Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca

Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca

The family Hylidae, as currently recognized, is composed of about 34 genera and more than 400 species. Most genera (30) and about 350 species live in the American tropics. Hyla and 10 other genera inhabit Central America; four of those 10 genera (Gastrotheca, Hemiphractus, Phrynohyas, and Phyllomedusa) are widely distributed in South America. The other six genera are either restricted to Central America or have their greatest differentiation there. Plectrohyla and Ptychohyla inhabit streams in the highlands of southern Mexico and northern Central America; Diaglena and Triprion are casque-headed inhabitants of arid regions in Mxico and northern Central America. Anotheca is a tree-hole breeder in cloud forests in Middle America. The genus Smilisca is the most widespread geographically and diverse ecologically of the Central American genera. The definition of genera in the family Hylidae is difficult owing to the vast array of species, most of which are poorly known as regards their osteology, colors in life, and modes of life history. The genera Diaglena, Triprion, Tetraprion, Osteocephalus, Trachycephalus, Aparasphenodon, Corythomantis, Hemiphractus, Pternohyla, and Anotheca have been recognized as distinct from one another and from the genus Hyla on the basis of various modifications of dermal bones of the cranium. Phyllomedusa is recognized on the basis of a vertical pupil and opposable thumb; Plectrohyla is characterized by the presence of a bony prepollex and the absence of a quadratojugal. Gastrotheca is distinguished from other hylids by the presence of a pouch in the back of females. A pair of lateral vocal sacs behind the angles of the jaws and the well-developed dermal glands were used by Duellman (1956) to distinguish Phrynohyas from Hyla. He (1963a) cited the ventrolateral glands in breeding males as diagnostic of Ptychohyla. Some species groups within the vaguely defined genus Hyla have equally distinctive characters. The Hyla septentrionalis group is characterized by a casque-head, not much different from that in the genus Osteocephalus (Trueb, MS). Males in the Hyla maxima group have a protruding bony prepollex like that characteristically found in Plectrohyla. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 37823
Author: Duellman, William Edward
Release Date: Oct 22, 2011
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Contributor (Author): Trueb, Linda, 1942-