Hyla multifasciata

Number of Pages: 4Integrative BiologyGeological Science

The hidden history of humming frogs

In the depths of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, researchers are battling to identify species before they are lost for good. Dr Rafael O de Sá, Professor of Biology at the University of Richmond, Virginia, USA, specialises in a group known as the ‘narrow-mouthed frogs’ and has already found four species new to science

The Biology of Xenopus by R. C. Tinsley and H. C. Kobel

The Biology of Xenopus presents a summary of current knowledge about a single genus resulting from a symposium held at the Zoological Society of London in September 1992. This approach to summarizing available information has also been taken for other taxa, such as Atelopus (Lotters, 1996). However, the task of compiling data for Xenopus is enormous relative to any other amphibian group, because Xenopus laevis has become a model system for molecular and development research (Cannatella and de Sa, 1993). Unfortunately, most of our knowledge of Xenopus is biased toward this single species. There are about 20 recognized species of Xenopus, most of which have been described in the last two decades. Tinsley and Kobel have assembled contributions from 26 authors into 22 chapters covering a wide range of information. The chapters vary in focus, extent, and depth of the material covered

Unidad de los anfibios modernos como grupo natural

RESUMEN La monofilia de la infraclase Lissamphibia ha sido cuestionada. Algunos autores sugieren un origen independiente del Orden Gymnophiona basados en la condición compacta (= estegocrotafía) del cráneo de la cecilias. La presente revisión indica la irrelevancia del estegocrotafismo para establecer las relaciones filogenéticas del grupo. Los datos disponibles sugieren: 1) el estegocrotafismo es secundariamente derivado en cecilias, y 2) Lissamphibia representa un grupo monofilético. SUMMARY Unity of modern Amphibians as a natural group The monophyly of Lissamphibia has been previously questioned. Some authors suggested an independent origin of Gymnophiona based on the solid condition (= stegokrotaphy) of the caecilian skull. The stegokrotaphic condition is irrelevant in establishing the relationships of the group. The available data suggest: 1) stegokrotaphy is secondarily derived in caecilians, and 2) Lissamphibia represents a monophyletic group

Los anfibios del Monumento Natural Barro Colorado, Parque Nacional Soberania y areas adyacentes

This book focuses on the batrachofauna of Barro Colorado Nature Monument. Soberania National Park and adjacent areas. It complements other recent publications on Neotropical amphibians such as those by Rodriguez and Duellman ( 1994) on Peru, Achaval and Olmos (1995) on Uruguay, and Meyer and Foster (1996) on Belize. The goal of these books is to reach a wider audience than the more technical batrachofaunal summaries-e.g., Frogs of Boracéia (Heyer 1990). Amphibians of Argentina (Cei 1985), and Frogs of the Genus Eleutherodactylus in Western Ecuador (Lynch and Duellman 1997). These geographically focused guides are especially useful to students, amateur biologists, and to the increasingly omnipresent ecotourists roaming the Neotropics. However, they are also valuable tools for beginning biology graduate students who are looking for an “organism” to work on, as well as to the trained herpetologist visiting an area for the first time

\u3cem\u3eHyla albopunctata\u3c/em\u3e

Hyla albopunctata is a medium-sized species in the albopunctata group, adults range in size from 42-52 mm SVL (males average 47 mm and females 49 mm). The head is triangular in outline, always longer than wide. The snout is moderately long and acuminate in dorsal view, whereas in lateral view, it is acuminate and protrudes beyond the mandible to form an angle of 45 degrees over the mandible. The canthus rostralis is rounded and distinct, the loreal region is slightly concave, and the internarial region is slightly convex. The eyes are large, approximately twice the diameter of the tympanum. The tympanum is separated from the eye by a distance approximately one half the diameter of the tympanum

\u3cem\u3eHyla multifasciata\u3c/em\u3e

Hyla multifasciata is a medium to large species in the albopunctata species group, adults ranging in size from 42 - 61 mm SVL (mean male SVL = 48 mm, mean female SVL = 53 mm). The head is longer than wide. The snout is rounded in dorsal view, whereas in lateral view it is rounded and protrudes slightly beyond the mandible. The canthus rostralis is rounded and distinct, the loreal region is concave, and the internarial region is convex. The eyes are large, approximately twice the diameter of the tympanum. The tympanum is separated from the eye by a distance slightly larger than one half the diameter of the tympanum. The supratympanic fold is well-developed. The upper arm is slender; the forearm is slender to slightly robust with a weak dermal fold extending from the elbow to the base of the disc of the 4th finger. The fingers are long, fringed, and have well-developed, round terminal discs. The distal subarticular tubercles are usually large, single, oval, and subconical (distal tubercle of digit 111 is bifid in KU 127808 and KU 127812). The proximal subarticular tubercles are more rounded and smaller. Small, subconical, supernumerary tubercles are present only on the proximal segments of the digits. The palmar tubercle is bifid and slightly developed. The modal webbing formula for the hand is: I -11 2\u27-3.5 111 3 -2.5 IV. The hind limbs are long, slender, and lack a tarsal fold. The proximal subarticular tubercles are smaller than the distal tubercles. Poorly developed supernumerary tubercles are present on the proximal segments of the toes. The modal webbing formula for the foot is: I 2--2+II 1-3- 111 1-3- IV 2\u27-1 V

Leptodactylus cunicularius

Number of Pages: 5Integrative BiologyGeological Science

The tadpole of Pseudis minuta (Anura: Pseudidae), an apparent case of heterochrony

The external morphology, oral disc, and coloration pattern of the larva of Pseudis minuta are described. Tadpoles are mostly bottom dwellers that have a small, terminal oral disc with a labial tooth row formula 1(1-1)/(1-1)2. Internal oral anatomy is characterized using scanning electron microscopy, representing the only description available for the family Pseudidae. The coloration pattern of P. minuta tadpoles is compared with that of other pseudids. Pseudis minuta larvae do not exhibit the ontogenetic coloration change reported for P. paradoxa. Considering larval coloration, larval size, and reports of adult size, acceleration or hypermorphosis are suggested as possible heterochronic mechanisms involved in the evolution of Pseudis

Leptodactylus syphax

Number of Pages: 9Integrative BiologyGeological Science