The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)Gadow, Hans
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)
Gadow, Hans
Animals
The two North American genera _Chorophilus_ and _Acris_, and the Brazilian
_Thoropa_, connect the Hylidae with the Cystignathidae, in so far as their
finger-discs are very small, or even {187}absent, and their sacral
diapophyses are only slightly dilated. On the other hand, it has to be
emphasised that the possession of adhesive discs on the fingers and toes
does not necessarily constitute a member of the Hylidae. That requires _the
further combination of an arciferous sternum, with dilated sacral
diapophyses and teeth in the upper jaw_. Finger-discs are easily developed,
and still more easily lost. Those of the typical Hylidae are constructed as
follows. The terminal phalanx is elongated, claw-shaped, swollen at its
base. Between it and the penultimate phalanx lies an interphalangeal
cartilaginous disc which projects ventrally below the end-phalanx, thus
assisting the formation of the ventral pad, and the turning upwards of the
whole disc-like phalanx like the claw of a cat. This peculiar motion can be
well observed in Tree-frogs which are at rest upon a horizontal leaf, or,
better still, upon a rough stone, when the creatures take good care to
adjust their discs into a safe and easy position. The pad or disc itself is
furnished with unstriped, smooth muscular fibres, the contraction of which
produces one or more longitudinal furrows on the under side. When the disc
is in action or adhering, being flattened to a smooth surface, the
end-phalanx sinks into the cushion; when not in action, the cushion swells
and the phalanx appears as a slight dorsal ridge. The disc is rich in
lymph-spaces, and its surface contains mucilaginous glands.
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