Subfamily Phyllomedusinae Günther, 1859
Phyllomedusidae Günther 1859 [Type genus, Phyllomedusa Wagler, 1830].
Definition.—Moderately small to large hylids having vertical pupils, n=13 (2n=26) chromosomes, skin containing large amounts of powerful bradykinin-like and physalaemin-like polypeptides, eggs suspended from vegetation above water, and tadpoles have a ventral spiracle sinistral to midline.
Range.—Low and moderate elevations in South and Middle America, including Trinidad, from northern Argentina and northwestern Ecuador to Veracruz and southern Sonora, México.
Content.—Three genera, one of which probably is composite.
Genus Agalychnis Cope, 1864.
Agalychnis Cope, 1864 [Type species, Hyla moreletii Duméril, 1853, by subsequent designation].
Definition.—Fingers and toes at least half webbed; terminal discs large; first toe shorter than second and not opposable to others; skin smooth, lacking osteoderms; parotoid glands, if present, poorly developed and diffuse; palpebral membrane reticulate (except in A. calcarifer); iris red or yellow; skull shallow, depth less than 40 per cent of length; nasals large; frontoparietal fontanelle large; quadratojugals reduced; prevomerine teeth present.
Range.—Central Veracruz and northern Oaxaca, México, southeastward through Central America to northwestern Ecuador; one species disjunct in Amazonian Ecuador.
Content.—Eight species [synonyms in brackets]: annae (Duellman, 1963); calcarifer Boulenger, 1902; callidryas (Cope, 1862) [helenae Cope, 1885; callidryas taylori (Funkhouser, 1957)]; craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957); litodryas (Duellman and Trueb, 1967); moreleti (Duméril, 1853) [holochroa (Salvin, 1861)]; saltator Taylor, 1955; spurrelli Boulenger, 1913.
Remarks.—Savage and Heyer (1967) provided evidence that A. callidryas taylori (Funkhouser) and A. helenae Cope were junior synonyms of A. callidryas (Cope).
Genus Pachymedusa, new genus
Type species, Agalychnis dacnicolor Cope, 1864.
Definition.—Fingers and toes having basal webs and lateral fringes; terminal discs large; first toe shorter than second and not opposable to others; skin smooth or shagreened, lacking osteoderms; paratoid glands present, diffuse; palpebral membrane reticulate; iris golden yellow with black reticulations; skull deep, depth more than 50 per cent of length; nasals large; frontoparietal fontanelle moderately large; quadratojugal robust; prevomerine teeth present.
Range.—Pacific slopes and lowlands from southern Sonora to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, México.
Content.—Monotypic: dacnicolor Cope, 1864 [alcorni Taylor, 1952].
Remarks.—The generic name is derived from the Greek pachy meaning thick and the Greek Medousa (Latin, Medusa) in reference to Phyllomedusa; the sense implied is the heavy body of Pachymedusa dacnicolor.
Genus Phyllomedusa Wagler, 1830
Phyllomedusa Wagler, 1830 [Type species, Rana bicolor Boddaert, 1772].
Pithecopus Cope, 1866 [Type species, Phyllomedusa azurea Cope, 1862 (=Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis Daudin, 1803), by original designation].
Hylomantis Peters, 1872 [Type species Hylomantis aspera Peters, 1872, by monotypy].
Phrynomedusa Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923 [Type species, Phrynomedusa fimbriata Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923, by subsequent designation].
Bradymedusa Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 [Type species, Bradymedusa moschada Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 (=Phyllomedusa rohdei Mertens, 1926) by subsequent designation].
Definition.—Fingers and toes having greatly reduced webbing or lacking webs; terminal discs small; first toe shorter than, equal to, or longer than second, opposable or not; skin smooth or rugose having osteoderms or not; parotoid glands present, in most species, usually distinct and elevated; palpebral membrane not reticulate; iris uniformly silvery white to orange-bronze with black reticulations; skull moderate to deep, depth more than 38 per cent of length; nasals moderately small; frontoparietal fontanelle present, variable in size; quadratojugal reduced in some species; prevomerine teeth present or absent.
Range.—Low and moderate elevations in South America east of the Andes from the Caribbean (including Trinidad) to northern Argentina; Costa Rica and Panamá in Central America.
Content.—Thirty-one species [synonyms in brackets]: aspera (Peters, 1872); ayeaye (B. Lutz, 1966); bahiana A. Lutz, 1925; bicolor (Boddaert, 1772) [scleroderma Cope, 1868]; blombergi Funkhouser, 1957; boliviana Boulenger, 1902; buckleyi Boulenger, 1882; burmeisteri burmeisteri Boulenger, 1882; burmeisteri distincta B. Lutz, 1950; centralis Bokermann, 1965; cochranae Bokermann, 1966; coelestis (Cope, 1874); edentula Andersson, 1945; feltoni Shreve, 1935; fimbriata (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923) [appendiculata A. Lutz, 1925]; guttata A. Lutz, 1925; hypochondrialis (Daudin, 1803) [azurea Cope, 1862; megacephala (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926)]; iheringi Boulenger, 1885; lemur Boulenger, 1882; loris Boulenger, 1912; medinae Funkhouser, 1962; nicefori Barbour, 1926; orcesi Funkhouser, 1957; pailona Shreve, 1959; perlata Boulenger, 1882; rohdei Mertens, 1926 [moschada (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926)]; sauvagei Boulenger, 1882 [rickettsii Günther, 1897]; tarsius (Cope, 1868); tomopterna (Cope, 1868) [palliata Peters, 1872]; trinitatis Mertens, 1926, vaillanti Boulenger, 1882, venusta Duellmann and Trueb, 1967.
Remarks.—Phyllomedusa includes 1) a series of large species (bicolor-burmeisteri) showing progressive specialization of the feet; 2) a series of small species having grasping feet (ayeaye, centralis, cochranae, guttata, hypochondrialis, and rohdei); 3) a series of small, relatively unspecialized species (lemur, loris, and medinae); and 4) several other species of questionable affinities. Lutz (1966) resurrected Cope's (1866) Pithecopus for 12 species (ayeaye, boliviana, burmeisteri, coelestis, hypochondrialis, nicefori, rohdei, sauvagei, tarsius, tomopterna, trinitatis, and vaillanti). Adequate material is not available for detailed study of all South American species; consequently, a firm classification cannot be established at this time. Nevertheless, it is obvious that Lutz's arrangement is unnatural. If subsequent investigations show, as seems likely, that the small specialized phyllomedusines are a natural phyletic unit, the generic name Pithecopus is available. However, species such as boliviana, burmeisteri, nicefori, and trinitatis do not belong in Pithecopus. As noted by Funkhouser (1962), the small, relatively unspecialized species (lemur, loris, and medinae) form a natural group; possibly this group should be accorded generic recognition. Until more evidence on the interspecific relationships is acquired, the maintenance of the current classification is desirable.