Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
present only on proximal digits. Anal opening directed posteriorly at
level of upper edge of thighs; no noticeable anal sheath; flat tubercles
ventrolateral to anal opening large; skin of chest, belly, and posterior
surfaces of thighs granular; other surfaces smooth; tongue broadly
cordiform, shallowly notched posteriorly, and barely free behind;
vomerine teeth 4-4, situated on ventral surfaces of separated rounded
prominences between posterior margins of small, ovoid inner nares; vocal
slits long, each situated along inner margin of ramus; color (in
preservative) pinkish tan above with irregular olive-brown markings
forming interconnected spots on back; four bars on dorsal surface of
each thigh; five bars on shank, and three on tarsus; inguinal region
white with black mottling; posterior surfaces of thighs yellowish tan
proximally, dark brown distally; margins of lips grayish white with
brown markings; ventral surfaces of hands and feet grayish brown; belly
and posterior part of throat creamy white; anterior part of throat
brown.
_Description and variation._--Ten breeding males from Finca La
Sumbadora, Panama, have snout-vent lengths of 40.0 to 44.8 mm. (42.3
mm.). In these specimens the tibia/snout-vent length ratio is 0.50 to
0.57 (0.54), and the tympanum/eye ratio is 0.48 to 0.58 (0.53). There is
a geographic gradient in size; specimens from the western part of the
range (southern Costa Rica) are smaller than those from the eastern part
of the range (eastern Panama). Five males from the Pacific lowlands of
southern Costa Rica have snout-vent lengths of 31.6 to 38.2 mm. (34.7
mm.); ten males from El Volcan, Chiriqui, Panama, 32.6 to 37.9 mm. (36.4
mm.), and eight males from Barro Colorado Island, Canal Zone, 38.2 to
42.0 mm. (35.6 mm.). These are smaller than the males from Finca La
Sumbadora, which is east of the Canal Zone. Ten females from El Volcan
have snout-vent lengths of 44.2 to 55.6 mm. (49.2 mm.), as compared 56.1
to 62.2 mm. (58.2 mm.) in three females from Finca La Sumbadora.
Large females have scattered small tubercles on the head and back;
tubercles occur in males from Costa Rica and in some males from western
Panama. The truncate snout is characteristic of both sexes.
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