tan in preservative.
Specimens from Oaxaca and Veracruz characteristically have finer dark
reticulations on the flanks enclosing smaller blue spots; in many of
these specimens the ventrolateral spots are smallest and are white.
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