Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca

BY

WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN AND LINDA TRUEB

CONTENTS

PAGE
[Introduction]285
[Acknowledgments]286
[Materials and Methods]287
[Genus Smilisca Cope, 1865]287
[Key to Adults]288
[Key to Tadpoles]289
[Accounts of Species]289
[Smilisca baudini (Duméril and Bibron)]289
[Smilisca cyanosticta (Smith)]303
[Smilisca phaeota (Cope)]308
[Smilisca puma (Cope)]314
[Smilisca sila New species]318
[Smilisca sordida (Peters)]323
[Analysis of Morphological Characters]330
[Osteology]330
[Descriptive Osteology of Smilisca baudini]331
[Developmental Cranial Osteology of Smilisca baudini]333
[Comparative Osteology]336
[Musculature]341
[Skin]342
[Structure]342
[Comparative Biochemistry of Proteins]343
[External Morphological Characters]343
[Size and Proportions]343
[Shape of Snout]344
[Hands and Feet]344
[Ontogenetic Changes]344
[Coloration]344
[Metachrosis]345
[Chromosomes]345
[Natural History] 345
[Breeding]345
[Time of Breeding]345
[Breeding Sites]346
[Breeding Behavior]346
[Breeding Call]351
[Eggs]356
[Tadpoles]357
[General Structure]357
[Comparison of Species]357
[Growth and Development]361
[Behavior]365
[Phylogenetic Relationships]366
[Interspecific Relationships]366
[Evolutionary History]369
[Summary and Conclusions]371
[Literature Cited]372

INTRODUCTION

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 México 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.