Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
A typical tadpole in stage 25 of development (KU 80620 from Finca La
Sumbadora, Panama) has a body length of 9.5 mm., tail length of 19.0
mm., and a total length of 28.5 mm.; body only slightly wider than deep,
nearly flat dorsally; snout broadly rounded in dorsal view, bluntly
rounded in lateral view; eyes widely separated, directed dorsolaterally;
nostril slightly closer to eye than to tip of snout; mouth ventral;
spiracle sinistral, located about two-thirds distance from snout to
posterior edge of body; anal tube dextral; caudal musculature moderately
heavy, straight; dorsal fin not extending onto body; fins deepest at
about two-fifths length of tail, where depth of caudal musculature about
equal to depth of dorsal and depth of ventral fin; musculature
extending nearly to tip of tail; body dark grayish brown above and pale
grayish tan below with small dark brown spots dorsally and white flecks
laterally; caudal musculature pale tan with dark brown flecks over
entire surface and dark brown streaks on posterior one-half of ventral
fin and on all of dorsal fin (Fig. 14B). Median one-third of upper lip
bare; rest of mouth bordered by a single row of conical papillae;
lateral fold present; tooth rows 2/3; upper rows cone-shaped, about
equal in length, broadly /\-shaped; second upper row narrowly
interrupted medially; lower rows complete, about equal in length, but
slightly shorter than upper rows; upper beak moderately massive, its
inner surface forming a continuous arch with short lateral processes;
lower beak broadly \/-shaped; both beaks finely serrate (Fig. 15D).
Tadpoles from El Volcan, Chiriqui (KU 91833), are more heavily pigmented
than those from Finca La Sombadora; the spots on the tail are larger. In
life these tadpoles had dark brownish black bodies with golden and green
lichenous flecks; the tail was tan with dark brown markings, and the
iris was a grayish bronze color. In life tadpoles from Finca La
Sumbadora were olive-tan above and dark gray with pale bluish gray
irridescent spots ventrally. The caudal musculature was creamy tan with
brown flecks and streaks, and the iris was pale bronze.
Metamorphosing young have been found on vegetation at the edge of
streams and have been raised in the laboratory. Seven recently
metamorphosed young have snout-vent lengths of 13.6 to 15.6 mm. (14.6
mm.). A living juvenile (KU 91913) raised in the laboratory from a
tadpole obtained at Finca La Sumbadora had a brown dorsum with darker
brown markings, a white spot below the eye, and a narrow white labial
stripe. The belly was white; the flanks were brown with white spots, and
the posterior surfaces of the thighs were yellowish tan. The iris was a
golden bronze color with much black reticulation.
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