Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
Minor ontogenetic changes in structure involve the shape of the snout,
relative size of the eye, development of the tympanum, and amount of
webbing in the hand. In recently metamorphosed young the snout is more
rounded than in adults; the canthus and loreal concavity are not
evident. Usually the tympanum is not differentiated in recently
metamorphosed young, and the eye is proportionately large. The webbing
in the feet is completely developed at metamorphosis, but young
individuals have noticeably less webbing in the hand than do adults of
the same species.
Coloration
Some of the most distinctive characters of the species of _Smilisca_ are
color and pattern of the living frogs. Although many chromatic features
are lost or subdued in preserved specimens, the patterns usually
persist.
_Metachrosis_
Change in color, well known in frogs, is common in hylids, especially in
species having green dorsal surfaces (_Phyllomedusa_ is a notable
exception). The non-green _Smilisca_ (_puma_, _sila_, and _sordida_)
changes color, but this mostly is a change in intensity of color. In
these species the markings usually are most distinct at night;
frequently by day the frogs become pallid. The most striking examples of
metachrosis in _Smilisca_ are found in the _baudini_ group, in which the
dorsal ground-color changes from green to tan; correlated with the
change in ground-color may be a corresponding change in the dorsal
markings, but the dorsal markings may change to the opposite color.
Chromosomes
Chromosomes of all six species of _Smilisca_ were studied by means of
the propriono-orcein squash technique described by Duellman and Cole
(1965). Karyotype analysis was attempted for several species by means of
intraperitoneal injections of colchicine, which affected the mitotic
cells as desired, but the testes examined contained too few mitotic
cells to allow accurate determination of karyotypes.
Haploid (_n_) chromosome numbers were determined from cells in
diakinesis, metaphase I, and metaphase II of meiosis. Diploid (2_n_)
chromosome numbers were determined from cells in late prophase and
metaphase of mitosis. Chromosome counts from as few as 23 meiotic cells
of _S. phaeota_ and as many as 80 cells of _S. sordida_ reveal a
constant haploid (_n_) number of 12; counts of chromosomes in one to
five mitotic cells in all species, except _S. sila_, reveal that the
diploid (2_n_) number is 24.
NATURAL HISTORY
Breeding
Like most hylid frogs _Smilisca_ is most readily collected and observed
when individuals congregate for breeding.
_Time of Breeding_
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