Microhylid frog

13 p. : ill., map ; 24 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 12-13)."The fauna of New Guinea includes representatives of two subfamilies of microhylid frogs: the Asterophryinae and Sphenophryninae. The monotypic genus Genyophryne was placed in the former group, but evidence developed here indicates a closer affinity with the Sphenophryninae. The partly free tongue and procoelous vertebral column are sphenophrynine characters, and other morphological features are either neutral with respect to assessing relationships or favor the Sphenophryninae. Data on the variation and distribution of G. thomsoni (known only in eastern New Guinea and on the D'Entrecasteaux and Louisiade islands) are presented"--P. [1]

Anuran embryos

21 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 20-21)."Embryos of several species of anurans were exposed from two to 10 hours and at various stages of development to higher temperatures than the maximum that early embryos of the same species can tolerate under continuous exposure. The purposes were to determine (1) the extent of increase in temperature tolerance through ontogeny (2) the period(s) of development when the increase takes place, and (3) the influence of duration of exposure to high temperature on survival. Species studied were a forest-dwelling form adapted to breeding in cold ponds in early spring (Rana sylvatica), a stream and pond dweller of southwestern mountains (Rana sp., pipiens complex), and three species of desert and grassland habitats (Bufo cognatus, Scaphiopus bombifrons, and S. couchii). Embryos studied (and presumably of all anurans) increase their temperature tolerance as they grow. A marked increase takes place early in development, during the first several cleavages. The species of Rana, adapted to cooler conditions, do not attain maximum tolerance until gastrulation is well under way or virtually is complete. At the other extreme, S. couchii achieves more than 90 percent of its total tolerance before gastrulation has commenced. The highest tolerance among species studied is that of Bufo cognatus, whose embryos survive six hours at 40.5 C. when exposed as mid-gastrulae (lethal level was not determined). Species of Scaphiopus do almost as well, whereas limits of the two species of Rana are several degrees lower. Among most species, the maximum temperature tolerated and the duration of exposure are inversely related, but in Bufo cognatus duration of exposure had no obvious effect on maximum tolerance. In its extremely rapid embryonic development, early attainment of maximum tolerance, and high level of tolerance, Scaphiopus couchii is the species best adapted to breeding in warm waters. Although adapted to breeding in cold waters, Rana sylvatica nevertheless undergoes sufficient ontogenetic expansion in tolerance quickly enough to protect developing embryos against all but the most unseasonally warm temperatures occurring in its breeding ponds"--P. [1]

Unisexual lizard

49 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-49)."Cnemidophorus tesselatus is a species of lizard in which males are virtually absent. Hence, reproduction presumably is parthenogenetic. Variation of the species as a whole is similar to that of bisexual forms, but samples of local populations of tesselatus show greatly restricted variation in color pattern and scutellation in comparison to similar samples of the bisexual form C. tigris. Presumably this restriction results from the great reduction in recombination that is a consequence of unisexual reproduction. Five allopatric classes of color pattern are recognized in tesselatus. Populations of a sixth class occur in two widely separated areas, in each of which they are sympatric with another class. Differences in scutellation correlate with differences in color pattern of sympatric populations, indicating that two genetically distinct clonal lines coexist. The most widespread color-pattern class is relatively uniform in scutellation over a wide geographic area, whereas populations with more restricted geographic distributions tend to differ, in some cases markedly, from locality to locality. Differences in scutellation and color pattern among populations of tesselatus are similar to those that distinguish subspecies in bisexual species of Cnemidophorus. However, complications introduced by sympatric clones and discordant variation render the recognition of subspecies impractical in the unisexual species. Retention of all the populations within one species is recommended as best exemplifying their relationships, even though gene exchange between parthenogenetic populations manifestly is impossible"--P. 41

Hylid frogs

21 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 20-21)."Nyctimystes papua has been recorded from a wide area of New Guinea, but evidence developed here suggests that the only specimens that can be referred with confidence to the species are some of those in the syntype series. A lectotype is proposed for N. papua and the papua species group is characterized. Members include N. papua, N. disrupta, N. trachydermis, and N. tyleri, the last two described as new. Attention is called to several samples of papua group populations that are too poorly known for allocation to described species or naming"--P. [1]

Microhylid frog

14 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 13-14)."A new species of frog, Cophixalus kaindiensis, found on Mt. Kaindi, Morobe District, Papua New Guinea, is virtually identical with its sympatric congener C. parkeri in size and proportions. The two taxa differ slightly in color pattern and greatly in mating call. Distributional and diagnostic information is presented on these two species and on two other poorly known species, C. biroi and C. cheesmanae, which are possibly related to the new species"--P. [1]

Variation in the scincid lizard Lipinia noctua and notes on other Lipinia from the New Guinea region. American Museum novitates ; no. 2676

21 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 19-21)."Variation of color pattern and scutellation of Lipinia noctua (Lesson) is described, with emphasis on populations of the New Guinea region. The considerable individual and geographic variation seen in L. noctua and the less extensive, aprtly nonconcordant variation in scutellation are not readily resolved into a pattern of geographic subspecies. Hence, L. noctua is considered to be monotypic species. Lipinia miota (Boulenger) and L. rouxi (Hediger) are referred to the synonymy of L. noctua. Attention is directed to the relative uniformity of color pattern and scutellation of L. noctua over the Pacific Islands, in contrast to the diversity in the much smaller New Guinea region. A key to the five species of Lipinia in New Guinea is included together with notes on distribution and ecology"--P. [1]

Tree frogs

19 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 18-19)

A new species of frog from Australia (Microhylidae, Cophixalus). American Museum novitates ; no. 2614

10 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 10)."Cophixalus saxatilis, described from Black Mountain near Cooktown, Queensland, is the fourth known Australian species of Cophixalus. Among the Australian species it is most similar to C. ornatus, whereas in New Guinea there are at least six species similar in size and proportions to C. saxatilis"--P. [1]

Microhylid frog

14 p. : ill., map ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 13-14)."Discovery of an undescribed, ground-dwellingspecies of the largely scansorial genus Cophixalus led to the re-evaluation of the monotypic genus Aphantophryne to see if this genus, presently synonymized within Cophixalus, should be revived to accommodate its terrestrial type species, C. pansus, and the new form. The two species share some presumably derived features, but these are ones common to many microhylid species of similar ground-dwelling habits and do not necessarily indicate closeness of relationship. Evaluation of previously unstudied features of the anatomy of C. pansus does not support revival Aphantophryne either as a monotypic genus or to include the new species. The latter is described as Cophixalus sphagnicola, new species"--P. [1]

Microhylid frogs

8 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 8)