Descriptions of Two Species of Frogs, Genus Ptychohyla - Studies of American Hylid Frogs, V

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Title: Descriptions of Two Species of Frogs, Genus Ptychohyla - Studies of American Hylid Frogs, V
Author: Duellman, William E., 1930-
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Descriptions of Two Species of Frogs, Genus Ptychohyla - Studies of American Hylid Frogs, V" ***

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Volume 13, No. 8, Pl. 25, figs. 1-2, pp. 349-357 April 27, 1961

Descriptions of Two Species of Frogs, Genus Ptychohyla Studies of
American Hylid Frogs, V

BY WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE 1961

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch,
Robert W. Wilson

Volume 13, No. 8, Pl. 25, figs. 1-2, pp. 349-357
Published April 27, 1961

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Lawrence, Kansas

PRINTED IN
THE STATE PRINTING PLANT
TOPEKA, KANSAS
1961

28-6442

Descriptions of Two New Species of Frogs,
Genus Ptychohyla
Studies of American Hylid Frogs, V

WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN

Field studies on hylid frogs in southern México and northern Central
America have resulted in the collection of numerous specimens of
_Ptychohyla_, a genus of hylid frogs heretofore poorly represented in
museum collections. Experience with the living frogs in their natural
habitats has been helpful in defining the species and in formulating
ideas concerning their relationships.

Taylor (1944) proposed the generic name _Ptychohyla_ for a new species
of frog, _Ptychohyla adipoventris_ [= _Ptychohyla leonhard-schultzei_
(Ahl)--_fide_ Duellman, 1960] from Agua del Obispo, Guerrero. Taylor
defined the genus as having large ventrolateral glands and horny
nuptial spines in males. Stuart (1954:169) discussed the generic
characters and pointed out that both the ventrolateral glands and horny
nuptial spines were seasonal in their development, being found only in
breeding males. Stuart then went on to describe _Ptychohyla
schmidtorum_, a species characterized by the absence of horny nuptial
spines in breeding males. My investigations of these frogs have
revealed the presence of two groups of species. In both groups breeding
males have large ventrolateral glands, but the two groups are easily
separated by four characters. The first group contains, among others,
_Ptychohyla leonhard-schultzei_, _euthysanota_, _spinipollex_, and
another species in the Mesa Central of Chiapas to which I tentatively
apply the name _Ptychohyla macrotympanum_ (Tanner), 1957. This group of
species is characterized by horny nuptial spines in breeding males,
presence of a tarsal fold, a call consisting of a single long note, and
tadpoles having lips not greatly expanded. The second group, as
recognized here, is characterized by the absence of horny nuptial
spines in breeding males, lack of a tarsal fold, a call consisting of a
series of short notes, and tadpoles having greatly expanded lips. In
this group belong _Ptychohyla schmidtorum_ and the two species
described below.

Only the descriptions of the new species are given in this paper;
detailed comparisons, descriptions of osteological features, analyses
of calls, and discussions of relationships are reserved for a
forthcoming review of the entire genus.

In the spring of 1959, collections of amphibians and reptiles were made
in the cloud forests on the northern slopes of the Sierra Madre
Oriental in northern Oaxaca. Among the hylids found, two specimens of a
heretofore unnamed species of _Ptychohyla_ have brilliant red
flash-colors on the groin and thighs; in allusion to these fiery colors
I propose that this species be named:

~_Ptychohyla ignicolor_~ new species

(Plate 25, Fig. 1)

_Holotype._--University of Michigan Museum of Zoology No.
119603, from a stream 6 kilometers south of Vista Hermosa,
Oaxaca, México (1865 meters); obtained on March 31, 1959, by
Thomas E. Moore. Original Number WED 14159.

_Paratype._--UMMZ 119602 from Vista Hermosa, Oaxaca (1500
meters); obtained on March 30, 1959, by William E. Duellman.

_Diagnosis._--A species of the _schmidtorum_-group of
_Ptychohyla_ differing from other known members of the group
in having the diameter of the tympanum less than one-half
the diameter of the eye, no white spot below the eye, no
lateral light stripe, bright green dorsum in life and red
flash-colors on groin and thighs.

_Description of Holotype._--Adult male having a snout-vent
length of 30.0 mm.; tibia length, 14.6 mm.; tibia
length/snout-vent length, 48.7 per cent; foot length
(measured from proximal edge of inner metatarsal tubercle to
tip of longest toe), 12.3 mm.; head length, 9.2 mm.; head
length/snout-vent length, 32.3 per cent; head width, 9.3
mm.; head width/snout-vent length, 31.0 per cent; diameter
of eye, 3.2 mm.; diameter of tympanum, 1.3 mm.;
tympanum/eye, 40.6 per cent. Snout in lateral profile
square, in dorsal profile obtusely rounded; canthus
pronounced; loreal region slightly concave; lips moderately
flaring; top of head flat; nostrils protuberant; internarial
distance, 2.8 mm.; interorbital distance, 3.3 mm., much
broader than width of eyelid, 2.8 mm. A heavy dermal fold
from posterior corner of eye above tympanum to insertion of
forelimb, covering upper edge of tympanum; tympanum
elliptical, its greatest diameter equal to its distance from
eye. Forearm robust with a distinct fold on wrist; pollex
moderately enlarged without nuptial spines; second and
fourth fingers equal in length; subarticular tubercles
round; none is bifid; disc of third finger slightly larger
than tympanum; no web between first and second fingers;
vestige of web between other fingers. Heels overlap when
hind limbs adpressed; tibiotarsal articulation extends to
anterior corner of eye; no tarsal fold; inner metatarsal
tubercle large, flat, and elliptical; outer metatarsal
tubercle near inner one and triangular; subarticular
tubercles round; length of digits from shortest to longest
1-2-5-3-4; toes about one-half webbed; discs smaller on toes
than on fingers. Anal opening directed posteriorly at upper
level of thighs; no anal flap; pair of large tubercles below
anal opening; small tubercles ventral and lateral to these.
Skin of dorsum and ventral surfaces of limbs smooth, that of
throat and belly granular. Ventrolateral glands noticeably
thickened, extending from axilla nearly to groin and only
narrowly separated medially on chest. Skin of anterior part
of chin thickened and glandular. Tongue cordiform, shallowly
notched behind and only slightly free posteriorly; vomerine
teeth 0-3, situated on rounded elevations between somewhat
larger, round inner nares; openings to vocal sac large, one
situated along posterior margin of each mandibular ramus.

PLATE 25

[Illustration: FIG. 1. Paratype of _Ptychohyla ignicolor_
(UMMZ 119602). × 3.]

[Illustration: FIG. 2. Holotype of _Ptychohyla chamulae_
(KU 58063). × 3.]

Color (in alcohol) dull brown above with irregular dark
brown blotches; dorsal surfaces of limbs brown with narrow
darker brown transverse bars; posterior surfaces of thighs
cream-color with brown spots and mottling; groin and dorsal
surfaces of first and second toes white; belly
cream-colored; glandular areas orange-brown; chest and chin
having black spots. Ventral surfaces of hind limbs and first
toes cream-colored; undersides of other toes and soles of
feet brown.

Color (in life) uniform bright green above; venter pale
creamy yellow; anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs,
ventral surfaces of shanks, anterior surfaces of tarsi and
upper proximal surfaces of first three toes red; iris pale
golden color.

The paratype is an adult male, having a snout-vent length of
26.3 mm., and agrees with the holotype in proportions. The
ventrolateral glands are less extensive and the chin less
spotted than in the holotype.

_Comparisons_: Both _Ptychohyla schmidtorum_ and the species
described below differ from _P. ignicolor_ in lacking red
flash-colors and in having a white spot below the eye.
_Ptychohyla ignicolor_ also differs in having a small
tympanum. As stated above, these species can be
distinguished from the rest of the genus by the absence of a
tarsal fold and absence of horny nuptial spines in breeding
males.

_Remarks_: The holotype was found on a moss-covered log over
a stream in dense cloud forest by day. The paratype was
calling at night from a low herb at the edge of a small
stream in the cloud forest. Nearby a _Ptychohyla
leonhard-schultzei_ was calling.

Along two cascading mountain streams in cloud forest on the northern
slopes of the Mesa Central in central Chiapas numerous specimens of a
distinctive species of _Ptychohyla_ were found in association with two
species of _Hyla_ and two of _Plectrohyla_. The first specimen of this
new species of _Ptychohyla_ was discovered by Dale L. Hoyt, who found
the frog on a rock at midday. At night on August 5, 1960, numerous
individuals were found calling from leaves of plants growing on the
slopes of the ravine by the streams. None was more than two meters
above the ground. Tadpoles were found in the fast-flowing stream, where
they were holding onto rocks with their mouths. Little is known of the
herpetofauna of these mountains that are the home of the Chamula
Indians. Since the little frog described here comes from the land of
the Chamulas, I propose that it be named:

~_Ptychohyla chamulae_~ new species

(Plate 25, Fig. 2)

_Holotype._--University of Kansas Museum of Natural History
No. 58063, from a stream above (6.2 kilometers by road
south) Rayón Mescalapa, Chiapas, México (1690 meters); one
of a series collected on August 5, 1960, by William E.
Duellman, Dale L. Hoyt, and John Wellman. Original No. WED
17327.

_Paratypes._--KU Nos. 58064-58073 collected with the holotype.

_Diagnosis._--A species of the _schmidtorum_-group of
_Ptychohyla_ differing from other known members of the group
in having the following combination of characters: diameter
of tympanum not noticeably less than half that of eye; white
spot below eye; white lateral stripe on body anteriorly;
dorsum bright green in life; thighs yellowish brown.

_Description of Holotype._--Adult male having snout-vent
length of 27.3 mm.; tibia length, 12.8 mm.; tibia
length/snout-vent length, 48.7 per cent; foot length
(measured from proximal edge of inner metatarsal tubercle to
tip of longest toe), 10.8 mm.; head length, 9.2 mm.; head
length/snout-vent length, 33.7 per cent; head width, 9.0
mm.; head width/snout-vent length, 30.9 per cent; diameter
of eye, 2.8 mm.; diameter of tympanum, 1.4 mm.;
tympanum/eye, 50.0 per cent. Snout in lateral profile nearly
square, slightly rounded above; in dorsal profile bluntly
squared; canthus pronounced; loreal region concave; lips
thick, rounded, and flaring; nostrils protuberant;
internarial distance, 2.3 mm.; top of head flat;
interorbital distance, 3.3 mm.; much broader than width of
eyelid, 2.4 mm. A thin dermal fold from posterior corner of
eye above tympanum to insertion of forelimb, covering upper
edge of tympanum; tympanum nearly round, its diameter equal
to its distance from eye. Forearm slender lacking distinct
fold on wrist; a row of low, rounded tubercles on
ventrolateral surface of forearm; pollex moderately enlarged
without nuptial spines; second and fourth fingers equal in
length; subarticular tubercles round, none bifid; discs
small, that of third finger noticeably smaller than
tympanum; no web between first and second fingers; vestige
of web between other fingers. Heels overlap when hind limbs
adpressed; tibiotarsal articulation reaches to middle of
eye; no tarsal fold; inner metatarsal tubercle large, flat,
and elliptical; outer metatarsal tubercle slightly more
distal than inner, small, and elliptical; subarticular
tubercles round; length of digits from shortest to longest
1-2-5-3-4; third and fifth toes webbed to base of disc;
fourth toe webbed to base of penultimate phalanx; discs
smaller on toes than on fingers. Anal opening directed
posteriorly at upper level of thighs; no anal flap; pair of
large tubercles below anal opening and a slightly smaller
pair farther below. Skin of dorsum and ventral surfaces of
forelimbs and shanks smooth; that of throat, belly, and
ventral surfaces of thighs granular. Ventrolateral glands
well developed, not reaching axilla or groin and broadly
separated midventrally. Skin of anterior part of chin
glandular. Tongue cordiform, shallowly notched behind and
only slightly free posteriorly; vomerine teeth 2-2, situated
on small triangular elevations between large, ovoid inner
nares; openings to vocal sac large, one situated along inner
posterior edge of each mandibular ramus.

Color (in alcohol) dark purplish brown on dorsal surfaces of
head, body, and shanks; thighs brown above and yellowish tan
posteriorly; white stripe extending from below eye above
forearm to mid-flank. Ventral surfaces creamy white;
ventrolateral glands orange-tan flecked with dark brown;
edge of lower lip with dark brown spots; narrow white line
on upper lip; palms white and soles brown.

Color (in life) uniform dark bright green above with creamy
white bar below eye; lateral stripe silvery white; ventral
surfaces deep yellow; posterior surfaces of thighs yellow
brown; iris reddish bronze.

_Variation._--Sixteen adult males are available; these have
snout-vent lengths of 26.3 to 28.5 mm. (average, 27.6 mm.).
The tympanum/eye ratio is 48.2 to 58.6 per cent (average,
53.2 per cent). The number of vomerine teeth varies from
four to six. The extent of the ventrolateral glands is
variable. In five specimens the glands nearly meet
midventrally; in two others the glands include the axillary
region; in none do the glands extend into the groin. In
other structural details there is no noticeable variation.

The greatest variation in color pattern is found in the
lateral stripe. The pale spot or bar below the eye is
present in all specimens; in one individual there is no
lateral stripe; in three the stripe extends posteriorly only
to above the forearm, in two to the mid-flank, and in the
others to the groin.

Although all of the males were bright uniform green above
when collected at night as they were calling, some changed
color later. In these individuals the dorsum became a
somewhat paler green with faint irregular yellowish tan
blotches.

The one available female (UMMZ 121399) has a snout-vent
length of 30.3 mm. and a tympanum/eye ratio of 52.8 per
cent, and is colored like the males. The tubercles by the
anal opening are placed irregularly and do not consist of
two pairs below the opening. There are no ventrolateral
glands, glandular area on the chin, or enlarged prepollex.

_Comparisons._--_Ptychohyla chamulae_ resembles _P.
schmidtorum_ in color pattern and body proportions, but the
ground color of _schmidtorum_ is chocolate brown and not
green as in _chamulae_. Also, in _schmidtorum_ the webbing
and posterior surfaces of the thighs are pale cream-color in
preserved specimens as contrasted with tan in _chamulae_. In
living _schmidtorum_ the iris is bright red, not reddish
bronze as in _chamulae_. The ventrolateral glands in
_schmidtorum_ more closely approximate one another
midventrally than in _chamulae_. It is conceivable that
these populations are subspecifically related; _schmidtorum_
occurs in the same kind of habitat as does _chamulae_, but
is known only from the Pacific slopes of southeastern
Chiapas and southwestern Guatemala, whereas _chamulae_ is
known only from the Atlantic slopes of the Mesa Central in
north-central Chiapas. Both of these species differ from
_Ptychohyla ignicolor_ in having a relatively larger
tympanum, more webbing on the foot, different arrangement of
anal tubercles, and different coloration.

_Description of Tadpole._--Six tadpoles having fully
developed mouth parts have body lengths of 5.5 to 11.9 mm.
and total lengths of 17.3 to 44.0 mm. The following
description is based on a tadpole (KU 58199) having small
hind limbs, a body length of 10.5 mm., and a total length of
39.0 mm. Body ovoid, only slightly flattened dorsally and
ventrally (Fig. 1); body only slightly deeper than wide;
eyes directed dorsolaterally and slightly protuberant;
nostrils small. Tail long and slender; greatest depth of
tail-musculature two-thirds greatest depth of tail-fin;
tail-musculature extending nearly to tip of tail-fin.

Mouth directed anteroventrally; thin fleshy lips greatly
expanded and forming large suckerlike disc; width of mouth
greater than width of snout and nearly as wide as body.
Outer edge of lips having small papillae; inner surface of
mouth smooth; scattered large papillae, seemingly in rows,
around teeth and beak (Fig. 2). Tooth rows 3/3; the upper
rows subequal in length; upper rows one and three
interrupted medially; lower rows one and two about equal in
length to upper rows; third lower row short. Upper beak
heavy and horn-covered.

[Illustration: FIG. 1. Tadpole of _Ptychohyla chamulae_
(KU 58199). × 2.5.]

[Illustration: FIG. 2. Mouthparts of tadpole of _Ptychohyla chamulae_
(KU 58199). × 16.]

Color (in alcohol) dark brown over entire body and
tail-musculature; a white area near base of tail, and a dark
streak on anterior one-fourth of tail; tail-fin transparent
having brown blotches.

_Remarks_.--Five metamorphosing tadpoles and juveniles (KU
58074, 58234-8) were found at night on vegetation by
streams. Of two completely metamorphosed young each has a
snout-vent length of 15.7 mm. Another having a snout-vent
length of 16.2 mm. has a tail stub 2 mm. long and a
completely metamorphosed mouth. Two others have snout-vent
lengths of 13.6 and 14.1 mm. and tail lengths of 11.5 and
8.1 mm. respectively; in these the mouth parts are
incompletely metamorphosed. The single female available
(UMMZ 121399) contains approximately 60 ovarian eggs, the
largest of which are about 2.5 mm. in diameter.

_Referred Specimens.--Chiapas_: 6.2 km. S of Rayón
Mescalapa, KU 58063-74, 58199 (1 tadpole), 58234-8; 5.6 km.
S of Rayón Mescalapa, KU 58062, 58200 (5 tadpoles); 11.4 mi.
N of Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán, UMMZ 121395-9. The
specimens listed last were collected along a stream between
Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán and Rayón Mescalapa, which,
according to Floyd L. Downs, is probably the same stream
listed above as 5.6 km. S of Rayón Mescalapa.

Acknowledgments

I take this opportunity to thank Dale L. Hoyt, Thomas E. Moore, and
John Wellman, who ably assisted in collecting and studying these frogs
in the field. I am indebted to Floyd L. Downs for permission to include
specimens collected by him and John Winklemann. My studies on hylid
frogs are supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant G 9827).

LITERATURE CITED

DUELLMAN, W. E.

1960. Synonymy, variation, and distribution of _Ptychohyla
leonhard-schultzei_ Ahl. Studies of American Hylid
Frogs. IV. Herpetologica, 16:191-197, September 23.

STUART, L. C.

1954. Descriptions of some new amphibians and reptiles from
Guatemala. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 67:159-178,
August 5.

TAYLOR, E. H.

1944. A new genus and species of Mexican hylid frogs. Univ.
Kansas Sci. Bull., 30 (pt. 1):41-45, June 12.

_Transmitted January 23, 1961._

28-6442

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes

Italicized text is shown within _underscores_.

Italicized bold text is shown within ~_tildes and underscores_~.

Page 352: Rejoined last paragraph, originally split by Plate 25.

Page 355: Changed typo "Comaprisons" to "Comparisons."

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