The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)Gadow, Hans
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)
Gadow, Hans
Animals
One of the larvae described and figured by Parker measures 10⅓ inches in
length, the head and body taking up 3⅓ inches. The spiracle lies on the
left side and the hind legs are ½ inch long, just breaking through the
skin. The vent is median. The huge tail is very thick and muscular, and is
furnished with a high, irregularly shaped dorsal and ventral fin, the whole
organ measuring 4 inches dorso-ventrally. Another larva, or rather tadpole,
in the national collection is older, and although still very large, namely,
7 inches long, has fully developed hind-limbs 3 inches long; the fore-limbs
are less than half that size, the left protrudes through the spiracle,
while the right has broken through the skin. The dorsal and ventral fins of
the tail have much shrunk; the whole organ, 5 inches long, is gradually
tapering to a point like the tail of ordinary tadpoles. By the time that
the {214}tadpole is nearly ready to leave the water, its whole bulk is
reduced to less than one-fifth that of the largest tadpole. It measures
from snout to vent only 1½ inch (in the 7-inch tadpole this distance is
fully 2 inches), and the tail, devoid of fins, is reduced to 2 inches in
length. Instead of the solitary left spiracle there are now two, one on the
ventral side and a little in front of the base of each arm, the border of
each hole being continued by a peculiar semilunar fold.
[Illustration: FIG. 42.–_Hylodes martinicensis._ 1, an egg with embryo
about seven days old; 2, another, twelve days old; 3, the young Frog just
hatched; all × ¾; 4, adult male × 1. (After Peters.)]
_Hylodes._–The numerous species, nearly fifty, of this tropical American
genus exhibit several anatomical differences. The tympanum is sometimes
indistinct or hidden, in which case the Eustachian tubes are generally very
narrow. The fingers are free, and carry discs, like the toes, which are
sometimes slightly webbed. The males have a subgular vocal sac, producing a
loud, or whistling, voice. The general appearance is that of land- and
tree-frogs; the size is small, mostly between 1 and 2 inches.
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