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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/38398-8.txt b/38398-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2597f12 --- /dev/null +++ b/38398-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2998 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests +of Southern El Peten, Guatemala, by William E. Duellman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala + +Author: William E. Duellman + +Release Date: December 24, 2011 [EBook #38398] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + ================================= + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS + MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Volume 15, No. 5, pp. 205-249, pls. 7-10, 6 figs. + + -------------- October 4, 1963 -------------- + + Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests + of Southern El Petén, Guatemala + + BY + WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + LAWRENCE + 1963 + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch, + Theodore H. Eaton, Jr. + + Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 205-249, pls. 7-10, 6 figs. + Published October 4, 1963 + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + Lawrence, Kansas + + PRINTED BY + JEAN M. NEIBARGER, STATE PRINTER + TOPEKA, KANSAS + 1963 + + [Illustration: Printer's Logo] + + 29-5935 + + + + + Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Petén, + Guatemala + + BY + + WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + INTRODUCTION 207 + Acknowledgments 208 + + DESCRIPTION OF AREA 208 + Physiography 209 + Climate 209 + Vegetation 209 + + GAZETTEER 210 + + THE HERPETOFAUNA OF THE RAINFOREST 211 + Composition of the Fauna 212 + Ecology of the Herpetofauna 212 + Relationships of the Fauna 217 + + ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES 218 + + HYPOTHETICAL LIST OF SPECIES 246 + + SUMMARY 247 + + LITERATURE CITED 247 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Early in 1960 an unusual opportunity arose to carry on biological field +work in the midst of virgin rainforest in southern El Petén, Guatemala. +At that time the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala had an air strip and camp +at Chinajá, from which place the company was constructing a road +northward through the forest. In mid-February, 1960, J. Knox Jones, Jr. +and I flew into El Petén to collect and study mammals, reptiles, and +amphibians. While enjoying the comforts of the fine field camp at +Chinajá, we worked in the surrounding forest and availed ourselves of +the opportunity to be on hand when the road crews were cutting the tall +trees in the forest, thereby bringing to the ground many interesting +specimens of the arboreal fauna. We stayed at Chinajá until late March, +with the exception of a week spent at Toocog, another camp of the Ohio +Oil Company located 15 kilometers southeast of La Libertad and on the +edge of the savanna. Thus, at Toocog we were able to work both in the +forest and on the savanna. In the summer of 1960, John Wellman +accompanied me to El Petén for two weeks in June and July. Most of our +time was spent at Chinajá, but a few days were spent at Toocog and other +localities in south-central El Petén. + +Many areas in Guatemala have been studied intensively by L. C. Stuart, +who has published on the herpetofauna of the forested area of +northeastern El Petén (1958), the savannas of central El Petén (1935), +and the humid mountainous region to the south of El Petén in Alta +Verapaz (1948 and 1950). The area studied by me and my companions is +covered with rainforest and lies to the north of the highlands of Alta +Verapaz and to the south of the savannas of central El Petén. A few +specimens of amphibians and reptiles were obtained in this area in 1935 +by C. L. Hubbs and Henry van der Schalie; this collection, reported on +by Stuart (1937), contained only one species, _Cochranella +fleischmanni_, not present in our collection of 77 species and 617 +specimens. + + +Acknowledgments + +I am grateful to L. C. Stuart of the University of Michigan, who made +the initial arrangements for our work in El Petén, aided me in the +identification of certain specimens, and helped in the preparation of +this report. J. Knox Jones, Jr. and John Wellman were able field +companions, who added greatly to the number of specimens in the +collection. In Guatemala, Clark M. Shimeall and Harold Hoopman of the +Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala made available to us the facilities of the +company's camps at Chinajá and Toocog. Alberto Alcain and Luis Escaler +welcomed us at Chinajá and gave us every possible assistance. Juan +Monteras and Antonio Aldaña made our stay at Toocog enjoyable and +profitable. During our visits to southern El Petén, Julio Bolón C. +worked for us as a collector, and between March and June he collected +and saved many valuable specimens; his knowledge of the forest and its +inhabitants was a great asset to our work. Jorge A. Ibarra, Director of +the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural in Guatemala assisted us in +obtaining necessary permits and extended other kindnesses. To all of +these people I am indebted for the essential parts that they played in +the completion of this study. + +Field work in the winter of 1960 was made possible by funds from the +American Heart Association for the purposes of collecting mammalian +hearts. My field work in the summer of 1960 was supported by a grant +from the Graduate Research Fund of the University of Kansas. + + + + +DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA + + +A vast lowland region stretches northward for approximately 700 +kilometers from the highlands of Guatemala to the Gulf of Mexico. The +northern two-thirds of this low plain is bordered on three sides by seas +and forms the Yucatán Peninsula. The lowlands at the base of the +Yucatán Peninsula make up the Departamento El Petén of Guatemala. The +area with which this report is concerned consists of the south-central +part of El Petén. + + +Physiography + +Immediately south of Chinajá is a range of hills, the Serrania de +Chinajá, having an almost due east-west axis and a crest of about 600 +meters above sea level. South of the Serrania de Chinajá are +succeedingly higher ridges building up to the Meseta de Cobán and Sierra +de Pocolha and eventually to the main Guatemalan highlands. The northern +face of the Serrania de Chinajá is a fault scarp dropping abruptly from +about 650 meters at the crest to about 140 meters at the base. From the +base of the Serrania de Chinajá northward to the Río de la Pasión at +Sayaxché the terrain is gently rolling and has a total relief of about +50 meters. North of the Río de la Pasión is a low dome reaching an +elevation of 170 meters at La Libertad; see Stuart (1935:12) for further +discussion of the physiography of central El Petén. The rocks in +southern El Petén are predominately Miocene marine limestones; there are +occasional pockets of Pliocene deposits. There is little evidence of +subterranean solution at Chinajá, but northward in central El Petén +karsting is common. The upper few inches of soil is humus rich in +organic matter; below this is clay. + + +Climate + +The climate of El Petén is tropical with equable temperatures throughout +the year. Temperatures at Chinajá varied between a night-time low of 65° +F. and a daytime high of 91° F. during the time of our visits. In the +Köppen system of classification the climate at Chinajá and Toocog is Af. +Rain falls throughout the year, but there is a noticeable dry season. To +anyone who has traveled from south to north in El Petén and the Yucatán +Peninsula, it is obvious from the changes in vegetation that there is a +decrease in rainfall from south to north. There is a noticeable +difference between Chinajá and Toocog. Although rainfall data are not +available for Chinajá and Toocog, there are records for nearby stations +(Sapper, 1932). At Paso Caballos on the Río San Pedro about 40 +kilometers northwest of Toocog the average annual rainfall amounts to +1620 mm.; the driest month is March (21 mm.), and the wettest months are +June (269 mm.) and September (265 mm.). At Cubilquitz, Alta Verapaz, +about 35 kilometers south-southwest of Chinajá and at an elevation of +300 meters, the average annual rainfall is 4006 mm.; the driest month is +March (128 mm.), and the wettest months are July (488 mm.) and October +(634 mm.). + +During the 18 days in February and March, 1960, that we kept records on +the weather at Chinajá moderate to heavy showers occurred on seven days. +During our stay there in June and July rain fell every day, as it did in +Toocog. However, during the week spent at Toocog in March no rain fell. + + +Vegetation + +The vegetation of northern and central El Petén has been studied by +Lundell (1937), who made only passing remarks concerning the plants of +the southern part of El Petén. No floristic studies have been made +there. The following remarks are necessarily brief and are intended +only to give the reader a general picture of the forest. I have included +names of a few of the commoner trees that I recognized. + +Chinajá is located in a vast expanse of unbroken rainforest. In this +forest there is a noticeable stratification of the vegetation. Three +strata are apparent; in the uppermost layer the tops of the trees are +from 40 to 50 meters above the ground. The spreading crowns of the trees +and the interlacing vines form a nearly continuous canopy over the lower +layers. Among the common trees in the upper stratum are _Calophyllum +brasiliense_, _Castilla elastica_, _Cedrela mexicana_, _Ceiba +pentandra_, _Didalium guianense_, _Ficus_ sp., _Sideroxylon lundelli_, +_Swietenia macrophylla_, and _Vitex_ sp. (Pl. 1, fig. 1). The middle +layer of trees have crowns about 25 meters above the ground; these trees +in some places where the upper canopy is missing form the tallest trees +in the forest. This is especially true on steep hillsides. Common trees +in the middle layer include _Achras zapote_, _Bombax ellipticum_, +_Cecropia mexicana_, _Orbignya cohune_, and _Sabal_ sp. The lowermost +layer reaches a height of about 10 meters; in many places in the forest +this layer is absent. Common trees in the lower stratum include +_Crysophila argentea_, _Cymbopetalum penduliflorum_, _Casearia_ sp., and +_Hasseltia dioica_. + +The ground cover is sparce; apparently only a few small herbs and ferns +live on the heavily shaded forest floor. Important herpetological +habitats include the leaf litter, rotting stumps, and rotting tree +trunks on the forest floor and the buttresses of many of the gigantic +trees, especially _Ceiba pentandra_ (Pl. 2). Epiphytes, especially +various kinds of bromeliads, are common. Most frequently these are in +the trees in the upper and middle strata. + +At Toocog there is sharp break between savanna and forest (Pl. 7, fig. +2). The forest is noticeably drier and more open than at Chinajá (Pl. +9). The crowns of the trees are lower, and there is no nearly continuous +canopy between 40 and 50 meters above the ground. Although _Swietenia +macrophylla_ and other large trees occur, they are less common than at +Chinajá. Especially common at Toocog are _Achras zapote_, _Brosimum +alicastrum_, and various species of _Ficus_. + + + + +GAZETTEER + + +The localities from which specimens were obtained are cited below and +shown on the accompanying map (Fig. 1). + +[Illustration: FIG. 1. Map of El Petén, Guatemala, showing localities +mentioned in text.] + + Chinajá.--Lat. 16° 02´, long. 90° 13´, elev. 140 m. Camp of + the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala and formerly a small + settlement. On some maps Chinajá is located just to the north + of the Alta Verapaz--El Petén boundary; recent surveys place + the location just to the south of the imaginary line through + the rainforest. Field work was conducted in the immediate + vicinity of the camp, on the lower slopes of the Serrania de + Chinajá, and at several sites to the northwest and + north-northwest of Chinajá, where the forest was being + cleared. The entire area supports rainforest. + + La Libertad.--Lat. 16° 47´, long. 90° 07´, elev., 170 m. A + town on the savannas in central El Petén; although we + collected there in the rainy season, the specimens obtained on + the savannas are not included in this report. + + Paso Subín.--Lat. 16° 38´, long. 90° 12´, elev. 90 m. A small + settlement on the Río Subín, a tributary of the Río de la + Pasión. Specimens were obtained in rainforest in the immediate + vicinity of the settlement. + + Río de la Pasión.--A large river flowing northward through + southern El Petén and thence westward into the Río Usumacinta. + Specimens were obtained along the river between the Río Subín + and Sayaxché. + + Río San Román.--A river flowing northward in south-central El + Petén to the Río Salinas (Usumacinta). We collected along the + river at a place about 16 kilometers north-northwest of + Chinajá, approximately at Lat. 16° 10´, long. 90° 17´, elev. + 110 m. In the dry season the river was clear; it is surrounded + by rainforest. + + Sayaxché.--Lat. 16° 31´, long. 90° 09´, elev. 80 m. A town on + the southern bank of the Río de la Pasión. Specimens were + obtained in the rainforest and in cleared areas in the + immediate vicinity of the town. + + Toocog (formerly Sojío).--Lat. 16° 41´, long. 90° 02´, elev. + 140 m. A camp of the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala located at + the rainforest-savanna edge, 15 kilometers southeast of La + Libertad. Although we collected on the savannas as well as in + the forest, especially to the east of the camp, only species + obtained in the forest are considered in this report. + + + + +THE HERPETOFAUNA OF THE RAINFOREST + + +In presenting an account of the herpetofauna of southern El Petén three +items need to be considered: (1) The composition of the fauna; (2) the +ecology of the fauna; (3) the relationships of the fauna. Each of these +topics is discussed briefly below. Logically a discussion of the origin +of the fauna should follow, but this is being withheld for inclusion in +a report on the herpetofauna of the entire El Petén by L. C. Stuart and +the author; at that time the above topics will be expanded to cover the +herpetofauna of the whole region. + + +Composition of the Fauna + +TABLE 1.--COMPOSITION OF THE HERPETOFAUNA IN SOUTHERN EL PETÉN, +GUATEMALA. + + =============+============+============+============ + Group | Families | Genera | Species + -------------+------------+------------+------------ + Gymnophiona | (1)[A] | (1) | (1) + Caudata | 1 | 1 | 2 + Salientia | 6 | 10 (1) | 19 (1) + Crocodilia | 1 | 1 | 1 + Testudines | 4 | 7 | 8 + Sauria | 6 | 13 (1) | 19 (1) + Serpentes | 4 | 21 (7) | 29 (10) + +------------+------------+------------ + Total | 22 (1) | 53 (10) | 78 (13) + -------------+------------+------------+------------ + +[Footnote A: Numbers in parenthesis indicate the number of additional +taxa that probably occur.] + + +A total of 78 species of amphibians and reptiles has been found in the +rainforests in southern El Petén; a break down into families and genera +is given in table 1. Another 13 species probably occur in southern El +Petén (see Hypothetical List of Species). The fauna primarily is +composed of typical humid lowland forest inhabitants, such as: + + _Hyla ebraccata_ + _Hyla loquax_ + _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_ + _Smilisca phaeota cyanosticta_ + _Anolis biporcatus_ + _Anolis capito_ + _Anolis humilis uniformis_ + _Eumeces sumichrasti_ + _Ameiva festiva edwardsi_ + _Imantodes cenchoa leucomelas_ + _Leptophis ahaetulla praestans_ + _Xenodon rabdocephalus mexicanus_ + _Bothrops nasutus_ + _Bothrops schlegeli schlegeli_ + +Nevertheless, the region also provides at least a limited amount of +habitat suitable for some species that are more frequently found in open +forest of a drier nature; such species include: + + _Hyla microcephala martini_ + _Hyla staufferi_ + _Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus_ + _Anolis sericeus sericeus_ + _Eumeces schwartzei_ + _Oxybelis aeneus aeneus_ + +Because of the absence of sufficiently open habitat or owing to the +presence of competitors, some conspicuous members of sub-humid forests +are not present in southern El Petén. Conspicuous absentees are the +following: + + _Rhinophrynus dorsalis_ + _Phrynohyas spilomma_ + _Triprion petasatus_ + _Anolis tropidonotus_ + _Ctenosaura similis_ + _Ameiva undulata_ + _Cnemidophorus angusticeps_ + _Conophis lineatus_ + _Masticophis mentovarius mentovarius_ + +PLATE 7 + +[Illustration: FIG. 1. Edge of rainforest along airstrip at Chinajá, El +Petén, Guatemala.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2. Rainforest at edge of savanna at Toocog, El +Petén, Guatemala.] + +PLATE 8 + +[Illustration: Interior of rainforest at Chinajá. Notice size of +buttresses on large tree (_Ceiba pentandra_).] + +PLATE 9 + +[Illustration: Interior of rainforest at Toocog. Notice less dense +vegetation as compared with Pl. 8.] + +PLATE 10 + +[Illustration: FIG. 1. Rainforest along Río San Román, 16 kilometers +north-northwest of Chinajá.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2. Rain pond in forest at Toocog. This was a +breeding site for six species of frogs.] + + +Ecology of the Herpetofauna + +Our two visits to Chinajá and Toocog afforded the opportunity to gather +data on the ecology of the rainforests of southern El Petén and to study +the relationships between the environment and members of the +herpetofauna. Tropical rainforests present the optimum conditions +for life, and it is in this environment that life reaches its greatest +diversity. Here, too, biological inter-relationships are most complex. +This complexity is illustrated by the presence of many species of some +genera, all of which are found together in the same geographic region. +In the rainforests of southern El Petén there are six species of +_Anolis_, five of _Hyla_, four of _Bothrops_, and three of +_Coniophanes_. Obviously, the diversity of ecological niches in the +rainforest is sufficient to support a variety of related species. Of the +examples mentioned above, fairly adequate ecological data were obtained +for most of the species of _Anolis_, which will be used to show the +ecological diversity and vertical stratification of sympatric species in +the rainforests. + +Of the six species of _Anolis_, all except _A. sericeus_ are typically +found in humid forests. _Anolis sericeus sericeus_ is poorly represented +in the collections from southern El Petén, where it may be in +competition with _Anolis limifrons rodriguezi_ that resembles _Anolis s. +sericeus_ in size, coloration, and habits. Therefore, _Anolis sericeus +sericeus_ is excluded from the following discussion. The common +terrestrial species is _Anolis humilis uniformis_; sometimes this small +species perches or suns on the bases of small trees or buttresses of +some large trees. When disturbed it takes to the ground and seeks cover +in the leaf litter or beneath logs or palm fronds. _Anolis lemurinus +bourgeaei_ is about twice the size of _Anolis humilis uniformis_ and is +usually observed on buttresses of large trees or on the lower two meters +of tree trunks. Individuals were seen foraging on the ground along with +_Anolis humilis uniformis_. At no time were _Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei_ +observed to ascend the trunks of large trees; they always took refuge +near the bases of trees. _Anolis limifrons rodriguezi_ is found on the +stems and branches of bushes. It is a small species that sometimes is +observed on the ground but was never seen ascending large trees. _Anolis +capito_ is about the same size as _Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei_ and lives +on the trunks of large trees. In the tops of the trees lives a large +green species, _Anolis biporcatus_. + +Similar segregation habitatwise can be demonstrated for other members of +the herpetofauna. The avoidance of interspecific competition in feeding +is well illustrated by three species of snakes that probably are the +primary ophidian predators on frogs. _Drymobius margaritiferus +margaritiferus_ is diurnal and terrestrial; it feeds on frogs at the +edges of breeding ponds by day. Also during the day _Leptophis mexicanus +mexicanus_ feeds on frogs in bushes and trees. At night the activities +of both of these species is replaced by those of _Leptodeira +septentrionalis polysticta_, which not only feeds on the frogs in the +trees and bushes, but descends to the ground and even enters the water +in search of food. + +From the examples discussed above, the importance of the three +dimensional aspect of the rainforest is apparent. The presence of a +large and diverse habitat above the ground is of great significance in +the rainforest, for of the non-aquatic components of the herpetofauna in +the rainforests of southern El Petén, 42 per cent of the species spend +at least part of their lives in the bushes and trees. Another important +part of the forest is the subterranean level--the rich mulch, +underground tunnels, and rotting subterranean vegetation. Of the 78 +species of amphibians and reptiles in southern El Petén, seven are +primarily fossorial, and half-a-dozen others are secondarily fossorial. +Probably the fossorial members of the fauna are the least well +represented in the collection, for such widespread species as _Dermophis +mexicanus mexicanus_, _Rhadinaea decorata decorata_ and _Tantilla +schistosa schistosa_ were expected, but not found. + +In the following discussion of the ecological distribution of amphibians +and reptiles in the rainforest I have depended chiefly on my +observations made in southern El Petén, but have taken into +consideration observations made on the same species in other regions, +together with reports from other workers. The reader should keep in mind +that the evidence varies from species to species. Of some species I have +observed only one animal in the field; of others, I have seen scores and +sometimes hundreds of individuals. For species on which I have few +observations or rather inconclusive evidence, the circumstance of +inadequate data is mentioned. + +In analyzing the ecological distribution within the forest, it is +convenient to recognize five subdivisions (habitats); each is treated +below as a unit. + +1. AQUATIC.--This habitat includes permanent streams and rivers (Pl. 10, +fig. 1), some of which are clear and others muddy. In the rainy season +temporary ponds form in depressions on the forest floor (Pl. 10, fig. +2); these are important as breeding sites for many species of +amphibians. Aquatic members of the herpetofauna are here considered to +be those species that either spend the greatest part of their lives in +the water or usually retreat to water for shelter. Seven species of +turtles and one crocodilian are aquatic. Of these, _Dermatemys mawi_, +_Staurotypus triporcatus_, and _Pseudemys scripta ornata_ inhabit clear +water, whereas _Chelydra rossignoni_, _Claudius angustatus_, +_Kinosternon acutum_, and _K. leucostomum_ inhabit muddy water. +_Crocodylus moreleti_ apparently inhabits both clear and muddy water, +for in the dry season it lives along the clear rivers, but in the rainy +season inhabits flooded areas in the forest as well. + +2. AQUATIC MARGIN.--Extensive marshes were lacking in the part of +southern El Petén that I visited; consequently, the aquatic margin +habitat is there limited to the edges of rivers and borders of temporary +ponds. _Bufo marinus_, _Rana palmipes_, and _Rana pipiens_ are +characteristic inhabitants of the aquatic margin, although in the rainy +reason _Bufo marinus_ often is found away from water. Observations +indicate that _Tretanorhinus nigroluteus lateralis_ inhabits the margins +of ponds and streams and actually spends considerable time in the water. +Although _Iguana iguana rhinolopha_ is arboreal, it lives in trees along +rivers, into which it plunges upon being disturbed. Species included in +this category are those that customarily spend most of their lives at +the edge of permanent water. Frogs and toads that migrate to the water +for breeding and the snakes that prey on the frogs at that time are not +assigned to the aquatic-margin habitat. + +3. FOSSORIAL.--Characteristic inhabitants of the mulch on the forest +floor are _Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri_, _Lepidophyma flavimaculatum +flavimaculatum_, _Scincella cherriei cherriei_, _Ninia sebae sebae_, +_Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis_, and _Micrurus affinis apiatus_. Other +species of snakes that spend most of their lives above ground often +forage in the mulch layer; among these are _Coniophanes bipunctatus +biserialis_, _Coniophanes fissidens fissidens_, _Coniophanes imperialis +clavatus_, _Lampropeltis doliata polyzona_, and _Stenorrhina +degenhardti_. Among the amphibians, at least _Hypopachus cuneus +nigroreticulatus_, _Eleutherodactylus rostralis_, and _Syrrhophus +leprus_ are known to seek shelter in the mulch. + +4. TERRESTRIAL.--One turtle, _Geoemyda areolata_, is primarily +terrestrial. Among the lizards, conspicuous terrestrial species are +_Anolis humilis uniformis_ and _Ameiva festiva edwardsi_; _Anolis +lemurinus bourgeaei_ and _Basiliscus vittatus_ spend part of their lives +on the ground, but also live on trees and in bushes. _Eumeces +schwartzei_ and _E. sumichrasti_ apparently are terrestrial. The only +terrestrial lizard that is nocturnal is _Coleonyx elegans elegans_, +which by day hides in the leaf litter or below ground. Nocturnal +amphibians that are terrestrial include _Bufo marinus_, _Bufo valliceps +valliceps_, _Eleutherodactylus rugulosus rugulosus_, _Syrrhophus +leprus_, and _Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus_. A large number of +active diurnal snakes are terrestrial; these include _Boa constrictor +imperator_, _Clelia clelia clelia_, _Dryadophis melanolomus laevis_, +_Drymarchon corais melanurus_, _Drymobius margaritiferus +margaritiferus_, _Pseustes poecilonotus poecilonotus_, and _Spilotes +pullatus mexicanus_. Nocturnal terrestrial snakes include three kinds of +_Bothrops_ (_B. atrox asper_, _B. nasutus_, and _B. nummifer nummifer_), +all of which seem to be equally active by day. + +5. ARBOREAL.--In this habitat the third dimension (height) of +the rainforest probably is the most complex insofar as the +inter-relationships of species and ecological niches are concerned. I +have attempted to categorize species as to microhabitats within the +arboreal habitat; in so doing, I recognize four subdivisions--bushes, +tree trunks, tree tops, and epiphytes. + +Bush inhabitants include several species of lizards and snakes, all of +which have rather elongate, slender bodies, and long tails. Common +bush-inhabitants in southern El Petén are _Anolis limifrons rodriguezi_, +_Basiliscus vittatus_, _Laemanctus deborrei_, _Leptophis mexicanus +mexicanus_, and _Oxybelis aeneus aeneus_. All of these are diurnal, and +all but _Laemanctus_ have been observed sleeping on bushes at night. + +Tree-trunk inhabitants include five species of lizards. _Thecadactylus +rapicaudus_ lives on the trunks of large trees; _Sphaerodactylus +lineolatus_ lives beneath the bark on dead trees and on corozo palms. +_Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei_ lives on the bases and buttresses of large +trees, from which it often descends to the ground. _Corythophanes +cristatus_ and _Anolis capito_ were found only on tree trunks and large +vines. + +The least information is available for the species living in the tree +tops. The following species were obtained from tops of trees when they +were felled, or have been observed living in the tree tops: _Anolis +biporcatus_, _Iguana iguana rhinolopha_, _Celestus rozellae_, +_Leptodeira septentrionalis polysticta_, _Leptophis ahaetulla +praestans_, _Sibon dimidiata dimidiata_, and _Sibon nebulata nebulata_. + +Epiphytes, especially the bromeliads, provide refuge for a variety of +tree frogs and small snakes. Of the tree frogs, _Hyla picta_, _Hyla +staufferi_, _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_, _Similisca baudini_, and +_Similisca phaeota cyanosticta_ have been found in bromeliads; other +species probably occur there. Among the snakes, _Imantodes cenchoa +leucomelas_, _Leptodeira frenata malleisi_, _Leptodeira septentrionalis +polysticta_, _Sibon dimidiata dimidiata_, and _Sibon nebulata nebulata_ +are frequent inhabitants of bromeliads; all of these snakes are +nocturnal. + + +Relationships of the Fauna + +Most of the 78 species of amphibians and reptiles definitely known from +the rainforest in southern El Petén have extensive ranges in the +Atlantic lowlands of southern México and Central America; many extend +into South America. Sixty-two (80%) of the species belong to this group +having extensive ranges in Middle America. Three species (_Syrrhophus +leprus_, _Leptodeira frenata_, and _Kinosternon acutum_) are at the +southern limits of their distributions in southern El Petén and northern +Alta Verapaz, whereas _Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ and _Thecadactylus +rapicaudus_ are at the northern and western limits of their +distributions in El Petén. Nine (11%) species have the center of their +distributions in El Petén and the Yucatán Peninsula; representatives of +this group include _Claudius angustatus_, _Dermatemys mawi_, _Laemanctus +deborrei_, and _Eumeces schwartzei_. + +In determining a measure of faunal resemblance, I have departed from the +formulae discussed by Simpson (1960) and have analyzed the degree of +resemblance by the following formula used to calculate an index of +faunal relationships: + + C (2) / (N_{1} + N_{2}) = R, where + + C = species common to both faunas. + + N_{1} = number of species in the first fauna. + + N_{2} = number of species in the second fauna. + + R = degree of relationships (when R = 1.00, the faunas are + identical; when R = 0, the faunas are completely different). + +The herpetofauna of southern El Petén has been compared with that in the +Tikal-Uaxactún area (Stuart, 1958), that in the humid lowlands of Alta +Verapaz (Stuart, 1950, plus additional data), and that in the Mexican +state of Yucatán (Smith and Taylor, 1945, 1948, and 1950). The +herpetofaunas of lowland Alta Verapaz and Yucatán are the largest, +having respectively 94 and 91 species, where as there are 78 species +known from southern El Petén and 64 from the Tikal-Uaxactún area. An +analysis of faunal relationships (Table 2) shows that the faunas of the +rainforests of southern El Petén and lowland Alta Verapaz are closely +related. The relationships between these two areas and the +Tikal-Uaxactún area in northern El Petén is notably less. Apparently +the biggest faunal changes take place between southern El Petén and the +Tikal-Uaxactún area, and between the latter and Yucatán. As stated by +Stuart (1958:7) the Tikal-Uaxactún is transitional between the humid +rainforests to the south and the dry outer end of the Yucatán Peninsula. +The transitional nature of the environment is exemplified by a rather +depauperate herpetofauna consisting of some species of both dry and +humid environments and lacking a large fauna typical of either. +Contrariwise, the continuity of the environment from southern El Petén +to the lowlands of Alta Verapaz is reflected in degree of resemblance of +the herpetofaunas. + +TABLE 2.--INDEX OF FAUNAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOUTHERN EL PETÉN AND +OTHER REGIONS. + + ======================+==========+==========+==========+========== + | Lowland | Southern | Tikal- | + | Alta | El | Uaxactún | Yucatán + | Verapaz | Petén | Area | + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Lowland Alta Verapaz | | .85 | .61 | .43 + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Southern El Petén | .85 | | .64 | .41 + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Tikal-Uaxactún Area | .61 | .64 | | .63 + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Yucatán | .43 | .41 | .63 | + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + +Most of the species of amphibians and reptiles found in southern El +Petén are found in humid tropical forests from the Isthmus of +Tehuantepec southeastward on the Atlantic lowlands well into Central +America. + + + + +ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES + + +In the following pages various aspects of the occurrence, life +histories, ecology, and variation of the species of amphibians and +reptiles known from southern El Petén are discussed. Only _Cochranella +fleischmanni_ reported by Stuart (1937) from Río Subín at Santa Teresa +was not collected by us and is excluded. Because more worthwhile +information was gathered for some species than others, the length and +completeness of the accounts vary. All specimens listed are in the +Museum of Natural History at the University of Kansas, to which +institution all catalog numbers refer. Preceding the discussion of each +species is an alphabetical list of localities from which specimens were +obtained; numbers after a locality indicate the number of specimens +obtained at each locality. + + +=Bolitoglossa dofleini= (Werner) + + Chinajá, 1. + +An adult female having minute ovarian eggs has a snout-vent length of 81 +mm., a tail length of 59 mm., 13 costal grooves, two intercostal spaces +between adpressed toes, 38-35 vomerine teeth in irregular rows forming a +broad arch from a point posterolaterad to the internal nares to a point +near the anterior edge of the parasphenoid teeth, and 43-44 +maxilliary-premaxillary teeth. In life the dorsum was rusty brown with +irregular black and orange spots and streaks. The flanks were bluish +gray with black in the costal grooves and creamy tan flecks along the +ventral edge of the flank. The belly and underside of the tail were +yellowish tan with dark brown spots laterally. The limbs were orange +proximally and black distally; the pads of the feet were bluish black. +The dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tail were yellowish orange with +black spots. The iris was grayish yellow. + +Stuart (1943:17) reported this species from Finca Volcán, Alta Verapaz. +He diagnosed his specimens as having 13 costal grooves and two or three +intercostal spaces between adpressed toes. He stated that the vomerine +teeth were about 12 in number and that in life the dorsum was mottled +gray and black, the sides gray and brown, and the undersurfaces +uniformly dark gray. These specimens differ noticeably from the +individual from Chinajá in the number of vomerine teeth and in +coloration. + +In August, 1961, I obtained a specimen of _Bolitoglossa dofleini_ at +Finca Los Alpes, Alta Verapaz, approximately 13 kilometers airline +south-southwest of Finca Volcán and at approximately the same elevation. +Although the salamander was dead when found, it obviously was more +heavily pigmented than the individual from Chinajá. The belly was bluish +gray with black spots laterally; the dorsum was dull brownish gray with +some brownish red streaks. The specimen is a female having small ovarian +eggs, a snout-vent length of 90 mm., 13 costal grooves, and two +intercostal spaces between adpressed limbs. There are 28-29 vomerine +teeth, more than twice as many as in specimens from Finca Volcán +(Stuart, 1943:17), but noticeably fewer than in the specimen from +Chinajá. + +The presence of this species at Chinajá lends support to the idea that +the specimen from the Río de la Pasión listed by Brocchi (1882:116) +also is _Bolitoglossa dofleini_. Furthermore, the confirmed presence of +this species in the lowlands of El Petén suggests that there may be +genetic connection between _B. dofleini_ in the Alta Verapaz and _B. +yucatana_ in the Yucatán Peninsula. _Bolitoglossa yucatana_ differs from +_B. dofleini_ in having five intercostal spaces between adpressed toes +and in having a different color pattern. Both are robust species having +no close relationships to other species of _Bolitoglossa_ in northern +Central America. + +The specimen from Chinajá was found in water in the axil of a large +elephant-ear plant (_Xanthosoma_) by day in March. Its stomach contained +fragments of beetles and a large roach. The natives did not know +salamanders and had no name for them. + + +=Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri= (Brocchi) + + Chinajá, 2; Río San Román, 1. + +One specimen is a female having a snout-vent length of 80 mm., a tail +length of 82 mm., and a total length of 162 mm. It contains 63 large +eggs, the largest of which has a diameter of about three millimeters. +This specimen has 13 costal grooves, four intercostal spaces between +adpressed toes, and 12-13 vomerine teeth. A juvenile having a snout-vent +length of 39 mm. and a tail length of 33 mm. has 12 costal grooves, +three intercostal spaces between adpressed toes, and 8-8 vomerine teeth. +In life these salamanders were uniformly dull brownish black above with +a dull creamy yellow irregular dorsal stripe beginning on the occiput +and continuing onto the tail. There are no yellow or orange streaks or +flecks on the head or limbs. The specimen from the Río San Román was +taken from the stomach of a _Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis_ and has not +been studied in detail, because of its poor condition. + +The present specimens show no tendency for the development of a broad +irregular dorsal band that encloses black spots or forms irregular +dorsolateral stripes, as is characteristic of _B. moreleti mexicanus_, a +subspecies that has been reported from La Libertad (Stuart, 1935:35) and +Piedras Negras (Taylor and Smith, 1945:545) in El Petén, and from +Xunantunich, British Honduras (Neill and Allen, 1959:20). + +Schmidt (1936:151) and Stuart (1943:13) found _B. moreleti mulleri_ in +bromeliads at Finca Samac, Alta Verapaz. Taylor and Smith's (1945:545) +and Neill and Allen's (1959:20) specimens of _B. moreleti mexicanus_ +were obtained from bromeliads, but Neill and Allen (_loc. cit._) stated +that the natives in British Honduras said that they had found +salamanders beneath rubbish on the forest floor. My specimens were +obtained from beneath logs on the forest floor in the rainy season. +Possibly in drier environments the species characteristically inhabits +bromeliads, at least in the dry season. + + +=Bufo marinus= (Linnaeus) + + Chinajá, 3; 10 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 11 km. NNW of Chinajá, + 1. + +During both visits to Chinajá this large toad was breeding in a small +permanent pond in the camp. During the day the toads took refuge in +crevices beneath the buildings or beneath large boulders by the pond. At +dusk from four to ten males congregated at the pond and called. Tadpoles +of this species were in the pond in March and in July. One juvenile was +found beneath a rock in the forest, and another was on the forest floor +by day. + +The natives' name for this species and the following one is _sapo_. + + +=Bufo valliceps valliceps= Wiegmann + + Chinajá, 52; Río San Román, 8; Sayaxché, 2; Toocog, 1. + +This is one of the most abundant, or at least conspicuous, amphibians +inhabiting the forest. Breeding congregations were found on February 24, +March 2, March 11, and June 27. At these times the toads were +congregated at temporary ponds in the forest or along small sluggish +streams. Throughout the duration of both visits to Chinajá individual +males called almost nightly at the permanent pond at the camp. + +The variation in snout-vent length of 20 males selected at random is +56.7 to 72.5 mm. (average, 64.8 mm.). Two adult females have snout-vent +lengths of 80.4 and 87.6 mm. In all specimens the parotid glands are +somewhat elongated and not rounded as in _Bufo valliceps wilsoni_ (see +Baylor and Stuart, 1961:199). My observations on the condition of the +cranial crests of the toads in El Petén agree with the findings of +Baylor and Stuart (_op. cit._:198) in that hypertrophied crests are +usual in large females. In the shape of the parotids and nature of the +cranial crests the specimens from El Petén are like those from the +Isthmus of Tehuantepec in México. As I pointed out (1960:53), the +validity of the subspecies _Bufo valliceps macrocristatus_, described +from northern Chiapas by Firschein and Smith (1957:219) and supposedly +characterized by hypertrophied cranial crests, is highly doubtful. + +In the toads from El Petén the greatest variation is in coloration. The +dorsal ground-color varies from orange and rusty tan to brown, yellowish +tan, and pale gray. In some individuals the flanks and dorsum are one +continuous color, whereas in others a distinct dorsolateral pale colored +band separates the dorsal color from dark brown flanks. In some +individuals the venter is uniform cream color, in others it bears a few +scattered black spots, and in still others there are many spots, some of +which are fused to form a black blotch on the chest. In breeding males +the vocal sac is orange tan. All specimens have a coppery red iris. + +Aside from the breeding congregations, active toads were found on the +forest floor at night; a few were there by day. Some individuals were +beneath logs during the day. + + +=Eleutherodactylus rostralis= (Werner) + + Chinajá, 10. + +Because of the multiplicity of names and the variation in coloration, +the small terrestrial _Eleutherodactylus_ in southern México and +northern Central America are in a state of taxonomic confusion. Stuart +(1934:7, 1935:37, and 1958:17) referred specimens from El Petén to +_Eleutherodactylus rhodopis_ (Cope). Stuart (1941b:197) described +_Eleutherodactylus anzuetoi_ from Alta Verapaz and El Quiché, Guatemala, +suggested that the new species was an upland relative of +_Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ (Werner), and used that name for the frogs +that he earlier had referred to _Eleutherodactylus rhodopis_. Dunn and +Emlen (1932:24) placed _E. rostralis_ in the synonymy of _E. gollmeri_ +(Peters). Examination of series of these frogs from southern México, +Guatemala, and Costa Rica causes me to think that there are four +species; these can be distinguished as follows: + + _E. rhodopis._--No web between toes; one tarsal tubercle; + tibiotarsal articulation reaches to nostril; iris bronze in + life. + + _E. anzuetoi._--No web between toes; a row of tarsal + tubercles; tibiotarsal articulation reaches to tip of snout; + color of iris unknown. + + _E. rostralis._--A vestige of web between toes; no tarsal + tubercles; tibiotarsal articulation reaches snout or slightly + beyond; iris coppery red in life. + + _E. gollmeri._--A vestige of web between toes; no tarsal + tubercles; tibiotarsal articulation reaches well beyond snout; + iris coppery red in life. + +The presence of webbing between the toes, the absence of tarsal +tubercles, and the coppery red iris distinguish _E. rostralis_ and _E. +gollmeri_ from the other species. Probably _E. rostralis_ and _E. +gollmeri_ are conspecific, but additional specimens are needed from +Nicaragua and Honduras to prove conspecificity. On the other hand, the +characters of the frogs from Chinajá clearly show that they are related +to _E. gollmeri_ to the south and not to _E. rhodopis_ to the north in +México. + +At Chinajá, _Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ was more abundant than the +few specimens indicate, for upon being approached the frogs moved +quickly and erratically, soon disappearing in the leaf litter on the +forest floor. Most of the specimens were seen actively moving on the +forest floor in the daytime; one was found beneath a rock, and one was +on the forest floor at night. + + +=Eleutherodactylus rugulosus rugulosus= (Cope) + + Chinajá, 2; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 4. + +These frogs were found on the forest floor by day. With the exception of +one female having a snout-vent length of 69.5 mm., all are juveniles. +The apparent rarity of this species at Chinajá may be due to the absence +of rocky streams, a favorite habitat of this frog. The local name for +this frog is _sapito_, meaning little toad. + + +=Leptodactylus labialis= (Cope) + + Toocog, 1. + +One juvenile having a snout-vent length of 16.4 mm. was found at night +beside a pond in the forest. The scarcity of the species of +_Leptodactylus_ in the southern part of El Petén probably is due to the +lack of permanent marshy ponds. + + +=Leptodactylus melanonotus= (Hallowell) + + Sayaxché, 1. + +One individual was found beneath a rock beside a stream in the forest. +The local name is _ranita_, meaning little frog. + + +=Syrrhophus leprus= Cope + + Chinajá, 2; 15 km NW of Chinajá, 1. + +An adult female having a snout-vent length of 27.5 mm. was found on the +forest floor by day. Two juveniles having snout-vent lengths of 15.5 and +19.0 mm. were beneath rocks on the forest floor. The specimens are +typical of the species as defined by Duellman (1958:8). + + +=Hyla ebraccata= Cope + + Toocog, 66. + +This small tree frog congregated in large numbers at a forest pond at +Toocog. Between June 30 and July 2 we collected specimens and observed +the breeding habits of this and other species at the pond. Calling males +were distributed around the pond, where they called from low herbaceous +vegetation at the edge of the pond or from plants rising above the +water. Calling commenced at dusk and continued at least into the early +hours of the morning. On one occasion a female was observed at a +distance of about 50 centimeters away from a calling male sitting on a +blade of grass. The female climbed another blade of grass until she was +about eight centimeters away from the male, at which time he saw her, +stopped calling, jumped to the blade of grass on which she was sitting +and clasped her. Clasping pairs were observed on blades of grass and +leaves of plants above the water; most pairs were less than 50 +centimeters above the surface of the pond. + +The eggs are deposited on the dorsal surfaces of leaves above the water. +All eggs are in one plane (a single layer) on the leaf. External +membranes are barely visible, as the eggs consist of a single coherent +mass. Eggs in the yolk plug stage have diameters of 1.2 to 1.4 mm. +Seventeen eggs masses were found; these contained from 24 to 76 (average +44) eggs. The jelly is extremely viscous and tacky to the touch. At time +of hatching the jelly becomes less viscous; the tadpoles wriggle until +they reach the edge of the leaf and drop into the water. + +Eleven tadpoles were preserved as they hatched; these have total lengths +of 4.5 to 5.0 (average 4.77) mm. Hatchling tadpoles are active swimmers +and have only a small amount of yolk. The largest tadpoles preserved +have total lengths of 13.0 and 13.5 mm. At this size distinctive +sword-tail and bright coloration have developed. + +[Illustration: FIG. 2. Tadpole of _Hyla ebraccata_ (KU 59986) from +Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala. × 6.] + +Description of fully developed tadpole (KU 59986): Total length, 13.5 +mm.; tail-length, 8.4 mm., 62 per cent of total length. Snout, in dorsal +view, bluntly rounded; in lateral view less bluntly rounded; body +depressed; head flattened; mouth terminal; eye large, its diameter 25 +per cent of length of body; nostrils near tip of snout and directed +anteriorly; spiracle sinistral and situated postero-ventrad to eye; +cloaca median. Tail-fin thrice depth of tail-musculature, which extends +beyond posterior end of tail-fin giving sword-tail appearance (Fig. 2). +In life, black stripe on each side of body and on top of head; black +band on anterior part of tail and another on the posterior part; body +and anterior part of tail creamy yellow; dark red band between black +bands on tail. Mouth terminal, small, its width about one-fifth width of +body; fleshy ridge dorsally and ventrally; row of small papillae on +ventral lip; no lateral indentations of lips; upper beak massive, +convex, and finely serrate; lower beak small and mostly concealed behind +upper; no teeth (Fig. 3). + +[Illustration: FIG. 3. Mouthparts of larval _Hyla ebraccata_ (KU 59986) +from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala. × 100.] + + +=Hyla loquax= Gaige and Stuart + + Toocog, 14. + +These specimens were found at night when they were calling from low +vegetation in a forest pond. Most of the frogs were several meters away +from the edge of the pond. Although two clasping pairs were found, we +obtained no eggs or tadpoles referable to this species. + + +=Hyla microcephala martini= Smith + + Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 21. + +The specimen from Chinajá was calling from a small bush at the edge of a +temporary grassy pond in a clearing in the forest. At Toocog this +species was closely associated with _Hyla ebraccata_; males were calling +from herbaceous vegetation in and around the forest pond. These frogs +were not so abundant in the forest at Toocog as they were around ponds +on the savanna at La Libertad. + + +=Hyla picta= (Günther) + + Toocog, 8. + +This small tree frog was calling from herbs in a pond in the forest on +June 30 and July 2. The voice is weak; probably greater numbers of males +were present than are indicated by the few specimens collected, for the +din from the more vociferous species made it impossible to hear _Hyla +picta_ unless one was calling close by. + + +=Hyla staufferi= Cope + + Chinajá, 1. + +This individual was calling from a low bush in the clearing at Chinajá. +None was found in the pond in the forest at Toocog. Stuart (1935:38) and +Duellman (1960:63) noted that _Hyla staufferi_ breeds early in the rainy +season. Nevertheless, I think early breeding habits do not account for +the near absence of this species in our collections from southern El +Petén. In early July, 1960, a few individuals were heard at a pond on +the savanna at La Libertad. In mid-July of the same year they were +calling sporadically from temporary ponds in the lower Motagua Valley. +Possibly the individual collected at Chinajá was accidentally +transported there in cargo from Toocog, from which camp at the edge of +the savanna planes fly to Chinajá weekly. My observations on this +species throughout its range in México and Central America indicate that +it inhabits savannas and semi-arid forests and usually is absent from +heavy rainforest. Stuart (1948:34) obtained this species at Cubilquitz +in the lowlands of Alta Verapaz. + + +=Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori= Funkhouser + + Toocog, 25. + +Between June 30 and July 2 this species was abundant at a pond in the +forest at Toocog. Calling males were as high as five meters in bushes +and trees around the pond. At dusk males were observed descending a +vine-covered tree at the edge of the pond; this strongly suggests that +the frogs retreat to this tree and others like it for diurnal seclusion. +Clasping pairs were found on branches and leaves above the water. The +eggs are deposited in clumps usually on vertical leaves, but sometimes +on horizontal leaves or on branches, vines, and aerial roots above the +water. Twenty-six clutches of eggs contained from 14 to 44 (average 29) +eggs. In a clutch in which the eggs are in yolk plug stage the average +diameter of the embryos is 2.3 mm. and that of the vitelline membranes, +3.4 mm. Most of the eggs are in the external part of the gelatinous +mass; the jelly is clear. The yolk is pale green, and the animal pole is +brown. As development ensues, the yolk becomes yellow and the embryo +first dark brown and then pale grayish tan. Upon hatching the tadpoles +wriggle free of the jelly and drop into the water. One clutch of 19 eggs +was observed to hatch in three minutes. Apparently, on dropping into the +water the hatchling tadpoles go to the bottom of the pond, for one or +two minutes pass from the time they enter the water until they reappear +near the surface. The average total length of seven hatchling tadpoles +is 7.4 mm. There is a moderate amount of yolk, but this does not form a +large ventral bulge. Large tadpoles congregate in the sunny parts of the +pond, where they were observed just beneath the surface. Many had their +mouths at the surface. Except for constant fluttering of the tip of the +tail, they lie quietly with the axis of the body at an angle of about 45 +degrees with the surface of the water. + +Description of tadpole (KU 60006): total length, 24.5 mm.; tail-length, +15.4 mm.; body broader than deep; head moderately flattened; snout +viewed from above blunt; nostrils close to snout and directed dorsally; +eyes of moderate size and directed laterally; mouth directed +anteroventrally; anus median; spiracle ventral, its opening just to left +of midline slightly more than one-half distance from tip of snout to +vent. Tail-fin slightly more than twice as deep as tail musculature, +which curves upward posteriorly; tail-fin narrowly extending to tip of +tail (Fig. 4). Color in life pale gray; in preservative white with +scattered melanophores; tail-fin transparent. + +[Illustration: FIG. 4. Tadpole of _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_ (KU +60006) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala. × 4.] + +Upper lip having single row of papillae laterally, but none medially; +lower lip having single row of papillae; no lateral indentation of lips; +two or more rows of papillae at lateral corners of lips; tooth-rows 2/3; +second upper tooth row as long as first, interrupted medially; inner +lower tooth-row as long as upper rows, interrupted medially; second and +third lower rows decreasingly shorter; upper beak moderate in size and +having long lateral projections; lower beak moderate in size; both beaks +finely serrate (Fig. 5). + +[Illustration: FIG. 5. Mouthparts of larval _Phyllomedusa callidryas +taylori_ (KU 60006) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala. × 30.] + + +=Smilisca baudini= (Duméril and Bibron) + + Chinajá, 9; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 42; Río de la Pasión, 1; + Río San Román, 5; Sayaxché; Toocog, 2. + +Individuals of this species were found at night sitting on bushes and +small trees in the forest in February and March and again in June and +July. One was in the axil of a leaf of a _Xanthosoma_. In June and July +males were heard nearly every night. The series of specimens from 20 +kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá was taken from a breeding +congregation in a shallow muddy pool in the forest. Tadpoles of this +species were in small, often muddy pools in the forest. To my knowledge +_Smilisca baudini_ is the only hylid to breed in these pools at Chinajá, +although perhaps _Smilisca phaeota_ also utilizes them. The only other +amphibian at Chinajá known to breed in the pools is _Bufo valliceps +valliceps_. Although two specimens were on bushes at night at Toocog, +_Smilisca baudini_ was not present at the pond where five other species +of hylids were breeding. Nevertheless, _Smilisca baudini_ was calling +from two ponds on the savannas near La Libertad. All of the specimens +from southern El Petén have yellow or yellowish white flanks and +ventrolateral surfaces. + + +=Smilisca phaeota cyanosticta= (Smith) + + Chinajá, 4; 10 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +All specimens were found in February and March. Those from Chinajá were +obtained from _Xanthosoma_ and bromeliads; the individual from 10 +kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá is an adult male that was calling +from a puddle in a fallen tree on March 13. A juvenile having a +snout-vent length of 34.7 mm. lacks the pale blue spots on the thighs; +instead, the anterior and posterior surfaces of the thighs are bright +red. + + +=Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus= Taylor + + Toocog, 1. + +An adult male having a snout-vent length of 41.7 mm. was found at night +on the forest floor at the edge of a temporary pond. In life the dorsum +was dark brown with chocolate brown markings; the stripe on the side of +the head was white; the middorsal stripe was pale orange; the belly was +black and white, and the iris was a bronze color. + +Characteristically this species inhabits savannas and open forest; thus, +its occurrence in the rainforest at Toocog is surprising. This is the +southernmost record for the species in El Petén; to the south in the +highlands it is replaced by the smaller _Hypopachus inguinalis_, having +rounded, instead of compressed, metatarsal tubercles. + + +=Rana palmipes= Spix + + Chinajá, 11; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, + 1. + +With the exception of one recently metamorphosed juvenile having a +snout-vent length of 30.7 mm. that was found on the forest floor by day +on June 24, and one that was found beside a pool in a cave, all +individuals were found at temporary woodland pools or along sluggish +streams at night. The largest specimen is a female having a snout-vent +length of 107 mm. + + +=Rana pipiens= Schreber + + Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 1; + Toocog, 1. + +All specimens were found near water at night. The largest individual is +a female having a snout-vent length of 112.5 mm. + + +=Crocodylus moreleti= Duméril and Duméril + + Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 1. + +One specimen was obtained from a quiet pool in the Río San Román at +night; another was found in a small sluggish stream at Chinajá. Two +large individuals were seen in tributaries to the Río San Román. On the +savannas at Toocog two small individuals were obtained in the dry +season, at which time the crocodiles apparently were migrating to water. +The local name for this species is _lagarto_. + + +=Chelydra rossignoni= (Bocourt) + + Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +The paucity of specimens of _Chelydra_ from Central America has resulted +in rather inadequate diagnoses of various populations. The present +specimens have carapace lengths of 250 and 238 mm. and plastral lengths +of 185 and 176 mm. The length of carapace/bridge ratio is 6.0 and 6.1 +per cent. Each individual has four barbels, the median pair of which are +extremely long. In KU 55977 the lateral pair of barbels is forked at the +base. The relative length of the plastral bridge in these specimens +compares favorable with the ratio (.06-.08) given by Schmidt (1946:4) +for five specimens from Honduras. _Chelydra serpentina_, which may occur +sympatrically with _C. rossignoni_ in some parts of Central America, has +a narrower plastral bridge and only two barbels beneath the chin. +Furthermore, _C. rossignoni_ and _C. osceola_ in Florida have long, flat +tubercles on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the neck, whereas _C. +serpentina_ has short, round tubercles. + +The specimen from Chinajá was found in a small sluggish stream; the +other individual was in a muddy pool in the forest. The local name is +_sambodanga_. + + +=Claudius angustatus= Cope + + 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +One specimen was unearthed from the bank of a small muddy stream by a +bulldozer. This individual represents the second record for the species +in Guatemala; the first was provided by specimens, likewise found in +muddy waters, at Tikal (Stuart, 1958:19). The local name is _caiman_. + + +=Kinosternon acutum= Gray + + 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 4; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2. + +These turtles were found on the forest floor, in small sluggish streams, +and in pools in the forest. One adult male had, in life, the top of the +head yellow with black spots; the stripes on the head and neck were red. +Specimens were obtained both in the dry and rainy seasons. The local +name for both species of _Kinosternon_ is _pochitoque_. + + +=Kinosternon leucostomum= Duméril and Bibron + + Chinajá, 3; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2. + +Individuals of this turtle were found on the forest floor and in small +sluggish streams. In life most specimens had a tan or pale brown head +with pinkish tan stripes on the head and neck. All individuals were +obtained in February and March. No ecological differences between this +species and _K. acutum_ were evident. + + +=Staurotypus triporcatus= (Wiegmann) + + Paso Subín, 1. + +This species is represented in the collection by one complete shell +found on the bank of the Río Subín. The carapace has a length of 292 mm. +The local name is _Guao_. Natives stated that this turtle was not +uncommon in clear rivers and lakes, a habitat suggested for the species +by Stuart (1958:19). + + +=Dermatemys mawi= Gray + + Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 4. + +The record from Chinajá is based on a carapace found in a chiclero camp, +where the turtle evidently had been brought for food. The four specimens +from the Río San Román were obtained from edges of deep pools in clear +water. In adult males the top of the head was reddish orange in life. +One of the specimens from the Río San Román currently is living in the +Philadelphia Zoological Gardens. The local name for this turtle is +_tortuga blanca_; it is sought for its meat. + + +=Geoemyda areolata= (Duméril and Bibron) + + Chinajá, 2. + +Two specimens were obtained from dense forest at Chinajá. The local name +is _mojina_. + + +=Pseudemys scripta ornata= (Gray) + + Paso Subín, 1. + +One subadult was obtained from clear water in the Río Subín. The stripes +on the head and neck were yellow; there was no red "ear" on the side of +the head. The stripes on the forelimbs were orange, and the ocelli on +the carapace were red. The local name is _jicotea_. + + +=Coleonyx elegans elegans= Gray + + Toocog, 1. + +One adult male having a snout-vent length of 89 mm. was found beneath a +log in the forest. Locally this gecko is known as _escorpión_; the +natives believe it to be deadly poisonous. The use of the name +_escorpión_ seems to be restricted to lizards thought to be venomous. +Nearly everywhere in México and Central America some species of lizard +carries this appellation. In El Petén I heard the name used only for +_Coleonyx elegans_ and _Thecadactylus rapicaudus_; in the lowlands of +Guerrero, México, the name is applied to geckos of the genus +_Phyllodactylus_. The venomous lizards of the genus _Heloderma_ in the +lowlands of western México are called _escorpiónes_. In the mountains of +southern México various skinks of the genus _Eumeces_, as well as +lizards of the genus _Xenosaurus_, carry the same appellation. _Abronia_ +in the mountains of México and _Gerrhonontus_ throughout México and +Central America likewise are called _escorpiónes_. Although many people +in various parts of Middle America consider most lizards poisonous, +there is a unanimity of opinion concerning the venomous qualities of the +various kinds of _escorpiónes_. I know of only two other lizards in +Middle America that are so uniformly regarded in native beliefs; these +are _Enyaliosaurus clarki_ in the Tepalcatepec Valley in Michoacán, +called _nopiche_, and _Phrynosoma asio_ in western México, called +_cameleón_. + + +=Sphaerodactylus lineolatus= Lichtenstein + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 1. + +These small geckos were much more abundant than the few specimens +indicate. They frequently were seen on the trunks of corozo palms, where +they quickly took refuge in crevices at the bases of the fronds. The +specimen obtained at Toocog was under the bark of a standing dead tree. +In life the ventral surface of the tail was orange. The individual from +Chinajá was in the leaf litter on the ground at the base of a dead tree. + + +=Thecadactylus rapicaudus= (Houttuyn) + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2. + +Two specimens were found beneath the bark of standing dead trees; +another was found in the crack in the trunk of a mahogany tree about 13 +meters above the ground. In life the dorsum was yellowish tan with dark +brown markings; the venter was yellowish tan with brown flecks, and the +iris was olive-tan. The largest specimen is a male having a snout-vent +length of 95 mm.; all specimens have regenerated tails. Individuals when +caught twisted their bodies and attempted to bite; upon grabbing a +finger they held on with great tenacity. + + +=Anolis biporcatus= (Wiegmann) + + 14 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 17 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW + of Chinajá, 3; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1. + +All specimens of this large anole were obtained from trees. Some +individuals were found in the tops of trees immediately after they were +felled. My limited observations on this anole suggest that it is an +inhabitant of the upper levels of the forest. In life an adult male from +20 kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá was brilliant green above; the +eyelids were bright yellow; the belly was white. The outer part of the +dewlap was pale orange, and the median part was pinkish blue. A juvenile +having a snout-vent length of 47 mm. and a tail length of 86 mm. was +pale grayish green with pale gray flecks on the dorsum. The largest male +has a snout-vent length of 98 mm. and a tail length of 217 mm.; the same +measurements of the largest female are 89 and 213 mm. This species, +together with all other anoles, is known locally as _toloque_. + + +=Anolis capito= Peters + + Chinajá, 2; 14 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Río de la Pasión, 1. + +All individuals were observed on trunks of trees between heights of +three and ten meters above the ground. The largest male has a snout-vent +length of 81 mm. and a tail length of 155 mm.; the same measurements of +the largest female are 87 and 150 mm. The streaked brown dorsum, +combined with the lizards' habit of pressing the body against the trunks +of trees, make this anole especially difficult to see. + + +=Anolis humilis uniformis= Cope + + Chinajá, 24; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 22; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, + 6; Sayaxché, 1. + +This small dull brown anole is a characteristic inhabitant of the forest +floor, where the lizards move about in a series of quick, short hops and +thus easily evade capture. Three individuals were found on small bushes, +and four were on the bases of trees; otherwise, all were observed on the +ground. Observations indicate that this species is active throughout +the day, except during and immediately after heavy rains. The males have +a deep red dewlap with a dark blue median spot. + + +=Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei= Bocourt + + Chinajá, 11; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 4; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, + 2; Río de la Pasión, 1; Río San Román, 1; Sayaxché, 8; Toocog, + 6. + +This moderate-sized anole characteristically inhabits the low bushes and +bases of trees in the forest. Individuals were most readily observed on +the buttresses of some of the gigantic mahogany and ceiba trees. When +approached the lizards usually ran around the tree or ducked to the +other side of the buttress; if the observer moved closer, they jumped to +the ground and ran off. None was observed to ascend large trees. Some +individuals were observed foraging on the forest floor; these took +shelter on the bases of trees. One individual was sleeping on a palm +frond at night. The adult males have a uniformly orange-red dewlap. + + +=Anolis limifrons rodriguezi= Bocourt + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 2; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +In dry forests and more open situations than occur at Chinajá this +little anole is abundant, but in the wet forests of southern El Petén, +only three specimens were found. Two were on palm fronds about two +meters above the ground; the other was on a low bush. I suspect that +ecologically this species overlaps _A. humilis uniformis_ and _A. +lemurinus bourgeaei_, but too few observations are recorded to justify a +definite statement at this time. + + +=Anolis sericeus sericeus= Hallowell + + Chinajá, 2; Sayaxché, 1; Toocog, 1. + +This small anole is common and widespread in the Atlantic lowlands of +southern México and northern Central America; usually it inhabits +sub-humid regions. Consequently, its presence in the wet forests of +southern El Petén was unexpected. The specimens from Chinajá were +sleeping on low bushes at night, whereas the others were found on bushes +by day. + + +=Basiliscus vittatus= Wiegmann + + Chinajá, 6; Río de la Pasión, 1; Río San Román, 1; Sayaxché, + 3; Toocog, 1. + +Individuals of this abundant species were most frequently seen in dense +bushes along the margins of rivers or small streams. None was observed +far from water. These lizards, like the anoles, are known locally as +_toloque_. + + +=Corythophanes cristatus= (Merrem) + + Chinajá, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +Three individuals were found on tree trunks; the fourth was on a thick +vine about one meter above the ground. The two largest males have +snout-vent lengths of 121 and 115 mm. and tail lengths of 265 and 243 +mm. The largest female (KU 59603), obtained on June 28, has a snout-vent +length of 125 mm. and a tail length of 247 mm. This individual contained +eight ova varying in greatest diameter from 10.6 to 12.2 (average 11.1) +mm. Also present are numerous ovarian eggs having diameters up to about +3.5 mm. + +One of the large males displayed a defensive behavior prior to capture. +When first observed the lizard was clinging to a tree trunk about one +and one-half meters above the ground. When I approached, the lizard +turned its flanks towards me; then it flattened the body laterally, +extended the dewlap, opened its mouth, and made short rushing motions. +When touched it bit viciously. On the ground these lizards have a rather +awkward bipedal gait that is much slower than in _Basiliscus vittatus_. + +In life an adult male (KU 55804) was reddish brown dorsally with dark +chocolate brown markings; the venter was creamy white, and the iris was +dark red. The natives call this lizard _piende jente_. + + +=Iguana iguana rhinolopha= Wiegmann + + Río San Román, 2. + +The _iguana_, as this lizard is called locally, seems to be uncommon in +the forested areas of southern El Petén. Possibly this is due to the +fact that the flesh of this lizard is relished as food by the natives. +My two specimens were in large trees at the edge of the river. + + +=Laemanctus deborrei= Boulenger + + Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 5. + +On June 26 a female having a snout-vent length of 129 mm. and a tail +length of 502 mm. was found on a bush in the forest. The lizard, when +approached, faced the collector and opened its mouth. In life the dorsum +was bright green; the lateral stripe was white, and the iris was +yellowish brown. This specimen contained four ova having lengths of 13.4 +to 14.2 (average 13.9) mm. + +On June 30 at Toocog five white-shelled eggs were found in a rotting +log. Measurements of the eggs are--length, 23.5 to 25.0 (average 24.2) +mm.; width, 15.0 to 15.5 (average 15.4) mm. These eggs hatched on August +30. The five young had snout-vent lengths of 43 to 45 (average 44) mm., +and tail lengths of 137 to 140 (average 138) mm. In life the hatchlings +had a dull dark green dorsum, pale bright green venter and stripes on +head, and reddish brown iris. In preservative the hatchlings are creamy +tan above with five or six square dark brown blotches middorsally. + +The natives consider this lizard to be one of the anoles; consequently, +it is known as _toloque_. + + +=Lepidophyma flavimaculatum flavimaculatum= Duméril + + Chinajá, 8; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 2. + +Individuals were found beneath logs on the forest floor or moving about +in the litter on the forest floor. One was observed crawling across a +trail during a heavy rain. In some adults the tan dorsal spots are large +and distinct; in others the spots are small and indistinct. Two +juveniles, apparently recent hatchlings, were found on June 28 and July +5. These specimens have snout-vent lengths of 29 mm. and tail lengths of +38 and 41 mm. + + +=Eumeces schwartzei= Fischer + + Chinajá, 1. + +One specimen (KU 59551) was found on the forest floor at midday; it is +an adult female having a snout-vent length of 125 mm. and a tail length +of 210 mm. This specimen is larger than those recorded by Taylor +(1936:99) and extends the known range of the species south of Ramate, +approximately 125 kilometers south-south-westward to Chinajá. + + +=Eumeces sumichrasti= (Cope) + + 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +One adult male having a snout-vent length of 82 mm. was found beneath a +palm frond on the forest floor. In life the dorsum was dull brown; the +chin was cream; the belly was yellow, and the underside of the tail was +orange. A juvenile having a black body, yellow dorsal stripes, and a +bright blue tail was observed on the forest floor. + + +=Scincella cherriei cherriei= (Cope) + + Chinajá, 2; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 1. + +All individuals of this lizard were found in the leaf litter on the +forest floor; many escaped capture. In life the tail is dull bluish +gray. The number of dorsal scales varies from 59 to 61 (average 60); +thus, these specimens fall within the range of variation of _S. cherriei +cherriei_, and thereby differ from _S. cherriei stuarti_ to the west and +_S. cherriei ixbaac_ to the north. + + +=Ameiva festiva edwardsi= Bocourt + + Chinajá, 16; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 10; Sayaché, 4; Toocog, 1. + +This abundant terrestrial lizard, locally called _lagartijo_, is found +throughout the forest. A juvenile obtained on March 14 at Sayaxché has a +snout-vent length of 42 mm. and a prominent umbilical scar. Other +juveniles were observed at Chinajá in February and March, thereby +indicating that the young probably hatch in the early part of the year. +Juveniles have bright blue tails. + + +=Celestus rozellae= Smith + + 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2. + +Two specimens were obtained from trees by workmen in February. These +lizards have snout-vent lengths of 70 and 83 mm. and tail lengths of 133 +and 135 mm. There are 21 and 23 lamellae beneath the fourth toe; each +has 31 longitudinal rows of scales around the body. + + +=Boa constrictor imperator= Daudin + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2; Toocog, 1. + +All specimens were found on the forest floor. One individual was found +in combat with a large _Drymarchon corais melanurus_. Apparently, the +_Drymarchon_ was attempting to devour the _Boa_, which had a total +length of 1683 mm. Locally this snake is called _masacuata_; it is one +of the few snakes believed by the local inhabitants to be non-poisonous. + + +=Clelia clelia clelia= Daudin + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +One specimen is represented only by the head; the snake was killed on +the forest floor by workmen. Another individual was found in a pool of +water at the base of a limestone outcropping in the forest; this +specimen (KU 58167) is a female having a body length of 2220 mm. and a +total length of 2634 mm. This snake contained 22 ova averaging 56 × 23 +mm. Both specimens were uniform shiny black above and cream-color below. +The local name is _sumbadora_. + + +=Coniophanes bipunctatus bipunctatus= (Günther) + + Chinajá, 1. + +This snake was found on the forest floor by day; it is a male having 130 +ventrals, an incomplete tail; cream-colored belly, and a pair of large +brown spots on each ventral scute. + + +=Coniophanes fissidens fissidens= (Günther) + + Toocog, 1. + +This male specimen was found beneath a rock in a sink hole. It has 122 +ventrals and 77 caudals. A narrow temporal stripe extends along the +upper edge of the anterior temporal and the lower edge of the upper +secondary temporal. The belly is ashy white with a pair of small black +spots on each ventral. + + +=Coniophanes imperialis clavatus= (Peters) + + Chinajá, 3. + +All specimens were found on the forest floor by day. These small snakes +are capable of rapid movement and quickly disappear in the litter on the +ground. Two individuals evaded capture. The belly is creamy white +anteriorly and vermillion red posteriorly. + + +=Dryadophis melanolomus laevis= (Fischer) + + Chinajá, 3. + +These snakes, locally known as _sumbadora_, were found on the forest +floor; two others were seen, but escaped. The variation in coloration +has been a source of confusion in this species in northern Central +America (see Stuart, 1941:86). All of the present specimens are males: +KU 55709 has 178 ventrals, 121 caudals, and a total length of 914 mm.; +the dorsum is olive-tan with six darker cross-bars on the neck; the +belly is creamy white. KU 58160 has 188 ventrals, 123 caudals, and a +total length of 1365 mm.; the dorsum is uniform olive-brown, except that +some dorsal scales at midbody have black anterior borders like _D. +melanolomus melanolomus_ has in the Yucatán Peninsula; the venter is +pale yellow. KU 58158 has 179 ventrals, 122 caudals, and a total length +of 723 mm.; the dorsum is rich chocolate brown with eight dark +cross-bars on the neck; the belly is bright orange. + +Stuart (1941a:87) stated that in life two distinct color phases were +observed in specimens collected by him in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. One +had an olive-brown dorsum and the other, a reddish orange dorsum. +Stuart made no mention of variation in the color of the venter. Similar +variation is known in _D. melanolomus alternatus_ in Costa Rica, where +some individuals have orange-red venters. This color phase has been +recognized as a distinct species, _Dryadophis sanguiventris_, by Taylor +(1954:722). Examination of 18 specimens from Costa Rica shows no +differences in scutellation, nor geographic segregation of two +populations. I am convinced that the red-bellied _Dryadophis_ in Costa +Rica, like those in Guatemala, represent a color phase of the subspecies +inhabiting those areas and that _Dryadophis sanguiventris_ Taylor is a +synonym of _Dryadophis melanolomus alternatus_ (Bocourt). + + +=Drymarchon corais melanurus= (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril) + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1. + +The specimen from Sayaxché was found at the edge of a clearing in the +forest; that from 15 kilometers northwest of Chinajá was found on the +forest floor coiled with a _Boa constrictor imperator_, which the +_Drymarchon_ apparently was trying to eat. The _Drymarchon_ is a giant +specimen having a total length of 2950 mm. (see Duellman, 1961:368). The +_Boa_ with which it was coiled has a total length of 1683 mm. I was +attracted to the snakes by a loud thrashing noise. When I approached the +writhing mass, the snakes separated, but I was able to see that the +_Drymarchon_ had its teeth firmly imbedded in the posterior part of the +head of the _Boa_. From the _Drymarchon_ I forced the regurgitation of a +recently ingested _Bothrops nummifer nummifer_ having a total length of +953 mm. These observations show that the snake-eating capabilities of +_Drymarchon_ can hardly be over-estimated. + +In both _Drymarchon_ the anterior one-half of the body is olive-tan, +which changes to bluish black posteriorly. The local name is +_sumbadora_. + + +=Drymobius margaritiferus margaritiferus= (Schlegel) + + Chinajá, 3; Sayaxché, 1. + +All individuals were obtained in clearings in the forest by day in the +rainy season. Two individuals each contained a _Similisca baudini_ and +another contained a _Bufo valliceps valliceps_. Locally this snake is +known by the appropriate name of _ranera_. + + +=Imantodes cenchoa leucomelas= Cope + + Chinajá, 4. + +With the exception of one that was found dead in camp, all individuals +were taken from low vegetation by day. The dorsum is creamy tan with 28 +to 35 (average 32) chocolate brown blotches, and the venter is ashy +white with small brown flecks. Three males have 238 to 248 (average 244) +ventrals and 148 to 154 (average 151) caudals; one female has 239 +ventrals and 142 caudals. The largest specimen, a male, has a body +length of 660 mm. and a total length of 943 mm. + + +=Lampropeltis doliata polyzona= Cope + + Chinajá, 1. + +One female (KU 57156) having 230 ventrals and 54 caudals was found on +the forest floor by day. This individual has a black snout with a white +bar across the nasals and prefrontals, a white spot in the middle of the +frontal, and a white band across the temporals and parietals that is +bordered posteriorly by a black band. There are 28 white and 28 red +rings on the body. The tips of the red scales are darkened. The black +rings between the white and red rings are not so expanded as to +interrupt the white rings dorsally as in _L. doliata abnorma_ as +identified by Stuart (1948:70). Locally this snake, like all red, black, +and white or yellow banded snakes, is called _coral_ or _coralillo_. + + +=Leptodeira frenata malleisi= Dunn and Stuart + + Toocog, 1. + +This specimen, a male having 173 ventrals and 69 caudals, was found +beneath the bark on a log in the forest. In life the dorsum was pinkish +tan with 36 chocolate brown blotches on the body; the venter was rosy +pink. + + +=Leptodeira septentrionalis polysticta= Günther + + Chinajá, 3; Toocog, 11. + +If numbers of specimens are indicative of abundance, this is the most +common snake in southern El Petén. All were found at night in the rainy +season. At a pond in the forest at Toocog these snakes were observed on +low vegetation, on the ground, and in the water. Evidently they +congregate at breeding choruses of frogs. One _Leptodeira_ contained a +_Smilisca baudini_ and another contained eggs of _Phyllomedusa +callidryas taylori_. The natives call this snake _nahuyaca_. + + +=Leptophis ahaetulla praestans= (Cope) + + 13 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +Both specimens were obtained from trees when they were felled. One +individual (KU 55716) has a body length of 1345 mm. and a total length +of 2035 mm. In life the entire snake was uniform bright green; the eye +was yellow. In preservative the dorsum is dark blue, and the venter is +green. + + +=Leptophis mexicanus mexicanus= Duméril, Bibron and Duméril + + Chinajá, 1; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 4. + +All specimens came from low trees in the forest. The largest specimen is +a male having a body length of 724 mm. and a total length of 1236 mm. In +life the middorsum was a golden tan; the top of the head was a vivid +green. One individual had ingested a _Smilisca baudini_. The local name +is _bejuquillo_. + + +=Ninia sebae sebae= (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril) + + Toocog, 1. + +This specimen, a male having 144 ventrals and 55 caudals, was found +beneath bark on a log in the forest. There is a black band five scales +in length on the nape followed posteriorly by a red band six scales in +length and then by a complete black band one and one-half scales in +length. The rest of the body is dull red with 16 incomplete black bands +one to one and one-half scales in length on the anterior two-thirds of +the body. + + +=Oxybelis aeneus aeneus= (Wagler) + + Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +One individual was found in a low tree; the other was in a bush. Both +specimens are males; the largest has a body length of 754 mm. and a +total length of 1286 mm. Bogert and Oliver (1945:388) distinguished _O. +aeneus aeneus_ in Central and South America from _O. aeneus auratus_ in +México in that the diameter of the eye is more than the length of the +internasal, whereas in _O. aeneus auratus_ the diameter of the eye is +less than the length of the internasal. Stuart (1958:27) stated that on +the basis of this character three specimens from Tikal in northeastern +El Petén definitely were _O. aeneus aeneus_. Of the present specimens +from southern El Petén, one has an internasal:eye ratio of 1.08; the +other has a ratio of 0.87. A careful review of these snakes is needed to +verify the validity of the characters used to separate the subspecies +and to determine areas of intergradation. The local name for the +vine-snake is _bejuquillo_. + + +=Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis= Salvin + + Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 1. + +These specimens are tentatively referred to _P. euryzonus_. KU 57160 is +a female having 130 ventrals, 87 caudals, and 23 black rings on the +body; KU 58150 is a juvenile having 128 ventrals, 79 caudals, and 27 +black rings on the body. In both specimens the tip of the snout is +yellow; a broad yellow band on the parietals and temporals is bordered +posteriorly by a black band on the nape. The black rings on the body are +not bordered by yellow, but black rings on the tail have yellow borders +ventrally. In the red interspaces between the black rings, black flecks +and spots, especially posteriorly, tend to form secondary black rings +(Fig. 6a). According to Stuart (1948:71), _P. euryzonus aequalis_ has 25 +to 27 black rings on the body, whereas _P. elapoides salvini_, which +also occurs in El Petén, has 15 to 23 black rings. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6. Dorsal color patterns of _Pliocercus euryzonus +aequalis_ (A) and _Micrurus affinis apiatus_ (B).] + +The specimen from the Río San Román contained a partly digested +_Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri_. Locally _Piocercus_ is called _coral_ +or _coralillo_. + + +=Pseustes poecilonotus poecilonotus= (Günther) + + Chinajá, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +Two juveniles were on the forest floor; one juvenile and an adult were +on low bushes. The juveniles have a tan dorsum with reddish brown +blotches; the belly is gray, and the iris is cream-color above and brown +below. The one adult is olive-brown above and creamy white below on the +anterior three-fourths of the body; posteriorly it is black above and +below. There are no paravertebral dark stripes nor pale spots on the +dorsal scales. + +Two specimens (one juvenile and the adult) when encountered compressed +the anterior part of the body laterally and struck repeatedly. Locally +the adults are called _sumbadora_. + + +=Sibon dimidiata dimidiata= (Günther) + + 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2. + +Both snakes were obtained from trees when they were felled. In life the +dorsum was pinkish orange with dark chocolate brown blotches narrowly +edged with black. + + +=Sibon nebulata nebulata= (Linnaeus) + + 20 km. NW of Chinajá, 1. + +This specimen, a male having a body length of 544 mm. and a tail length +of 198 mm., was found in a felled tree. In life the belly was pink and +black; the dorsal black blotches were narrowly outlined with pink. + + +=Spilotes pullatus mexicanus= (Laurenti) + + Chinajá, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1. + +This large snake, locally called _mica_, seems to be equally at home on +the ground and in low trees and bushes. It is fast moving for a large +snake; two individuals escaped capture. The natives said that this snake +eats other snakes, but examination of stomachs revealed no supporting +evidence. + + +=Stenorrhina degenhardti= (Berthold) + + Chinajá, 1. + +This specimen, a female having 158 ventrals, 37 caudals, and a total +length of 489 mm., was found on the forest floor. On the olive-brown +dorsum are 27 irregular, narrow, dark brown, transverse bands. The head +is uniform olive-brown; the chin and labials are cream-color. The +venter is cream-color with a row of brown spots forming a midventral +stripe. A large spider was found in the stomach. + +I have refrained from assigning a subspecific name to this snake. +Cursory examination of specimens from throughout México and Central +America reveals a bewildering array of variation in coloration that +suggests that the subspecies _mexicanus_ is not recognizable, or that +two species occur sympatrically in parts of southern México and northern +Central America. + + +=Tretanorhinus nigroluteus lateralis= Bocourt + + Chinajá, 1. + +A single male having 136 ventrals, 75 caudals, and a total length of 407 +mm. was found by a stream in camp. The dorsum is pale grayish tan with +34 pairs of small chocolate brown spots, some of the anterior ones of +which are connected across the back. A cream-colored lateral stripe is +on the third and fourth dorsal scale-rows anteriorly and the second and +third rows posteriorly. The lower dorsal scale rows are black. The +venter is dark grayish brown with cream-colored flecks anteriorly and +creamy gray posteriorly where the dark color is restricted to the +midventral region and the lateral edges of ventrals and first dorsal +scale-row. + + +=Xenodon rabdocephalus mexicanus= Smith + + Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1. + +Both individuals were found on the forest floor. An adult male having a +total length of 420 mm. has a cream-colored venter with brown flecks. A +juvenile having a total length of 172 mm. has a creamy white belly with +black crossbands. + +At the suggestion of L. C. Stuart, I am following Schmidt (1941:501) in +placing _X. mexicanus_ as a subspecies of _X. rabdocephalus_. + + +=Micrurus affinis apiatus= (Jan) + + 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2; Sayaxché, 1. + +All specimens were found beneath litter on the forest floor. All are +males having 202 to 211 (average 205) ventrals, 53 to 56 (54.6) caudals, +and 34 to 48 (41) primary black rings on the body. There are no yellow +rings, and black spots in the red interspaces tend to form secondary +black rings (Fig. 6b), the same as in _Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis_. +The local name is _coral_ or _coralillo_. + + +=Bothrops atrox asper= (Garman) + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1. + +Although we found only two specimens, natives and workmen at the camp at +Chinajá stated that the _barba amarilla_, as this snake is known +locally, had been abundant when the camp had been established less than +two years before our visit. + + +=Bothrops nasutus= Bocourt + + 12 km. NW of Chinajá, 1. + +This specimen, a male having a total length of 415 mm., was found on the +forest floor. The dorsum is brown with dark brown blotches separated +middorsally by a narrow orange-tan stripe extending from the nape to the +base of the tail. The belly is grayish tan with white flecks on the +lateral edges of the ventrals. The local name is _nahuyaca_. + + +=Bothrops nummifer nummifer= (Rüppell) + + 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 2; Sayaxché, 1. + +Two individuals were found on the forest floor, and one adult, having a +total length of 953 mm., was removed from the stomach of a large +_Drymarchon corais melanurus_. There is considerable variation in color +and pattern. A juvenile (KU 58104), having a total length of 332 mm., +has a tan dorsum with 19 interconnected dark brown, diamond-shaped, +middorsal blotches, the lateral extensions of which are black; the belly +is a cream-color with brown squares. An adult female (KU 55706), having +a total length of 779 mm., has a dorsal coloration like the preceding +specimen, except that the lateral extensions of the dorsal blotches are +brown; the belly is a uniform cream-color. A second adult female (KU +55707), having a total length of 953 mm., has a brown dorsum with 21 +interconnected black, diamond-shaped, middorsal blotches, the lateral +extensions of which are black; the belly is a cream-color with black +squares. + +The local name for this species is _braza de piedra_. + + +=Bothrops schlegeli schlegeli= (Berthold) + + Paso Subín, 1. + +This specimen was taken from the thatched roof of a house at the edge of +the forest and contained the remains of a small mammal. The local name +is _nahuyaca_. + + + + +HYPOTHETICAL LIST OF SPECIES + + +Listed below are thirteen species that have not been found in southern +El Petén but that probably occur there. + + =_Dermophis mexicanus mexicanus_= (Duméril and Bibron).--Natives + at Chinajá know caecilians, which they call _dos cabezas_. + This species has been taken in Tabasco and northern Chiapas. + Its occurrence in southern El Petén is expected. Less likely, + the caecilian known to the natives at Chinajá is _Gymnopis + oligozona_, which is known from Finca Volcán on the southern + slopes of the valley of the Río Cahabón in Alta Verapaz. + + =_Gastrophryne elegans_= (Boulenger).--This small fossorial frog + is known from Piedras Negras (Taylor and Smith, 1945:604), 12 + miles east of Yaxha (Stuart, 1934:7), and Tikal (Stuart, + 1958:18), all in northern and central El Petén. Two specimens + in the collection of the University of Kansas are from 28 + kilometers northeast of Campur, Alta Verapaz. Probably the + species ranges throughout the forested lowlands of northern + Alta Verapaz and El Petén. + + =_Mabuya brachypoda_= Taylor.--The absence of this widespread + lizard in our collections cannot be explained. Probably it + occurs in southern El Petén, for it is known in northern and + central El Petén and in Alta Verapaz. + + =_Dendrophidion vinitor_= Smith.--This snake is known from + Piedras Negras, El Petén and from various localities in Alta + Verapaz; it is an inhabitant of humid forest and should occur + in southern El Petén. + + =_Elaphe triaspis mutabilis_= (Cope).--The subspecies _E. + triaspis mutabilis_ is known from Alta Verapaz and _E. + triaspis triaspis_ from the Yucatán Peninsula, British + Honduras, and Uaxactún in northern El Petén. Because of the + much higher degree of resemblance between the faunas of + southern El Petén and Alta Verapaz as compared with southern + El Petén and Yucatán, _E. triaspis mutabilis_ would be + expected to occur in southern El Petén. + + =_Ninia diademata nietoi_= Burger and Werler.--This snake is + known from Tikal and from Alta Verapaz; it is a small + cryptophile that probably occurs in southern El Petén. + + =_Oxyrhophus petola aequifasciatus_= Werner.--This snake, which + probably is conspecific with _Oxyrhophus baileyi_ in southern + Veracruz, México, is known from Tikal, British Honduras, and + Alta Verapaz; it is expected in southern El Petén. + + =_Pliocercus elapoides salvini_= Müller.--This species is + widespread in the Atlantic lowlands of southern México and + northern Central America; the subspecies _P. elapoides + salvini_ occurs in Alta Verapaz and probably in southern El + Petén. + + =_Rhadinaea decorata decorata_= (Günther).--This is another + small cryptophile that is widespread on the Atlantic lowlands + from México to Panamá; it definitely is expected at places + like Chinajá in southern El Petén. + + =_Scaphiodontophis annulatus_= (Duméril and Bibron).--Three + subspecies of _Scaphiodontophis annulatus_ are recognized in + northern Central America: _S. annulatus annulatus_ from Alta + Verapaz, _S. annulatus hondurensis_ from northern Honduras, + and _S. annulatus carpicinctus_ from Piedras Negras and Tikal + in El Petén and from British Honduras. This rare and highly + variable species probably occurs in southern El Petén. + + =_Tantilla schistosa schistosa_= (Bocourt).--This widespread + species in Central America is known from several localities in + Alta Verapaz and almost certainly occurs in southern El Petén. + + =_Tropidodipsas sartori sartori_= Cope.--This fossorial species + has been collected in northern El Petén and in Alta Verapaz. + The natives at Chinajá described to me a _coral_ having orange + rings on a black body that likely was this species. + + =_Micrurus elegans veraepacis_= Schmidt.--This species has been + collected at various localities in Alta Verapaz and in + Chiapas, inhabits areas like those in southern El Petén, and + probably occurs there. + + + + +SUMMARY + + +A study of the amphibians and reptiles in the rainforests of southern El +Petén, Guatemala, reveals the presence of 78 species; an additional 13 +species probably occur there. In this tropical area having a high amount +of rainfall most of the species of amphibians and reptiles have +extensive ranges in the wet forests on the Atlantic lowlands of southern +México and northern Central America; some species that more frequently +are found in sub-humid forests also occur. + +Ecologically the fauna is divided into five major habitats--aquatic, +aquatic margin, fossorial, terrestrial, and arboreal. Forty-two per cent +of the 78 species are wholly or partly arboreal. The fauna is most +closely related to that in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, but includes many +species that occur in the Tikal-Uaxactún area in northeastern Guatemala. + +_Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ (Werner) and _E. rhodopis_ (Cope) are +redefined and their relationships are suggested. The color phases of +_Dryadophis melanolomus laevis_ and _D. m. alternatus_ are discussed; +_Dryadophis sanguiventris_ Taylor is synonymized with _Dryadophis +melanolomus alternatus_ (Bocourt). + +The breeding habits, eggs, and tadpoles of the hylid frogs _Hyla +ebraccata_ and _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_ are described, as are +the eggs and juveniles of _Laemanctus deborrei_. + + + + +LITERATURE CITED + + +BAYLOR, E. R. AND STUART, L. C. + + 1961. A new race of _Bufo valliceps_ from Guatemala. Proc. + Biol. Soc. Washington, 74:195-202, August 11. + +BOGERT, C. M. AND OLIVER, J. A. + + 1945. A preliminary analysis of the herpetofauna of Sonora. + Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 83:297-426, March 30. + +BROCCHI, P. + + 1881-1883 Étude des batraciens de l'Amerique Centrale. Mission + scientifique au Mexique. Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 3 + (2):1-122, pls. 1-21. + +DUELLMAN, W. E. + + 1958. A review of the frogs of the genus _Syrrhophus_ in + western Mexico. Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, + 594:1-15, pls. 1-3, June 6. + + 1960. A distributional study of the amphibians of the Isthmus + of Tehuantepec, México. Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist., + 13:21-72, August 16. + + 1961. A record size for _Drymarchon corais melanurus_. Copeia, + 1960 (4):367-368, January. + +DUNN, E. R. AND EMLEN, J. T. + + 1932. Reptiles and amphibians from Honduras. Proc. Acad. Nat. + Sci. Philadelphia, 84:21-32, March 22. + +FIRSCHEIN, I. L. AND SMITH, H. M. + + 1957. A high-crested race of toad (_Bufo valliceps_) and other + noteworthy reptiles and amphibians from southern Mexico. + Herpetologica, 13:219-222, October 31. + +LUNDELL, C. L. + + 1937. The vegetation of Petén. Carnegie Institute Washington + Publ. 178:1-244, pls. 1-39. June 16. + +NEILL, W. T. AND ALLEN, R. + + 1959. Studies on the amphibians and reptiles of British + Honduras. Publ. Ross Allen's Reptile Inst., 2:1-76, November + 10. + +SAPPER, K. + + 1932. Klimakunde von Mittelamerika. _In_ Handbuch Klimakunde, + 2:1-74, Taf. 1-13. + +SCHMIDT, K. P. + + 1936. Guatemalan salamanders of the genus _Oedipus_. Zool. + Ser. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 20:135-166, October 31. + + 1941. The amphibians and reptiles of British Honduras. Zool. + Ser. Field Mus. Nat. Hist, 22:475-510, December 30. + + 1946. Turtles collected by the Smithsonian Biological Survey + of the Panamá Canal Zone. Smithsonian Misc. Coll., 106 + (8):1-9, pl. 1, August 1. + +SIMPSON, G. G. + + 1960. Notes on the measurement of faunal resemblance. Amer. + Jour. Sci., 258-A:300-311. + +SMITH, H. M. AND TAYLOR, E. H. + + 1945. An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico. + Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., 187: iv + 239 pp., October 5. + + 1948. An annotated checklist and key to the amphibia of + Mexico. Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., 194: iv + 118 pp., June 17. + + 1950. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Mexico + exclusive of the snakes. Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., 199: v + 253 + pp., October 26. + +STUART, L. C. + + 1934. A contribution to a knowledge of the herpetological + fauna of El Peten, Guatemala. Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Univ. + Michigan, 292:1-18, June 29. + + 1935. A contribution to a knowledge of the herpetology of a + portion of the savanna region of central Petén, Guatemala. + Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 29:1-56, pls. 1-4, + October 1. + + 1937. Some further notes on the amphibians and reptiles of the + Peten forest of northern Guatemala. Copeia, 1937 (1):67-70, + April 10. + + 1941a. Studies of Neotropical Colubrinae VIII. A revision of + the genus _Dryadophis_ Stuart, 1939. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. + Univ. Michigan, 49:1-105, pls. 1-4, March 19. + + 1941b. Two new species of _Eleutherodactylus_ from Guatemala. + Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 54:197-200, December 8. + + 1943. Taxonomic and geographic comments on Guatemalan + salamanders of the genus _Oedipus_. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. + Univ. Michigan, 56:1-33, pls. 1-2, January 30. + + 1948. The amphibians and reptiles of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. + Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 69:1-109, June 12. + + 1950. A geographic study of the herpetofauna of Alta Verapaz, + Guatemala. Contr. Lab. Vert. Biol. Univ. Michigan, 45:1-77, + pls. 1-9, May. + + 1958. A study of the herpetofauna of the Uaxactun-Tikal area + of northern El Peten, Guatemala. Contr. Lab. Vert. Biol. Univ. + Michigan, 75:1-30, June. + +TAYLOR, E. H. + + 1936. A taxonomic study of the cosmopolitan scincoid lizards + of the genus _Eumeces_. Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull., 23:1-643, + August 15. + + 1954. Further studies on the serpents of Costa Rica. Univ. + Kansas Sci. Bull., 36:673-801, July 15. + +TAYLOR, E. H. AND SMITH, H. M. + + 1945. Summary of collections of amphibians made in Mexico + under the Walter Rathbone Bacon Traveling Scholarship. Proc. + U. S. Natl. Mus., 95:521-613, June 30. + +_Transmitted November 29, 1962._ + +29-5935 + + + + +UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Institutional libraries interested in publications exchange may obtain +this series by addressing the Exchange Librarian, University of Kansas +Library, Lawrence, Kansas. Copies for individuals, persons working in a +particular field of study, may be obtained by addressing instead the +Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. There +is no provision for sale of this series by the University Library, which +meets institutional requests, or by the Museum of Natural History, which +meets the requests of individuals. However, when individuals request +copies from the Museum, 25 cents should be included, for each separate +number that is 100 pages or more in length, for the purpose of defraying +the costs of wrapping and mailing. + +* An asterisk designates those numbers of which the Museum's supply (not +the Library's supply) is exhausted. Numbers published to date, in this +series, are as follows: + + Vol. 1. Nos. 1-26 and index. Pp. 1-638, 1946-1950. + +*Vol. 2. (Complete) Mammals of Washington. By Walter W. Dalquest. + Pp. 1-444, 140 figures in text. April 9, 1948. + + Vol. 3. *1. The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and + distribution. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures + in text. June 19, 1951. + + *2. A quantitative study of the nocturnal migration Of birds. + By George H. Lowery, Jr. Pp. 361-472, 47 figures in text. + June 29, 1951. + + 3. Phylogeny of the waxwings and allied birds. By M. Dale + Arvey. Pp. 473-530, 49 figures in text, 13 tables. October + 10, 1951. + + *4. Birds from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. By George H. + Lowery, Jr., and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 531-649, 7 + figures in text, 2 tables. October 10, 1951. + + Index. Pp. 651-681. + +*Vol. 4. (Complete) American weasels. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 1-466, 41 + plates, 31 figures in text. December 27, 1951. + + Vol. 5. Nos. 1-37 and index. Pp. 1-676, 1951-1953. + +*Vol. 6. (Complete) Mammals of Utah, _taxonomy and distribution_. By + Stephen D. Durrant. Pp. 1-549, 91 figures in text, 30 + tables. August 10, 1952. + + Vol. 7. Nos. 1-15 and index. Pp. 1-651, 1952-1955. + + Vol. 8. Nos. 1-10 and index. Pp. 1-675. 1954-1956. + + Vol. 9. *1. Speciation of the wandering shrew. By James S. Findley. + Pp. 1-68, 18 figures in text. December 10, 1955. + + 2. Additional records and extension of ranges of mammals from + Utah. By Stephen D. Durrant, M. Raymond Lee, and Richard + M. Hansen. Pp. 69-80. December 10, 1955. + + 3. A new long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) from northeastern + Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker and Howard J. Stains. Pp. + 81-84. December 10, 1955. + + 4. Subspeciation in the meadow mouse, Microtus + pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. + 85-104, 2 figures in text. May 10, 1956. + + 5. The condylarth genus Ellipsodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. + 105-116, 6 figures in text. May 19, 1956. + + 6. Additional remains of the multituberculate genus + Eucosmodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. 117-123, 10 figures + in text. May 19, 1956. + + 7. Mammals of Coahuila, Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. + 125-335, 75 figures in text. June 15, 1956. + + 8. Comments on the taxonomic status of Apodemus peninsulae, + with description of a new subspecies from North China. By + J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 337-346, 1 figure in text, 1 table. + August 15, 1956. + + 9. Extensions of known ranges of Mexican bats. By Sydney + Anderson. Pp. 347-351. August 15, 1956. + + 10. A new bat (Genus Leptonycteris) from Coahuila. By Howard + J. Stains. Pp. 353-356. January 21, 1957. + + 11. A new species of pocket gopher (Genus Pappogeomys) from + Jalisco, Mexico. By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 357-361. + January 21, 1957. + + 12. Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Thomomys + bottae, in Colorado. By Phillip M. Youngman. Pp. 363-387, + 7 figures in text. February 21, 1958. + + 13. New bog lemming (genus Synaptomys) from Nebraska. By J. + Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 385-388. May 12, 1958. + + 14. Pleistocene bats from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo León, + México. By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 389-396. December 19, + 1958. + + 15. New subspecies of the rodent Baiomys from Central America. + By Robert L. Packard. Pp. 397-404. December 19, 1958. + + 16. Mammals of the Grand Mesa, Colorado. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 405-414, 1 figure in text. May 20, 1959. + + 17. Distribution, variation, and relationships of the montane + vole, Microtus montanus. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 415-511, + 12 figures in text, 2 tables. August 1, 1959. + + 18. Conspecificity of two pocket mice, Perognathus goldmani + and P. artus. By E. Raymond Hall and Marilyn Bailey + Ogilvie. Pp. 513-518, 1 map. January 14, 1960. + + 19. Records of harvest mice, Reithrodontomys, from Central + America, with description of a new subspecies from + Nicaragua. By Sydney Anderson and J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. + 519-529. January 14, 1960. + + 20. Small carnivores from San Josecito Cave (Pleistocene), + Nuevo León, México. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 531-538, 1 + figure in text. January 14, 1960. + + 21. Pleistocene pocket gophers from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo + León, México. By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 539-548, 1 figure + in text. January 14, 1960. + + 22. Review of the insectivores of Korea. By J. Knox Jones, + Jr., and David H. Johnson. Pp. 549-578. February 23, 1960. + + 23. Speciation and evolution of the pygmy mice, genus Baiomys. + By Robert L. Packard. Pp. 579-670, 4 plates, 12 figures in + text. June 16, 1960. + + Index. Pp. 671-690 + + Vol. 10. 1. Studies of birds killed in nocturnal migration. By + Harrison B. Tordoff and Robert M. Mengel. Pp. 1-44, 6 + figures in text, 2 tables. September 12, 1956. + + 2. Comparative breeding behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and + A. maritima. By Glen E. Woolfenden. Pp. 45-75, 6 plates, 1 + figure. December 20, 1956. + + 3. The forest habitat of the University of Kansas Natural + History Reservation. By Henry S. Fitch and Ronald R. + McGregor. Pp. 77-127, 2 plates, 7 figures in text, 4 + tables. December 31, 1956. + + 4. Aspects of reproduction and development in the prairie + vole (Microtus ochrogaster). By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. + 129-161, 8 figures in text, 4 tables. December 19, 1957. + + 5. Birds found on the Arctic slope of northern Alaska. By + James W. Bee. Pp. 163-211, plates 9-10, 1 figure in text. + March 12, 1958. + + *6. The wood rats of Colorado: distribution and ecology. By + Robert B. Finley, Jr. Pp. 213-552, 34 plates, 8 figures + in text, 35 tables. November 7, 1958. + + 7. Home ranges and movements of the eastern cottontail in + Kansas. By Donald W. Janes. Pp. 553-572, 4 plates, 3 + figures in text. May 4, 1959. + + 8. Natural history of the salamander, Aneides hardyi. By + Richard F. Johnston and Gerhard A. Schad. Pp. 573-585. + October 8, 1959. + + 9. A new subspecies of lizard, Cnemidophorus sacki, from + Michoacán, México. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 587-598, + 2 figures in text. May 2, 1960. + + 10. A taxonomic study of the middle-American snake, Pituophis + deppei. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 599-610, 1 plate, 1 + figure in text. May 2, 1960. + + Index. Pp. 611-626. + + Vol. 11. Nos. 1-10 and index. Pp. 1-703, 1958-1960. + + Vol. 12. 1. Functional morphology of three bats: Sumops, Myotis, + Macrotus. By Terry A. Vaughan. Pp. 1-153, 4 plates, 24 + figures in text. July 8, 1959. + + *2. The ancestry of modern Amphibia: a review of the evidence. + By Theodore H. Eaton, Jr. Pp. 155-180, 10 figures in text. + July 10, 1959. + + 3. The baculum in microtine rodents. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. + 181-216, 49 figures in text. February 19, 1960. + + *4. A new order of fishlike Amphibia from the Pennsylvanian of + Kansas. By Theodore H. Eaton, Jr., and Peggy Lou Stewart. + Pp. 217-240, 12 figures in text. May 2, 1960. + + 5. Natural history of the bell vireo. By Jon C. Barlow. Pp. + 241-296, 6 figures in text. March 7, 1962. + + 6. Two new pelycosaurs from the lower Permian of Oklahoma. By + Richard C. Fox. Pp. 297-307, 6 figures in text. May 21, + 1962. + + 7. Vertebrates from the barrier island of Tamaulipas, México. + By Robert K. Selander, Richard F. Johnston, B. J. Wilks, + and Gerald G. Raun. Pp. 309-345, pls. 5-8. June 18, 1962. + + 8. Teeth of Edestid sharks. By Theodore H. Eaton, Jr. Pp. + 347-362, 10 figures in text. October 1, 1962. + + More numbers will appear in volume 12. + + Vol. 13. 1. Five natural hybrid combinations in minnows (Cyprinidae). + By Frank B. Cross and W. L. Minckley. Pp. 1-18. June 1, + 1960. + + 2. A distributional study of the amphibians of the + Isthmus of Tehuantepec, México. By William E. Duellman. + Pp. 19-72, pls. 1-8, 3 figures in text. August 16, 1960. + + 3. A new subspecies of the slider turtle (Pseudemys scripta) + from Coahuila, México. By John M. Legler. Pp. 73-84, pls. + 9-12, 3 figures in text. August 16, 1960. + + 4. Autecology of the copperhead. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. + 85-288, pls. 13-20, 26 figures in text. November 30, 1960. + + 5. Occurrence of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, in + the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. By Henry S. Fitch + and T. Paul Maslin. Pp. 289-308, 4 figures in text. + February 10, 1961. + + 6. Fishes of the Wakarusa river in Kansas. By James E. Deacon + and Artie L. Metcalf. Pp. 309-322, 1 figure in text. + February 10, 1961. + + 7. Geographic variation in the North American cyprinid fish, + Hybopsis gracilis. By Leonard J. Olund and Frank B. Cross. + Pp. 323-348, pls. 21-24, 2 figures in text. February 10, + 1961. + + 8. Descriptions of two species of frogs, genus Ptychohyla; + studies of American hylid frogs, V. By William E. + Duellman. Pp. 349-357, pl. 25, 2 figures in text. April + 27, 1961. + + 9. Fish populations, following a drought, in the Neosho and + Marais des Cygnes rivers of Kansas. By James Everett + Deacon. Pp. 359-427, pls. 26-30, 3 figs. August 11, 1961. + + 10. Recent soft-shelled turtles of North America (family + Trionychidae). By Robert G. Webb. Pp. 429-611, pls. 31-54, + 24 figures in text. February 16, 1962. + + Index. Pp. 613-624. + + Vol. 14. 1. Neotropical bats from western México. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 1-8. October 24, 1960. + + 2. Geographic variation in the harvest mouse. Reithrodontomys + megalotis, on the central Great Plains and in adjacent + regions. By J. Knox Jones, Jr., and B. Mursaloglu. Pp. + 9-27, 1 figure in text. July 24, 1961. + + 3. Mammals of Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. By Sydney + Anderson. Pp. 29-67, pls. 1 and 2, 3 figures in text. July + 24, 1961. + + 4. A new subspecies of the black myotis (bat) from eastern + Mexico. By E. Raymond Hall and Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 69-72, + 1 figure in text. December 29, 1961. + + 5. North American yellow bats, "Dasypterus," and a list of + the named kinds of the genus Lasiurus Gray. By E. Raymond + Hall and J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 73-98, 4 figures in text. + December 29, 1961. + + 6. Natural history of the brush mouse (Peromyscus boylii) in + Kansas with description of a new subspecies. By Charles A. + Long. Pp. 99-111, 1 figure in text. December 29, 1961. + + 7. Taxonomic status of some mice of the Peromyscus boylii + group in eastern Mexico, with description of a new + subspecies. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 113-120, 1 figure in + text. December 29, 1961. + + 8. A new subspecies of ground squirrel (Spermophilus + spilosoma) from Tamaulipas, Mexico. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. + 121-124. March 7, 1962. + + 9. Taxonomic status of the free-tailed bat, Tadarida + yucatanica Miller. By J. Knox Jones, Jr., and Ticul + Alvarez. Pp. 125-133, 1 figure in text. March 7, 1962. + + 10. A new doglike carnivore, genus Cynaretus, from the + Clarendonian Pliocene, of Texas. By E. Raymond Hall and + Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 135-138, 2 figures in text. April + 30, 1962. + + 11. A new subspecies of wood rat (Neotoma) from northeastern + Mexico. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 139-143. April 30, 1962. + + 12. Noteworthy mammals from Sinaloa, Mexico. By J. Knox Jones, + Jr., Ticul Alvarez, and M. Raymond Lee. Pp. 145-159, 1 + figure in text. May 18, 1962. + + 13. A new bat (Myotis) from Mexico. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. + 161-164, 1 figure in text. May 21, 1962. + + 14. The mammals of Veracruz. By E. Raymond Hall and Walter W. + Dalquest. Pp. 165-362, 2 figures. May 20, 1963. + + 15. The recent mammals of Tamaulipas, México. By Ticul + Alvarez. Pp. 363-473, 5 figures in text. May 20, 1963. + + More numbers will appear in volume 14. + + Vol. 15. 1. The amphibians and reptiles of Michoacán, México. By + William E. Duellman. Pp. 1-148, pls. 1-6, 11 figures in + text. December 20, 1961. + + 2. Some reptiles and amphibians from Korea. By Robert G. + Webb, J. Knox Jones, Jr., and George W. Byers. Pp. + 149-173. January 31, 1962. + + 3. A new species of frog (Genus Tomodactylus) from western + México. By Robert G. Webb, Pp. 175-181, 1 figure in text. + March 7, 1962. + + 4. Type specimens of amphibians and reptiles in the Museum + of Natural History, the University of Kansas. By William + E. Duellman and Barbara Berg. Pp. 183-204. October 26, + 1962. + + 5. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El + Petén, Guatemala. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 205-249, + pls. 7-10, 6 figures in text. October 4, 1963. + + More numbers will appear in volume 15. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Amphibians and Reptiles of the +Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala, by William E. Duellman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF *** + +***** This file should be named 38398-8.txt or 38398-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/3/9/38398/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Duellman.</title> +<style type="text/css"> +body +{ + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 +{ + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p +{ + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} +div.c7 { text-align: center } + +hr +{ + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap { width: 65% } + +table +{ + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.tdl { text-align: left; } + +.tdr { text-align: right; } + +.tdc { text-align: center; } + +.pagenum +{ /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +}.blockquot +{ + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.smcap { font-variant: small-caps; } + +.caption { font-weight: bold; } + +.figcenter +{ + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.footnote +{ + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + font-size: 0.9em; +} + +.footnote .label +{ + position: absolute; + right: 84%; + text-align: right; +} + +.fnanchor +{ + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests +of Southern El Peten, Guatemala, by William E. Duellman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala + +Author: William E. Duellman + +Release Date: December 24, 2011 [EBook #38398] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p> +<h2><img src="images/bar_double.png" alt="double bar" height="15" width="100%" /></h2> +<div class="smcap"> + <h2><span class="smcap">University of Kansas Publications</span><br /> + <span class="smcap">Museum of Natural History</span></h2> +</div> +<h2>Volume 15, No. 5, pp. 205-249, pls. 7-10, 6 figs.</h2> +<div class="c7"> + <h2><img src="images/bar_single.png" title="bar" alt="bar" height="15" width="28%" /> October 4, 1963 <img src="images/bar_single.png" title="bar" alt="bar" height="15" width="28%" /></h2> +</div> +<p> </p> +<h1>Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests + of Southern El Petén, Guatemala</h1> +<h3>BY</h3> +<h3>WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN </h3> +<p> </p> +<h2><span class="smcap">University of Kansas<br /> + Lawrence<br /> + </span>1963 </h2> +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span></p> +<h3> <span class="smcap">University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History</span><br /> + <br /> + Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch,<br /> + Theodore H. Eaton, Jr.</h3> +<p> </p> +<h4>Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 205-249, pls. 7-10, 6 figs.<br /> + Published October 4, 1963</h4> +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">University of Kansas</span><br /> + Lawrence, Kansas</h3> +<p> </p> +<h5>PRINTED BY<br /> + JEAN M. NEIBARGER, STATE PRINTER<br /> + TOPEKA, KANSAS<br /> + 1963<br /> + <br /> + <br /> + 29-5935<br /> +</h5> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="Amphibians_and_Reptiles_of_the_Rainforests" id="Amphibians_and_Reptiles_of_the_Rainforests"></a>Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests + of Southern El Petén, Guatemala</h2> +<h3>BY</h3> +<h3>WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN</h3> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<div class="c7"> + <table summary="toc" cellpadding="3" width="70%" + style="border-collapse: collapse"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td + class="tdr"><small>PAGE</small></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Introduction</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#INTRODUCTION">207</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"> Acknowledgments</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Acknowledgments">208</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Description of Area</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#DESCRIPTION_OF_THE_AREA">208</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"> Physiography</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Physiography">209</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"> Climate</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"> Vegetation</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Vegetation">209</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Gazetteer</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#GAZETTEER">210</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Herpetofauna of the Rainforest</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_HERPETOFAUNA_OF_THE_RAINFOREST">211</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"> Composition of the Fauna</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Composition_of_the_Fauna">212</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"> Ecology of the Herpetofauna</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Ecology_of_the_Herpetofauna_">212</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdl"> Relationships of the Fauna</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Relationships_of_the_Fauna">217</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Accounts of Species</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#ACCOUNTS_OF_SPECIES">218</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Hypothetical List of Species</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#HYPOTHETICAL_LIST_OF_SPECIES">246</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Summary</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#SUMMARY">247</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2" class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Literature Cited</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#LITERATURE_CITED">247</a></td> + </tr> + </table> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a>INTRODUCTION</h2> +<p>Early in 1960 an unusual opportunity arose to carry on biological + field work in the midst of virgin rainforest in southern El Petén, + Guatemala. At that time the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala had + an air strip and camp at Chinajá, from which place the company + was constructing a road northward through the forest. In mid-February, + 1960, J. Knox Jones, Jr. and I flew into El Petén to + collect and study mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. While enjoying + the comforts of the fine field camp at Chinajá, we worked + in the surrounding forest and availed ourselves of the opportunity + to be on hand when the road crews were cutting the tall trees in + the forest, thereby bringing to the ground many interesting specimens + of the arboreal fauna. We stayed at Chinajá until late March, + with the exception of a week spent at Toocog, another camp of the + Ohio Oil Company located 15 kilometers southeast of La Libertad + and on the edge of the savanna. Thus, at Toocog we were able<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> to work both in the forest and on the savanna. In the summer of + 1960, John Wellman accompanied me to El Petén for two weeks + in June and July. Most of our time was spent at Chinajá, but a + few days were spent at Toocog and other localities in south-central + El Petén.</p> +<p>Many areas in Guatemala have been studied intensively by + L. C. Stuart, who has published on the herpetofauna of the forested + area of northeastern El Petén (1958), the savannas of central + El Petén (1935), and the humid mountainous region to the south + of El Petén in Alta Verapaz (1948 and 1950). The area studied + by me and my companions is covered with rainforest and lies to + the north of the highlands of Alta Verapaz and to the south of the + savannas of central El Petén. A few specimens of amphibians + and reptiles were obtained in this area in 1935 by C. L. Hubbs + and Henry van der Schalie; this collection, reported on by Stuart + (1937), contained only one species, <i>Cochranella fleischmanni</i>, not + present in our collection of 77 species and 617 specimens.</p> +<h3><a name="Acknowledgments" id="Acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</a></h3> +<p>I am grateful to L. C. Stuart of the University of Michigan, who made the + initial arrangements for our work in El Petén, aided me in the identification + of certain specimens, and helped in the preparation of this report. J. Knox + Jones, Jr. and John Wellman were able field companions, who added greatly + to the number of specimens in the collection. In Guatemala, Clark M. + Shimeall and Harold Hoopman of the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala made + available to us the facilities of the company's camps at Chinajá and Toocog. + Alberto Alcain and Luis Escaler welcomed us at Chinajá and gave us every + possible assistance. Juan Monteras and Antonio Aldaña made our stay at + Toocog enjoyable and profitable. During our visits to southern El Petén, Julio + Bolón C. worked for us as a collector, and between March and June he collected + and saved many valuable specimens; his knowledge of the forest and + its inhabitants was a great asset to our work. Jorge A. Ibarra, Director of + the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural in Guatemala assisted us in obtaining + necessary permits and extended other kindnesses. To all of these people I + am indebted for the essential parts that they played in the completion of this + study.</p> +<p>Field work in the winter of 1960 was made possible by funds from the + American Heart Association for the purposes of collecting mammalian hearts. + My field work in the summer of 1960 was supported by a grant from the + Graduate Research Fund of the University of Kansas.</p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="DESCRIPTION_OF_THE_AREA" id="DESCRIPTION_OF_THE_AREA"></a>DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA</h2> +<p>A vast lowland region stretches northward for approximately + 700 kilometers from the highlands of Guatemala to the Gulf of + Mexico. The northern two-thirds of this low plain is bordered on + three sides by seas and forms the Yucatán Peninsula. The lowlands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> at the base of the Yucatán Peninsula make up the Departamento + El Petén of Guatemala. The area with which this report is concerned + consists of the south-central part of El Petén.</p> +<h3><a name="Physiography" id="Physiography">Physiography</a></h3> +<p>Immediately south of Chinajá is a range of hills, the Serrania de Chinajá, + having an almost due east-west axis and a crest of about 600 meters above + sea level. South of the Serrania de Chinajá are succeedingly higher ridges + building up to the Meseta de Cobán and Sierra de Pocolha and eventually + to the main Guatemalan highlands. The northern face of the Serrania de + Chinajá is a fault scarp dropping abruptly from about 650 meters at the crest + to about 140 meters at the base. From the base of the Serrania de Chinajá + northward to the Río de la Pasión at Sayaxché the terrain is gently rolling + and has a total relief of about 50 meters. North of the Río de la Pasión is + a low dome reaching an elevation of 170 meters at La Libertad; see Stuart + (1935:12) for further discussion of the physiography of central El Petén. + The rocks in southern El Petén are predominately Miocene marine limestones; + there are occasional pockets of Pliocene deposits. There is little evidence + of subterranean solution at Chinajá, but northward in central El Petén karsting + is common. The upper few inches of soil is humus rich in organic matter; + below this is clay.</p> +<h3><a name="Climate" id="Climate">Climate</a></h3> +<p>The climate of El Petén is tropical with equable temperatures throughout + the year. Temperatures at Chinajá varied between a night-time low of 65° F. + and a daytime high of 91° F. during the time of our visits. In the Köppen + system of classification the climate at Chinajá and Toocog is Af. Rain falls + throughout the year, but there is a noticeable dry season. To anyone who + has traveled from south to north in El Petén and the Yucatán Peninsula, it is + obvious from the changes in vegetation that there is a decrease in rainfall + from south to north. There is a noticeable difference between Chinajá and + Toocog. Although rainfall data are not available for Chinajá and Toocog, + there are records for nearby stations (Sapper, 1932). At Paso Caballos on + the Río San Pedro about 40 kilometers northwest of Toocog the average + annual rainfall amounts to 1620 mm.; the driest month is March (21 mm.), + and the wettest months are June (269 mm.) and September (265 mm.). At + Cubilquitz, Alta Verapaz, about 35 kilometers south-southwest of Chinajá + and at an elevation of 300 meters, the average annual rainfall is 4006 mm.; + the driest month is March (128 mm.), and the wettest months are July (488 + mm.) and October (634 mm.).</p> +<p>During the 18 days in February and March, 1960, that we kept records on + the weather at Chinajá moderate to heavy showers occurred on seven days. + During our stay there in June and July rain fell every day, as it did in Toocog. + However, during the week spent at Toocog in March no rain fell.</p> +<h3><a name="Vegetation" id="Vegetation">Vegetation</a></h3> +<p>The vegetation of northern and central El Petén has been studied by + Lundell (1937), who made only passing remarks concerning the plants of the + southern part of El Petén. No floristic studies have been made there. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> following remarks are necessarily brief and are intended only to give the + reader a general picture of the forest. I have included names of a few of + the commoner trees that I recognized.</p> +<p>Chinajá is located in a vast expanse of unbroken rainforest. In this forest + there is a noticeable stratification of the vegetation. Three strata are apparent; + in the uppermost layer the tops of the trees are from 40 to 50 meters above + the ground. The spreading crowns of the trees and the interlacing vines form + a nearly continuous canopy over the lower layers. Among the common trees + in the upper stratum are <i>Calophyllum brasiliense</i>, <i>Castilla elastica</i>, <i>Cedrela + mexicana</i>, <i>Ceiba pentandra</i>, <i>Didalium guianense</i>, <i>Ficus</i> sp., <i>Sideroxylon lundelli</i>, <i>Swietenia macrophylla</i>, and <i>Vitex</i> sp. (Pl. 1, fig. 1). The middle layer of + trees have crowns about 25 meters above the ground; these trees in some + places where the upper canopy is missing form the tallest trees in the forest. This + is especially true on steep hillsides. Common trees in the middle layer include <i>Achras zapote</i>, <i>Bombax ellipticum</i>, <i>Cecropia mexicana</i>, <i>Orbignya cohune</i>, and <i>Sabal</i> sp. The lowermost layer reaches a height of about 10 meters; in many + places in the forest this layer is absent. Common trees in the lower stratum + include <i>Crysophila argentea</i>, <i>Cymbopetalum penduliflorum</i>, <i>Casearia</i> sp., and <i>Hasseltia dioica</i>.</p> +<p>The ground cover is sparce; apparently only a few small herbs and ferns + live on the heavily shaded forest floor. Important herpetological habitats + include the leaf litter, rotting stumps, and rotting tree trunks on the forest + floor and the buttresses of many of the gigantic trees, especially <i>Ceiba pentandra</i> (Pl. 2). Epiphytes, especially various kinds of bromeliads, are common. + Most frequently these are in the trees in the upper and middle strata.</p> +<p>At Toocog there is sharp break between savanna and forest (Pl. 7, fig. 2). + The forest is noticeably drier and more open than at Chinajá (Pl. 9). The + crowns of the trees are lower, and there is no nearly continuous canopy between + 40 and 50 meters above the ground. Although <i>Swietenia macrophylla</i> and + other large trees occur, they are less common than at Chinajá. Especially + common at Toocog are <i>Achras zapote</i>, <i>Brosimum alicastrum</i>, and various species + of <i>Ficus</i>.</p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="GAZETTEER" id="GAZETTEER"></a>GAZETTEER</h2> +<p>The localities from which specimens were obtained are cited below and + shown on the accompanying map (Fig. 1).</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i009.jpg" width="600" height="539" alt=""/> <span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span> Map of El Petén, Guatemala, showing localities mentioned in text.</span> </div> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá.—Lat. 16° 02´, long. 90° 13´, elev. 140 m. Camp of the Ohio Oil + Company of Guatemala and formerly a small settlement. On some maps + Chinajá is located just to the north of the Alta Verapaz—El Petén boundary; + recent surveys place the location just to the south of the imaginary line + through the rainforest. Field work was conducted in the immediate vicinity + of the camp, on the lower slopes of the Serrania de Chinajá, and at several + sites to the northwest and north-northwest of Chinajá, where the forest + was being cleared. The entire area supports rainforest.</p> + <p>La Libertad.—Lat. 16° 47´, long. 90° 07´, elev., 170 m. A town on the + savannas in central El Petén; although we collected there in the rainy season, + the specimens obtained on the savannas are not included in this report.</p> + <p>Paso Subín.—Lat. 16° 38´, long. 90° 12´, elev. 90 m. A small settlement on + the Río Subín, a tributary of the Río de la Pasión. Specimens were obtained + in rainforest in the immediate vicinity of the settlement.</p> + <p>Río de la Pasión.—A large river flowing northward through southern El Petén + and thence westward into the Río Usumacinta. Specimens were obtained + along the river between the Río Subín and Sayaxché.</p> + <p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p> + <p>Río San Román.—A river flowing northward in south-central El Petén to the + Río Salinas (Usumacinta). We collected along the river at a place about + 16 kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá, approximately at Lat. 16° 10´, + long. 90° 17´, elev. 110 m. In the dry season the river was clear; it is + surrounded by rainforest.</p> + <p>Sayaxché.—Lat. 16° 31´, long. 90° 09´, elev. 80 m. A town on the southern + bank of the Río de la Pasión. Specimens were obtained in the rainforest + and in cleared areas in the immediate vicinity of the town.</p> + <p>Toocog (formerly Sojío).—Lat. 16° 41´, long. 90° 02´, elev. 140 m. A camp + of the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala located at the rainforest-savanna + edge, 15 kilometers southeast of La Libertad. Although we collected on + the savannas as well as in the forest, especially to the east of the camp, + only species obtained in the forest are considered in this report.</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="THE_HERPETOFAUNA_OF_THE_RAINFOREST" id="THE_HERPETOFAUNA_OF_THE_RAINFOREST"></a>THE HERPETOFAUNA OF THE RAINFOREST</h2> +<p>In presenting an account of the herpetofauna of southern El Petén three + items need to be considered: (1) The composition of the fauna; (2) the + ecology of the fauna; (3) the relationships of the fauna. Each of these + topics is discussed briefly below. Logically a discussion of the origin of the + fauna should follow, but this is being withheld for inclusion in a report + on the herpetofauna of the entire El Petén by L. C. Stuart and the author; + at that time the above topics will be expanded to cover the herpetofauna of + the whole region.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p> +<h3><a name="Composition_of_the_Fauna" id="Composition_of_the_Fauna">Composition of the Fauna</a></h3> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">Table 1.—Composition of the Herpetofauna in Southern + El Petén, Guatemala.</span></p> +<div class="c7"> + <table summary="Composition of the Herpetofauna in Southern + El Petén, Guatemala." cellpadding="2" width="80%" +style="border-collapse: collapse" > + <tr> + <td + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"><p class="tdc">Group</p></td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Families</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Genera</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Species</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Gymnophiona</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> (1)<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a></td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">(1)</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">(1)</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Caudata</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">1</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">1</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">2</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Salientia</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">6</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> 10 (1)</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> 19 (1)</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Crocodilia</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">1</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">1</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">1</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Testudines</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">4</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">7</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">8</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Sauria</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">6</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> 13 (1)</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> 19 (1)</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Serpentes</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">4</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> 21 (7)</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> 29 (10)</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px"><p class="tdc">Total</p></td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px">22 (1)</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px">53 (10)</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px">78 (13)</td> + </tr> + </table> +</div> +<div class="footnote"> + <p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> Numbers in parenthesis indicate the number of additional taxa that probably occur.</p> +</div> +<p>A total of 78 species of amphibians and reptiles has been found in the + rainforests in southern El Petén; a break down into families and genera is + given in table 1. Another 13 species probably occur in southern El Petén (see + Hypothetical List of Species). The fauna primarily is composed of typical + humid lowland forest inhabitants, such as:</p> +<div class="c7"> + <table summary="typical fauna of typical + humid lowland forest inhabitants" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" + width="80%"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Hyla ebraccata</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Eumeces sumichrasti</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Hyla loquax</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Ameiva festiva edwardsi</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori </i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Imantodes cenchoa leucomelas</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Smilisca phaeota cyanosticta</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Leptophis ahaetulla praestans</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Anolis biporcatus</i></td> + <td + class="tdl"><i>Xenodon rabdocephalus mexicanus</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Anolis capito</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Bothrops nasutus</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Anolis humilis uniformis</i></td> + <td + class="tdl"><i>Bothrops schlegeli schlegeli</i></td> + </tr> + </table> +</div> +<p>Nevertheless, the region also provides at least a limited amount of habitat + suitable for some species that are more frequently found in open forest of + a drier nature; such species include:</p> +<div class="c7"> + <table summary="species that are more frequently found in open forest of + a drier nature" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="80%"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Hyla microcephala martini</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Anolis sericeus sericeus </i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Hyla staufferi</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Eumeces schwartzei</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Oxybelis aeneus aeneus</i></td> + </tr> + </table> +</div> +<p>Because of the absence of sufficiently open habitat or owing to the + presence of competitors, some conspicuous members of sub-humid forests are + not present in southern El Petén. Conspicuous absentees are the following:</p> +<div class="c7"> + <table summary="conspicuous members of sub-humid forests + not present in southern El Petén" cellpadding="4" width="80%" + style="border-collapse: collapse"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Rhinophrynus dorsalis </i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Ameiva undulata</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Phrynohyas spilomma</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Cnemidophorus angusticeps</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Triprion petasatus</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Conophis lineatus</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Anolis tropidonotus</i></td> + <td class="tdl"><i>Masticophis mentovarius mentovarius</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Ctenosaura similis</i></td> + <td class="tdl"></td> + </tr> + </table> +</div> +<h2>PLATE 7 </h2> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/pl7-1.jpg" width="600" height="421" alt="Fig. 1. Edge of rainforest along airstrip at Chinajá, El Petén, Guatemala." /> <span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span> Edge of rainforest along airstrip at Chinajá, El Petén, Guatemala.</span></div> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/pl7-2.jpg" width="600" height="421" alt="Fig. 2. Rainforest at edge of savanna at Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala." /> <span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span> Rainforest at edge of savanna at Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala.</span> </div> +<h2>PLATE 8</h2> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i012.jpg" width="600" height="954" alt="Interior of rainforest at Chinajá. Notice size of buttresses on large tree (Ceiba pentandra)."/> <span class="caption"> Interior of rainforest at Chinajá. Notice size of buttresses on large tree (<i>Ceiba + pentandra</i>). </span> </div> +<h2> PLATE 9 </h2> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i013.jpg" width="600" height="939" alt="Interior of rainforest at Toocog. Notice less dense vegetation as compared with Pl. 8."/> <span class="caption"> Interior of rainforest at Toocog. Notice less dense vegetation as compared + with Pl. 8. </span> </div> +<h2>PLATE 10 </h2> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/pl10-1.jpg" width="600" height="419" alt="Fig. 1. Rainforest along Río San Román, 16 kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá."/> <span class="caption"> <span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span> Rainforest along Río San Román, 16 kilometers north-northwest of + Chinajá. </span></div> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/pl10-2.jpg" width="600" height="423" alt="Fig. 2. Rain pond in forest at Toocog. This was a breeding site for six species of frogs."/> <span class="caption"> <span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span> Rain pond in forest at Toocog. This was a breeding site for six species + of frogs. </span> </div> +<h3><a name="Ecology_of_the_Herpetofauna_" id="Ecology_of_the_Herpetofauna_">Ecology of the Herpetofauna</a></h3> +<p>Our two visits to Chinajá and Toocog afforded the opportunity + to gather data on the ecology of the rainforests of southern El Petén + and to study the relationships between the environment and members + of the herpetofauna. Tropical rainforests present the optimum<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> conditions for life, and it is in this environment that life + reaches its greatest diversity. Here, too, biological inter-relationships + are most complex. This complexity is illustrated by the + presence of many species of some genera, all of which are found + together in the same geographic region. In the rainforests of + southern El Petén there are six species of <i>Anolis</i>, five of <i>Hyla</i>, + four of <i>Bothrops</i>, and three of <i>Coniophanes</i>. Obviously, the diversity + of ecological niches in the rainforest is sufficient to support + a variety of related species. Of the examples mentioned above, + fairly adequate ecological data were obtained for most of the + species of <i>Anolis</i>, which will be used to show the ecological diversity + and vertical stratification of sympatric species in the rainforests.</p> +<p>Of the six species of <i>Anolis</i>, all except <i>A. sericeus</i> are typically + found in humid forests. <i>Anolis sericeus sericeus</i> is poorly represented + in the collections from southern El Petén, where it may be + in competition with <i>Anolis limifrons rodriguezi</i> that resembles <i>Anolis + s. sericeus</i> in size, coloration, and habits. Therefore, <i>Anolis sericeus + sericeus</i> is excluded from the following discussion. The common + terrestrial species is <i>Anolis humilis uniformis</i>; sometimes + this small species perches or suns on the bases of small trees or + buttresses of some large trees. When disturbed it takes to the + ground and seeks cover in the leaf litter or beneath logs or palm + fronds. <i>Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei</i> is about twice the size of <i>Anolis humilis uniformis</i> and is usually observed on buttresses of + large trees or on the lower two meters of tree trunks. Individuals + were seen foraging on the ground along with <i>Anolis humilis + uniformis</i>. At no time were <i>Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei</i> observed + to ascend the trunks of large trees; they always took refuge near + the bases of trees. <i>Anolis limifrons rodriguezi</i> is found on the + stems and branches of bushes. It is a small species that sometimes + is observed on the ground but was never seen ascending large + trees. <i>Anolis capito</i> is about the same size as <i>Anolis lemurinus + bourgeaei</i> and lives on the trunks of large trees. In the tops of + the trees lives a large green species, <i>Anolis biporcatus</i>.</p> +<p>Similar segregation habitatwise can be demonstrated for other + members of the herpetofauna. The avoidance of interspecific + competition in feeding is well illustrated by three species of snakes + that probably are the primary ophidian predators on frogs. <i>Drymobius margaritiferus margaritiferus</i> is diurnal and terrestrial; + it feeds on frogs at the edges of breeding ponds by day. Also + during the day <i>Leptophis mexicanus mexicanus</i> feeds on frogs in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> bushes and trees. At night the activities of both of these species + is replaced by those of <i>Leptodeira septentrionalis polysticta</i>, which + not only feeds on the frogs in the trees and bushes, but descends + to the ground and even enters the water in search of food.</p> +<p>From the examples discussed above, the importance of the + three dimensional aspect of the rainforest is apparent. The + presence of a large and diverse habitat above the ground is of + great significance in the rainforest, for of the non-aquatic components + of the herpetofauna in the rainforests of southern El Petén, + 42 per cent of the species spend at least part of their lives in the + bushes and trees. Another important part of the forest is the + subterranean level—the rich mulch, underground tunnels, and + rotting subterranean vegetation. Of the 78 species of amphibians + and reptiles in southern El Petén, seven are primarily fossorial, and + half-a-dozen others are secondarily fossorial. Probably the fossorial + members of the fauna are the least well represented in the + collection, for such widespread species as <i>Dermophis mexicanus + mexicanus</i>, <i>Rhadinaea decorata decorata</i> and <i>Tantilla schistosa + schistosa</i> were expected, but not found.</p> +<p>In the following discussion of the ecological distribution of + amphibians and reptiles in the rainforest I have depended chiefly + on my observations made in southern El Petén, but have taken + into consideration observations made on the same species in other + regions, together with reports from other workers. The reader + should keep in mind that the evidence varies from species to species. + Of some species I have observed only one animal in the + field; of others, I have seen scores and sometimes hundreds of + individuals. For species on which I have few observations or + rather inconclusive evidence, the circumstance of inadequate + data is mentioned.</p> +<p>In analyzing the ecological distribution within the forest, it is + convenient to recognize five subdivisions (habitats); each is + treated below as a unit.</p> +<p>1. <span class="smcap">Aquatic.</span>—This habitat includes permanent streams and rivers + (Pl. 10, fig. 1), some of which are clear and others muddy. In + the rainy season temporary ponds form in depressions on the forest + floor (Pl. 10, fig. 2); these are important as breeding sites for + many species of amphibians. Aquatic members of the herpetofauna + are here considered to be those species that either spend + the greatest part of their lives in the water or usually retreat to + water for shelter. Seven species of turtles and one crocodilian are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> aquatic. Of these, <i>Dermatemys mawi</i>, <i>Staurotypus triporcatus</i>, + and <i>Pseudemys scripta ornata</i> inhabit clear water, whereas <i>Chelydra + rossignoni</i>, <i>Claudius angustatus</i>, <i>Kinosternon acutum</i>, and <i>K. leucostomum</i> inhabit muddy water. <i>Crocodylus moreleti</i> apparently + inhabits both clear and muddy water, for in the dry season it + lives along the clear rivers, but in the rainy season inhabits flooded + areas in the forest as well.</p> +<p>2. <span class="smcap">Aquatic Margin.</span>—Extensive marshes were lacking in the + part of southern El Petén that I visited; consequently, the aquatic + margin habitat is there limited to the edges of rivers and borders + of temporary ponds. <i>Bufo marinus</i>, <i>Rana palmipes</i>, and <i>Rana + pipiens</i> are characteristic inhabitants of the aquatic margin, + although in the rainy reason <i>Bufo marinus</i> often is found away + from water. Observations indicate that <i>Tretanorhinus nigroluteus + lateralis</i> inhabits the margins of ponds and streams and actually + spends considerable time in the water. Although <i>Iguana iguana + rhinolopha</i> is arboreal, it lives in trees along rivers, into which it + plunges upon being disturbed. Species included in this category + are those that customarily spend most of their lives at the edge + of permanent water. Frogs and toads that migrate to the water + for breeding and the snakes that prey on the frogs at that time + are not assigned to the aquatic-margin habitat.</p> +<p>3. <span class="smcap">Fossorial.</span>—Characteristic inhabitants of the mulch on the + forest floor are <i>Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri</i>, <i>Lepidophyma flavimaculatum + flavimaculatum</i>, <i>Scincella cherriei cherriei</i>, <i>Ninia sebae + sebae</i>, <i>Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis</i>, and <i>Micrurus affinis apiatus</i>. + Other species of snakes that spend most of their lives above ground + often forage in the mulch layer; among these are <i>Coniophanes + bipunctatus biserialis</i>, <i>Coniophanes fissidens fissidens</i>, <i>Coniophanes + imperialis clavatus</i>, <i>Lampropeltis doliata polyzona</i>, and <i>Stenorrhina + degenhardti</i>. Among the amphibians, at least <i>Hypopachus cuneus + nigroreticulatus</i>, <i>Eleutherodactylus rostralis</i>, and <i>Syrrhophus leprus</i> are known to seek shelter in the mulch.</p> +<p>4. <span class="smcap">Terrestrial.</span>—One turtle, <i>Geoemyda areolata</i>, is primarily + terrestrial. Among the lizards, conspicuous terrestrial species are <i>Anolis humilis uniformis</i> and <i>Ameiva festiva edwardsi</i>; <i>Anolis + lemurinus bourgeaei</i> and <i>Basiliscus vittatus</i> spend part of their + lives on the ground, but also live on trees and in bushes. <i>Eumeces + schwartzei</i> and <i>E. sumichrasti</i> apparently are terrestrial. The only + terrestrial lizard that is nocturnal is <i>Coleonyx elegans elegans</i>, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> by day hides in the leaf litter or below ground. Nocturnal amphibians + that are terrestrial include <i>Bufo marinus</i>, <i>Bufo valliceps + valliceps</i>, <i>Eleutherodactylus rugulosus rugulosus</i>, <i>Syrrhophus leprus</i>, + and <i>Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus</i>. A large number of active + diurnal snakes are terrestrial; these include <i>Boa constrictor imperator</i>, <i>Clelia clelia clelia</i>, <i>Dryadophis melanolomus laevis</i>, <i>Drymarchon + corais melanurus</i>, <i>Drymobius margaritiferus margaritiferus</i>, <i>Pseustes poecilonotus poecilonotus</i>, and <i>Spilotes pullatus mexicanus</i>. + Nocturnal terrestrial snakes include three kinds of <i>Bothrops</i> (<i>B. + atrox asper</i>, <i>B. nasutus</i>, and <i>B. nummifer nummifer</i>), all of which + seem to be equally active by day.</p> +<p>5. <span class="smcap">Arboreal.</span>—In this habitat the third dimension (height) of + the rainforest probably is the most complex insofar as the inter-relationships + of species and ecological niches are concerned. I + have attempted to categorize species as to microhabitats within + the arboreal habitat; in so doing, I recognize four subdivisions—bushes, + tree trunks, tree tops, and epiphytes.</p> +<p>Bush inhabitants include several species of lizards and snakes, + all of which have rather elongate, slender bodies, and long tails. + Common bush-inhabitants in southern El Petén are <i>Anolis limifrons + rodriguezi</i>, <i>Basiliscus vittatus</i>, <i>Laemanctus deborrei</i>, <i>Leptophis + mexicanus mexicanus</i>, and <i>Oxybelis aeneus aeneus</i>. All of these + are diurnal, and all but <i>Laemanctus</i> have been observed sleeping + on bushes at night.</p> +<p>Tree-trunk inhabitants include five species of lizards. <i>Thecadactylus + rapicaudus</i> lives on the trunks of large trees; <i>Sphaerodactylus + lineolatus</i> lives beneath the bark on dead trees and on + corozo palms. <i>Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei</i> lives on the bases and + buttresses of large trees, from which it often descends to the ground. <i>Corythophanes cristatus</i> and <i>Anolis capito</i> were found only on tree + trunks and large vines.</p> +<p>The least information is available for the species living in the + tree tops. The following species were obtained from tops of trees + when they were felled, or have been observed living in the tree + tops: <i>Anolis biporcatus</i>, <i>Iguana iguana rhinolopha</i>, <i>Celestus rozellae</i>, <i>Leptodeira septentrionalis polysticta</i>, <i>Leptophis ahaetulla + praestans</i>, <i>Sibon dimidiata dimidiata</i>, and <i>Sibon nebulata nebulata</i>.</p> +<p>Epiphytes, especially the bromeliads, provide refuge for a variety + of tree frogs and small snakes. Of the tree frogs, <i>Hyla picta</i>, <i>Hyla + staufferi</i>, <i>Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori</i>, <i>Similisca baudini</i>, and <i>Similisca phaeota cyanosticta</i> have been found in bromeliads; other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> species probably occur there. Among the snakes, <i>Imantodes + cenchoa leucomelas</i>, <i>Leptodeira frenata malleisi</i>, <i>Leptodeira + septentrionalis polysticta</i>, <i>Sibon dimidiata dimidiata</i>, and <i>Sibon + nebulata nebulata</i> are frequent inhabitants of bromeliads; all of + these snakes are nocturnal.</p> +<h3><a name="Relationships_of_the_Fauna" id="Relationships_of_the_Fauna">Relationships of the Fauna</a></h3> +<p>Most of the 78 species of amphibians and reptiles definitely + known from the rainforest in southern El Petén have extensive + ranges in the Atlantic lowlands of southern México and Central + America; many extend into South America. Sixty-two (80%) of the + species belong to this group having extensive ranges in Middle + America. Three species (<i>Syrrhophus leprus</i>, <i>Leptodeira frenata</i>, + and <i>Kinosternon acutum</i>) are at the southern limits of their distributions + in southern El Petén and northern Alta Verapaz, whereas <i>Eleutherodactylus rostralis</i> and <i>Thecadactylus rapicaudus</i> are at + the northern and western limits of their distributions in El Petén. + Nine (11%) species have the center of their distributions in El + Petén and the Yucatán Peninsula; representatives of this group + include <i>Claudius angustatus</i>, <i>Dermatemys mawi</i>, <i>Laemanctus + deborrei</i>, and <i>Eumeces schwartzei</i>.</p> +<p>In determining a measure of faunal resemblance, I have departed + from the formulae discussed by Simpson (1960) and have analyzed + the degree of resemblance by the following formula used to calculate + an index of faunal relationships:</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>C (2) / (N<sub>1</sub> + N<sub>2</sub>) = R, where</p> + <p>C = species common to both faunas.</p> + <p>N<sub>1</sub> = number of species in the first fauna.</p> + <p>N<sub>2</sub> = number of species in the second fauna.</p> + <p>R = degree of relationships (when R = 1.00, the faunas are identical; when R = 0, the faunas are completely different).</p> +</div> +<p>The herpetofauna of southern El Petén has been compared with + that in the Tikal-Uaxactún area (Stuart, 1958), that in the humid + lowlands of Alta Verapaz (Stuart, 1950, plus additional data), and + that in the Mexican state of Yucatán (Smith and Taylor, 1945, + 1948, and 1950). The herpetofaunas of lowland Alta Verapaz and + Yucatán are the largest, having respectively 94 and 91 species, + where as there are 78 species known from southern El Petén and + 64 from the Tikal-Uaxactún area. An analysis of faunal relationships + (Table 2) shows that the faunas of the rainforests of southern + El Petén and lowland Alta Verapaz are closely related. The relationships + between these two areas and the Tikal-Uaxactún area<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> in northern El Petén is notably less. Apparently the biggest faunal + changes take place between southern El Petén and the Tikal-Uaxactún + area, and between the latter and Yucatán. As stated + by Stuart (1958:7) the Tikal-Uaxactún is transitional between the + humid rainforests to the south and the dry outer end of the Yucatán + Peninsula. The transitional nature of the environment is exemplified + by a rather depauperate herpetofauna consisting of some + species of both dry and humid environments and lacking a large + fauna typical of either. Contrariwise, the continuity of the environment + from southern El Petén to the lowlands of Alta Verapaz + is reflected in degree of resemblance of the herpetofaunas.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">Table 2.—Index of Faunal Relationships Between Southern El Petén + and Other Regions.</span></p> +<div class="c7"> + <table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Table 2.—Index of Faunal Relationships Between Southern El Petén and Other Regions."> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> </td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> Lowland<br /> + Alta<br /> + Verapaz</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> Southern<br /> + El<br /> + Petén</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> Tikal-<br /> + Uaxactún<br /> + Area</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px">Yucatán</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> Lowland Alta Verapaz</td> + <td + class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> </td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .85</td> + <td + class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .61</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .43</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> Southern El Petén</td> + <td + class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .85</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> </td> + <td + class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .64</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .41</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> Tikal-Uaxactún Area</td> + <td + class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .61</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .64</td> + <td + class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> </td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .63</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px"> Yucatán</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .43</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .41</td> + <td class="tdc" + style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px"> .63</td> + <td class="tdc" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1px"> </td> + </tr> + </table> +</div> +<p>Most of the species of amphibians and reptiles found in southern + El Petén are found in humid tropical forests from the Isthmus of + Tehuantepec southeastward on the Atlantic lowlands well into + Central America.</p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="ACCOUNTS_OF_SPECIES" id="ACCOUNTS_OF_SPECIES"></a>ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES</h2> +<p>In the following pages various aspects of the occurrence, life + histories, ecology, and variation of the species of amphibians and + reptiles known from southern El Petén are discussed. Only <i>Cochranella + fleischmanni</i> reported by Stuart (1937) from Río Subín + at Santa Teresa was not collected by us and is excluded. Because + more worthwhile information was gathered for some species than + others, the length and completeness of the accounts vary. All + specimens listed are in the Museum of Natural History at the + University of Kansas, to which institution all catalog numbers refer. + Preceding the discussion of each species is an alphabetical list of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> localities from which specimens were obtained; numbers after a + locality indicate the number of specimens obtained at each locality.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bolitoglossa dofleini</b> (Werner)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>An adult female having minute ovarian eggs has a snout-vent + length of 81 mm., a tail length of 59 mm., 13 costal grooves, two + intercostal spaces between adpressed toes, 38-35 vomerine teeth + in irregular rows forming a broad arch from a point posterolaterad + to the internal nares to a point near the anterior edge of the + parasphenoid teeth, and 43-44 maxilliary-premaxillary teeth. In + life the dorsum was rusty brown with irregular black and orange + spots and streaks. The flanks were bluish gray with black in the + costal grooves and creamy tan flecks along the ventral edge of + the flank. The belly and underside of the tail were yellowish tan + with dark brown spots laterally. The limbs were orange proximally + and black distally; the pads of the feet were bluish black. The + dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tail were yellowish orange with + black spots. The iris was grayish yellow.</p> +<p>Stuart (1943:17) reported this species from Finca Volcán, Alta + Verapaz. He diagnosed his specimens as having 13 costal grooves + and two or three intercostal spaces between adpressed toes. He + stated that the vomerine teeth were about 12 in number and that + in life the dorsum was mottled gray and black, the sides gray and + brown, and the undersurfaces uniformly dark gray. These specimens + differ noticeably from the individual from Chinajá in the + number of vomerine teeth and in coloration.</p> +<p>In August, 1961, I obtained a specimen of <i>Bolitoglossa dofleini</i> at Finca Los Alpes, Alta Verapaz, approximately 13 kilometers + airline south-southwest of Finca Volcán and at approximately the + same elevation. Although the salamander was dead when found, + it obviously was more heavily pigmented than the individual from + Chinajá. The belly was bluish gray with black spots laterally; + the dorsum was dull brownish gray with some brownish red streaks. + The specimen is a female having small ovarian eggs, a snout-vent + length of 90 mm., 13 costal grooves, and two intercostal spaces + between adpressed limbs. There are 28-29 vomerine teeth, more + than twice as many as in specimens from Finca Volcán (Stuart, + 1943:17), but noticeably fewer than in the specimen from Chinajá.</p> +<p>The presence of this species at Chinajá lends support to the idea + that the specimen from the Río de la Pasión listed by Brocchi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> (1882:116) also is <i>Bolitoglossa dofleini</i>. Furthermore, the confirmed + presence of this species in the lowlands of El Petén suggests + that there may be genetic connection between <i>B. dofleini</i> in the + Alta Verapaz and <i>B. yucatana</i> in the Yucatán Peninsula. <i>Bolitoglossa + yucatana</i> differs from <i>B. dofleini</i> in having five intercostal + spaces between adpressed toes and in having a different color + pattern. Both are robust species having no close relationships to + other species of <i>Bolitoglossa</i> in northern Central America.</p> +<p>The specimen from Chinajá was found in water in the axil of + a large elephant-ear plant (<i>Xanthosoma</i>) by day in March. Its + stomach contained fragments of beetles and a large roach. The + natives did not know salamanders and had no name for them.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri</b> (Brocchi)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 2; Río San Román, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One specimen is a female having a snout-vent length of 80 mm., + a tail length of 82 mm., and a total length of 162 mm. It contains + 63 large eggs, the largest of which has a diameter of about three + millimeters. This specimen has 13 costal grooves, four intercostal + spaces between adpressed toes, and 12-13 vomerine teeth. A + juvenile having a snout-vent length of 39 mm. and a tail length + of 33 mm. has 12 costal grooves, three intercostal spaces between + adpressed toes, and 8-8 vomerine teeth. In life these salamanders + were uniformly dull brownish black above with a dull creamy + yellow irregular dorsal stripe beginning on the occiput and continuing + onto the tail. There are no yellow or orange streaks or + flecks on the head or limbs. The specimen from the Río San Román + was taken from the stomach of a <i>Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis</i> and has not been studied in detail, because of its poor condition.</p> +<p>The present specimens show no tendency for the development + of a broad irregular dorsal band that encloses black spots or forms + irregular dorsolateral stripes, as is characteristic of <i>B. moreleti + mexicanus</i>, a subspecies that has been reported from La Libertad + (Stuart, 1935:35) and Piedras Negras (Taylor and Smith, 1945:545) + in El Petén, and from Xunantunich, British Honduras (Neill and + Allen, 1959:20).</p> +<p>Schmidt (1936:151) and Stuart (1943:13) found <i>B. moreleti + mulleri</i> in bromeliads at Finca Samac, Alta Verapaz. Taylor and + Smith's (1945:545) and Neill and Allen's (1959:20) specimens of <i>B. moreleti mexicanus</i> were obtained from bromeliads, but Neill + and Allen (<i>loc. cit.</i>) stated that the natives in British Honduras<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> said that they had found salamanders beneath rubbish on the forest + floor. My specimens were obtained from beneath logs on the + forest floor in the rainy season. Possibly in drier environments the + species characteristically inhabits bromeliads, at least in the dry + season.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bufo marinus</b> (Linnaeus)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3; 10 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 11 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>During both visits to Chinajá this large toad was breeding in + a small permanent pond in the camp. During the day the toads + took refuge in crevices beneath the buildings or beneath large + boulders by the pond. At dusk from four to ten males congregated + at the pond and called. Tadpoles of this species were in the pond + in March and in July. One juvenile was found beneath a rock in + the forest, and another was on the forest floor by day.</p> +<p>The natives' name for this species and the following one is <i>sapo</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bufo valliceps valliceps</b> Wiegmann</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 52; Río San Román, 8; Sayaxché, 2; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This is one of the most abundant, or at least conspicuous, + amphibians inhabiting the forest. Breeding congregations were + found on February 24, March 2, March 11, and June 27. At these + times the toads were congregated at temporary ponds in the forest + or along small sluggish streams. Throughout the duration of both + visits to Chinajá individual males called almost nightly at the + permanent pond at the camp.</p> +<p>The variation in snout-vent length of 20 males selected at + random is 56.7 to 72.5 mm. (average, 64.8 mm.). Two adult females + have snout-vent lengths of 80.4 and 87.6 mm. In all specimens + the parotid glands are somewhat elongated and not rounded as in <i>Bufo valliceps wilsoni</i> (see Baylor and Stuart, 1961:199). My + observations on the condition of the cranial crests of the toads in + El Petén agree with the findings of Baylor and Stuart (<i>op. cit.</i>:198) in + that hypertrophied crests are usual in large females. In the shape + of the parotids and nature of the cranial crests the specimens from + El Petén are like those from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in + México. As I pointed out (1960:53), the validity of the subspecies <i>Bufo valliceps macrocristatus</i>, described from northern Chiapas by + Firschein and Smith (1957:219) and supposedly characterized by + hypertrophied cranial crests, is highly doubtful.</p> +<p>In the toads from El Petén the greatest variation is in coloration. + The dorsal ground-color varies from orange and rusty tan to + brown, yellowish tan, and pale gray. In some individuals the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> flanks and dorsum are one continuous color, whereas in others a + distinct dorsolateral pale colored band separates the dorsal color + from dark brown flanks. In some individuals the venter is + uniform cream color, in others it bears a few scattered black spots, + and in still others there are many spots, some of which are fused + to form a black blotch on the chest. In breeding males the vocal + sac is orange tan. All specimens have a coppery red iris.</p> +<p>Aside from the breeding congregations, active toads were found + on the forest floor at night; a few were there by day. Some + individuals were beneath logs during the day.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Eleutherodactylus rostralis</b> (Werner)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 10.</p> +</div> +<p>Because of the multiplicity of names and the variation in coloration, + the small terrestrial <i>Eleutherodactylus</i> in southern México and + northern Central America are in a state of taxonomic confusion. + Stuart (1934:7, 1935:37, and 1958:17) referred specimens from El + Petén to <i>Eleutherodactylus rhodopis</i> (Cope). Stuart (1941b:197) + described <i>Eleutherodactylus anzuetoi</i> from Alta Verapaz and El + Quiché, Guatemala, suggested that the new species was an upland + relative of <i>Eleutherodactylus rostralis</i> (Werner), and used that + name for the frogs that he earlier had referred to <i>Eleutherodactylus + rhodopis</i>. Dunn and Emlen (1932:24) placed <i>E. rostralis</i> in the + synonymy of <i>E. gollmeri</i> (Peters). Examination of series of these + frogs from southern México, Guatemala, and Costa Rica causes me + to think that there are four species; these can be distinguished as + follows:</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p><i>E. rhodopis.</i>—No web between toes; one tarsal tubercle; tibiotarsal articulation + reaches to nostril; iris bronze in life.</p> + <p><i>E. anzuetoi.</i>—No web between toes; a row of tarsal tubercles; tibiotarsal + articulation reaches to tip of snout; color of iris unknown.</p> + <p><i>E. rostralis.</i>—A vestige of web between toes; no tarsal tubercles; tibiotarsal + articulation reaches snout or slightly beyond; iris coppery red in life.</p> + <p><i>E. gollmeri.</i>—A vestige of web between toes; no tarsal tubercles; tibiotarsal + articulation reaches well beyond snout; iris coppery red in life.</p> +</div> +<p>The presence of webbing between the toes, the absence of tarsal + tubercles, and the coppery red iris distinguish <i>E. rostralis</i> and <i>E. + gollmeri</i> from the other species. Probably <i>E. rostralis</i> and <i>E. gollmeri</i> are conspecific, but additional specimens are needed from Nicaragua + and Honduras to prove conspecificity. On the other hand, the characters + of the frogs from Chinajá clearly show that they are related + to <i>E. gollmeri</i> to the south and not to <i>E. rhodopis</i> to the north in + México.</p> +<p>At Chinajá, <i>Eleutherodactylus rostralis</i> was more abundant than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> the few specimens indicate, for upon being approached the frogs + moved quickly and erratically, soon disappearing in the leaf litter + on the forest floor. Most of the specimens were seen actively moving + on the forest floor in the daytime; one was found beneath a rock, + and one was on the forest floor at night.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Eleutherodactylus rugulosus rugulosus</b> (Cope)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 2; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 4.</p> +</div> +<p>These frogs were found on the forest floor by day. With the exception + of one female having a snout-vent length of 69.5 mm., all are + juveniles. The apparent rarity of this species at Chinajá may be + due to the absence of rocky streams, a favorite habitat of this frog. + The local name for this frog is <i>sapito</i>, meaning little toad.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Leptodactylus labialis</b> (Cope)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One juvenile having a snout-vent length of 16.4 mm. was found + at night beside a pond in the forest. The scarcity of the species + of <i>Leptodactylus</i> in the southern part of El Petén probably is due + to the lack of permanent marshy ponds.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Leptodactylus melanonotus</b> (Hallowell)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One individual was found beneath a rock beside a stream in + the forest. The local name is <i>ranita</i>, meaning little frog.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Syrrhophus leprus</b> Cope</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 2; 15 km NW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>An adult female having a snout-vent length of 27.5 mm. was + found on the forest floor by day. Two juveniles having snout-vent + lengths of 15.5 and 19.0 mm. were beneath rocks on the forest floor. + The specimens are typical of the species as defined by Duellman + (1958:8).</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Hyla ebraccata</b> Cope</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 66.</p> +</div> +<p>This small tree frog congregated in large numbers at a forest + pond at Toocog. Between June 30 and July 2 we collected specimens + and observed the breeding habits of this and other species + at the pond. Calling males were distributed around the pond, where + they called from low herbaceous vegetation at the edge of the pond + or from plants rising above the water. Calling commenced at dusk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> and continued at least into the early hours of the morning. On one + occasion a female was observed at a distance of about 50 centimeters + away from a calling male sitting on a blade of grass. The + female climbed another blade of grass until she was about eight + centimeters away from the male, at which time he saw her, stopped + calling, jumped to the blade of grass on which she was sitting and + clasped her. Clasping pairs were observed on blades of grass and + leaves of plants above the water; most pairs were less than 50 + centimeters above the surface of the pond.</p> +<p>The eggs are deposited on the dorsal surfaces of leaves above + the water. All eggs are in one plane (a single layer) on the leaf. External + membranes are barely visible, as the eggs consist of a single + coherent mass. Eggs in the yolk plug stage have diameters of 1.2 + to 1.4 mm. Seventeen eggs masses were found; these contained from + 24 to 76 (average 44) eggs. The jelly is extremely viscous and tacky + to the touch. At time of hatching the jelly becomes less viscous; + the tadpoles wriggle until they reach the edge of the leaf and drop + into the water.</p> +<p>Eleven tadpoles were preserved as they hatched; these have total + lengths of 4.5 to 5.0 (average 4.77) mm. Hatchling tadpoles are + active swimmers and have only a small amount of yolk. The largest + tadpoles preserved have total lengths of 13.0 and 13.5 mm. At + this size distinctive sword-tail and bright coloration have developed.</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i026.jpg" width="600" height="204" alt="Fig. 2. Tadpole of Hyla ebraccata (KU 59986) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala."/> <span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span> Tadpole of <i>Hyla ebraccata</i> (KU 59986) from + Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala.</span> </div> +<p>Description of fully developed tadpole (KU 59986): Total + length, 13.5 mm.; tail-length, 8.4 mm., 62 per cent of total length. + Snout, in dorsal view, bluntly rounded; in lateral view less bluntly + rounded; body depressed; head flattened; mouth terminal; eye large, + its diameter 25 per cent of length of body; nostrils near tip of + snout and directed anteriorly; spiracle sinistral and situated postero-ventrad + to eye; cloaca median. Tail-fin thrice depth of tail-musculature, + which extends beyond posterior end of tail-fin giving + sword-tail appearance (Fig. 2). In life, black stripe on each side + of body and on top of head; black band on anterior part of tail<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> and another on the posterior part; body and anterior part of tail + creamy yellow; dark red band between black bands on tail. Mouth + terminal, small, its width about one-fifth width of body; fleshy ridge + dorsally and ventrally; row of small papillae on ventral lip; no lateral + indentations of lips; upper beak massive, convex, and finely serrate; + lower beak small and mostly concealed behind upper; no teeth + (Fig. 3).</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i027.jpg" width="600" height="413" alt="Fig. 3. Mouthparts of larval Hyla ebraccata (KU 59986) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala."/> <span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 3.</span> Mouthparts of larval <i>Hyla ebraccata</i> (KU + 59986) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala.</span> </div> +<p> </p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Hyla loquax</b> Gaige and Stuart</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 14.</p> +</div> +<p>These specimens were found at night when they were calling from + low vegetation in a forest pond. Most of the frogs were several + meters away from the edge of the pond. Although two clasping + pairs were found, we obtained no eggs or tadpoles referable to + this species.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Hyla microcephala martini</b> Smith</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 21.</p> +</div> +<p>The specimen from Chinajá was calling from a small bush at the + edge of a temporary grassy pond in a clearing in the forest. At + Toocog this species was closely associated with <i>Hyla ebraccata</i>; + males were calling from herbaceous vegetation in and around the + forest pond. These frogs were not so abundant in the forest at + Toocog as they were around ponds on the savanna at La Libertad.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Hyla picta</b> (Günther)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 8.</p> +</div> +<p>This small tree frog was calling from herbs in a pond in the + forest on June 30 and July 2. The voice is weak; probably greater + numbers of males were present than are indicated by the few + specimens collected, for the din from the more vociferous species + made it impossible to hear <i>Hyla picta</i> unless one was calling + close by.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Hyla staufferi</b> Cope</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This individual was calling from a low bush in the clearing at + Chinajá. None was found in the pond in the forest at Toocog. + Stuart (1935:38) and Duellman (1960:63) noted that <i>Hyla staufferi</i> breeds early in the rainy season. Nevertheless, I think early breeding + habits do not account for the near absence of this species in + our collections from southern El Petén. In early July, 1960, a few + individuals were heard at a pond on the savanna at La Libertad. In + mid-July of the same year they were calling sporadically from + temporary ponds in the lower Motagua Valley. Possibly the individual + collected at Chinajá was accidentally transported there in + cargo from Toocog, from which camp at the edge of the savanna + planes fly to Chinajá weekly. My observations on this species + throughout its range in México and Central America indicate that it + inhabits savannas and semi-arid forests and usually is absent + from heavy rainforest. Stuart (1948:34) obtained this species at + Cubilquitz in the lowlands of Alta Verapaz.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori</b> Funkhouser</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 25.</p> +</div> +<p>Between June 30 and July 2 this species was abundant at a pond + in the forest at Toocog. Calling males were as high as five meters + in bushes and trees around the pond. At dusk males were observed + descending a vine-covered tree at the edge of the pond; this + strongly suggests that the frogs retreat to this tree and others like + it for diurnal seclusion. Clasping pairs were found on branches + and leaves above the water. The eggs are deposited in clumps + usually on vertical leaves, but sometimes on horizontal leaves or + on branches, vines, and aerial roots above the water. Twenty-six + clutches of eggs contained from 14 to 44 (average 29) eggs. In + a clutch in which the eggs are in yolk plug stage the average + diameter of the embryos is 2.3 mm. and that of the vitelline<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> membranes, 3.4 mm. Most of the eggs are in the external part + of the gelatinous mass; the jelly is clear. The yolk is pale green, + and the animal pole is brown. As development ensues, the yolk + becomes yellow and the embryo first dark brown and then pale + grayish tan. Upon hatching the tadpoles wriggle free of the + jelly and drop into the water. One clutch of 19 eggs was observed + to hatch in three minutes. Apparently, on dropping into the + water the hatchling tadpoles go to the bottom of the pond, for one + or two minutes pass from the time they enter the water until they + reappear near the surface. The average total length of seven + hatchling tadpoles is 7.4 mm. There is a moderate amount of + yolk, but this does not form a large ventral bulge. Large tadpoles + congregate in the sunny parts of the pond, where they were observed + just beneath the surface. Many had their mouths at the + surface. Except for constant fluttering of the tip of the tail, they + lie quietly with the axis of the body at an angle of about 45 degrees + with the surface of the water.</p> +<p>Description of tadpole (KU 60006): total length, 24.5 mm.; tail-length, + 15.4 mm.; body broader than deep; head moderately flattened; + snout viewed from above blunt; nostrils close to snout and + directed dorsally; eyes of moderate size and directed laterally; mouth + directed anteroventrally; anus median; spiracle ventral, its opening + just to left of midline slightly more than one-half distance from tip + of snout to vent. Tail-fin slightly more than twice as deep as tail + musculature, which curves upward posteriorly; tail-fin narrowly + extending to tip of tail (Fig. 4). Color in life pale gray; in preservative + white with scattered melanophores; tail-fin transparent.</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i029.jpg" width="600" height="221" alt="Fig. 4. Tadpole of Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori (KU 60006) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala. "/> <span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 4.</span> Tadpole of <i>Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori</i> (KU 60006) from + Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala. </span> </div> +<p>Upper lip having single row of papillae laterally, but none + medially; lower lip having single row of papillae; no lateral + indentation of lips; two or more rows of papillae at lateral corners + of lips; tooth-rows 2/3; second upper tooth row as long as first, + interrupted medially; inner lower tooth-row as long as upper rows,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> interrupted medially; second and third lower rows decreasingly + shorter; upper beak moderate in size and having long lateral projections; + lower beak moderate in size; both beaks finely serrate + (Fig. 5).</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i030.jpg" width="600" height="346" alt=""/><span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 5.</span> Mouthparts of larval <i>Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori</i> (KU + 60006) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala. </span> + <p> </p> +</div> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Smilisca baudini</b> (Duméril and Bibron)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 9; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 42; Río de la Pasión, 1; Río San + Román, 5; Sayaxché; Toocog, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>Individuals of this species were found at night sitting on bushes + and small trees in the forest in February and March and again in + June and July. One was in the axil of a leaf of a <i>Xanthosoma</i>. In + June and July males were heard nearly every night. The series of + specimens from 20 kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá was taken + from a breeding congregation in a shallow muddy pool in the + forest. Tadpoles of this species were in small, often muddy pools + in the forest. To my knowledge <i>Smilisca baudini</i> is the only hylid + to breed in these pools at Chinajá, although perhaps <i>Smilisca + phaeota</i> also utilizes them. The only other amphibian at Chinajá + known to breed in the pools is <i>Bufo valliceps valliceps</i>. Although + two specimens were on bushes at night at Toocog, <i>Smilisca + baudini</i> was not present at the pond where five other species of + hylids were breeding. Nevertheless, <i>Smilisca baudini</i> was calling + from two ponds on the savannas near La Libertad. All of the + specimens from southern El Petén have yellow or yellowish white + flanks and ventrolateral surfaces.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Smilisca phaeota cyanosticta</b> (Smith)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 4; 10 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All specimens were found in February and March. Those from + Chinajá were obtained from <i>Xanthosoma</i> and bromeliads; the + individual from 10 kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá is an + adult male that was calling from a puddle in a fallen tree on + March 13. A juvenile having a snout-vent length of 34.7 mm. lacks + the pale blue spots on the thighs; instead, the anterior and posterior + surfaces of the thighs are bright red.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus</b> Taylor</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>An adult male having a snout-vent length of 41.7 mm. was found + at night on the forest floor at the edge of a temporary pond. In + life the dorsum was dark brown with chocolate brown markings; + the stripe on the side of the head was white; the middorsal stripe + was pale orange; the belly was black and white, and the iris was + a bronze color.</p> +<p>Characteristically this species inhabits savannas and open forest; + thus, its occurrence in the rainforest at Toocog is surprising. This is + the southernmost record for the species in El Petén; to the south in + the highlands it is replaced by the smaller <i>Hypopachus inguinalis</i>, + having rounded, instead of compressed, metatarsal tubercles.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Rana palmipes</b> Spix</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 11; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>With the exception of one recently metamorphosed juvenile having + a snout-vent length of 30.7 mm. that was found on the forest floor + by day on June 24, and one that was found beside a pool in a cave, + all individuals were found at temporary woodland pools or along + sluggish streams at night. The largest specimen is a female having + a snout-vent length of 107 mm.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Rana pipiens</b> Schreber</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 1; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All specimens were found near water at night. The largest individual + is a female having a snout-vent length of 112.5 mm.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Crocodylus moreleti</b> Duméril and Duméril</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One specimen was obtained from a quiet pool in the Río San<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> Román at night; another was found in a small sluggish stream at + Chinajá. Two large individuals were seen in tributaries to the Río + San Román. On the savannas at Toocog two small individuals were + obtained in the dry season, at which time the crocodiles apparently + were migrating to water. The local name for this species is <i>lagarto</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Chelydra rossignoni</b> (Bocourt)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>The paucity of specimens of <i>Chelydra</i> from Central America has + resulted in rather inadequate diagnoses of various populations. The + present specimens have carapace lengths of 250 and 238 mm. and + plastral lengths of 185 and 176 mm. The length of carapace/bridge + ratio is 6.0 and 6.1 per cent. Each individual has four barbels, the + median pair of which are extremely long. In KU 55977 the lateral + pair of barbels is forked at the base. The relative length of the + plastral bridge in these specimens compares favorable with the + ratio (.06-.08) given by Schmidt (1946:4) for five specimens from + Honduras. <i>Chelydra serpentina</i>, which may occur sympatrically + with <i>C. rossignoni</i> in some parts of Central America, has a narrower + plastral bridge and only two barbels beneath the chin. Furthermore, <i>C. rossignoni</i> and <i>C. osceola</i> in Florida have long, flat tubercles + on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the neck, whereas <i>C. + serpentina</i> has short, round tubercles.</p> +<p>The specimen from Chinajá was found in a small sluggish stream; + the other individual was in a muddy pool in the forest. The local + name is <i>sambodanga</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Claudius angustatus</b> Cope</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One specimen was unearthed from the bank of a small muddy + stream by a bulldozer. This individual represents the second + record for the species in Guatemala; the first was provided by + specimens, likewise found in muddy waters, at Tikal (Stuart, + 1958:19). The local name is <i>caiman</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Kinosternon acutum</b> Gray</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 4; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>These turtles were found on the forest floor, in small sluggish + streams, and in pools in the forest. One adult male had, in life, + the top of the head yellow with black spots; the stripes on the + head and neck were red. Specimens were obtained both in the dry<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> and rainy seasons. The local name for both species of <i>Kinosternon</i> is <i>pochitoque</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Kinosternon leucostomum</b> Duméril and Bibron</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>Individuals of this turtle were found on the forest floor and in + small sluggish streams. In life most specimens had a tan or + pale brown head with pinkish tan stripes on the head and neck. + All individuals were obtained in February and March. No ecological + differences between this species and <i>K. acutum</i> were evident.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Staurotypus triporcatus</b> (Wiegmann)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Paso Subín, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This species is represented in the collection by one complete + shell found on the bank of the Río Subín. The carapace has a + length of 292 mm. The local name is <i>Guao</i>. Natives stated that + this turtle was not uncommon in clear rivers and lakes, a habitat + suggested for the species by Stuart (1958:19).</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Dermatemys mawi</b> Gray</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 4.</p> +</div> +<p>The record from Chinajá is based on a carapace found in a + chiclero camp, where the turtle evidently had been brought for + food. The four specimens from the Río San Román were obtained + from edges of deep pools in clear water. In adult males the top + of the head was reddish orange in life. One of the specimens from + the Río San Román currently is living in the Philadelphia Zoological + Gardens. The local name for this turtle is <i>tortuga blanca</i>; it is + sought for its meat.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Geoemyda areolata</b> (Duméril and Bibron)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>Two specimens were obtained from dense forest at Chinajá. + The local name is <i>mojina</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Pseudemys scripta ornata</b> (Gray)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Paso Subín, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One subadult was obtained from clear water in the Río Subín. + The stripes on the head and neck were yellow; there was no red + "ear" on the side of the head. The stripes on the forelimbs were + orange, and the ocelli on the carapace were red. The local name + is <i>jicotea</i>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Coleonyx elegans elegans</b> Gray</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One adult male having a snout-vent length of 89 mm. was found + beneath a log in the forest. Locally this gecko is known as <i>escorpión</i>; the natives believe it to be deadly poisonous. The use + of the name <i>escorpión</i> seems to be restricted to lizards thought to + be venomous. Nearly everywhere in México and Central America + some species of lizard carries this appellation. In El Petén I heard + the name used only for <i>Coleonyx elegans</i> and <i>Thecadactylus rapicaudus</i>; + in the lowlands of Guerrero, México, the name is applied + to geckos of the genus <i>Phyllodactylus</i>. The venomous lizards of + the genus <i>Heloderma</i> in the lowlands of western México are called <i>escorpiónes</i>. In the mountains of southern México various skinks + of the genus <i>Eumeces</i>, as well as lizards of the genus <i>Xenosaurus</i>, + carry the same appellation. <i>Abronia</i> in the mountains of México + and <i>Gerrhonontus</i> throughout México and Central America likewise + are called <i>escorpiónes</i>. Although many people in various parts of + Middle America consider most lizards poisonous, there is a unanimity + of opinion concerning the venomous qualities of the various + kinds of <i>escorpiónes</i>. I know of only two other lizards in Middle + America that are so uniformly regarded in native beliefs; these + are <i>Enyaliosaurus clarki</i> in the Tepalcatepec Valley in Michoacán, + called <i>nopiche</i>, and <i>Phrynosoma asio</i> in western México, called <i>cameleón</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Sphaerodactylus lineolatus</b> Lichtenstein</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>These small geckos were much more abundant than the few specimens + indicate. They frequently were seen on the trunks of corozo + palms, where they quickly took refuge in crevices at the bases of + the fronds. The specimen obtained at Toocog was under the bark + of a standing dead tree. In life the ventral surface of the tail was + orange. The individual from Chinajá was in the leaf litter on the + ground at the base of a dead tree.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Thecadactylus rapicaudus</b> (Houttuyn)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>Two specimens were found beneath the bark of standing dead + trees; another was found in the crack in the trunk of a mahogany + tree about 13 meters above the ground. In life the dorsum was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> yellowish tan with dark brown markings; the venter was yellowish + tan with brown flecks, and the iris was olive-tan. The largest specimen + is a male having a snout-vent length of 95 mm.; all specimens + have regenerated tails. Individuals when caught twisted their + bodies and attempted to bite; upon grabbing a finger they held + on with great tenacity.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Anolis biporcatus</b> (Wiegmann)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>14 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 17 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of + Chinajá, 3; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All specimens of this large anole were obtained from trees. + Some individuals were found in the tops of trees immediately after + they were felled. My limited observations on this anole suggest + that it is an inhabitant of the upper levels of the forest. In life an + adult male from 20 kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá was + brilliant green above; the eyelids were bright yellow; the belly was + white. The outer part of the dewlap was pale orange, and the + median part was pinkish blue. A juvenile having a snout-vent length + of 47 mm. and a tail length of 86 mm. was pale grayish green with + pale gray flecks on the dorsum. The largest male has a snout-vent + length of 98 mm. and a tail length of 217 mm.; the same measurements + of the largest female are 89 and 213 mm. This species, together + with all other anoles, is known locally as <i>toloque</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Anolis capito</b> Peters</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 2; 14 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Río de la Pasión, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All individuals were observed on trunks of trees between heights + of three and ten meters above the ground. The largest male has a + snout-vent length of 81 mm. and a tail length of 155 mm.; the same + measurements of the largest female are 87 and 150 mm. The + streaked brown dorsum, combined with the lizards' habit of pressing + the body against the trunks of trees, make this anole especially difficult + to see.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Anolis humilis uniformis</b> Cope</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 24; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 22; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 6; + Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This small dull brown anole is a characteristic inhabitant of the + forest floor, where the lizards move about in a series of quick, + short hops and thus easily evade capture. Three individuals were + found on small bushes, and four were on the bases of trees; otherwise, + all were observed on the ground. Observations indicate that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> this species is active throughout the day, except during and immediately + after heavy rains. The males have a deep red dewlap + with a dark blue median spot.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei</b> Bocourt</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 11; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 4; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2; + Río de la Pasión, 1; Río San Román, 1; Sayaxché, 8; Toocog, 6.</p> +</div> +<p>This moderate-sized anole characteristically inhabits the low + bushes and bases of trees in the forest. Individuals were most + readily observed on the buttresses of some of the gigantic mahogany + and ceiba trees. When approached the lizards usually ran around + the tree or ducked to the other side of the buttress; if the observer + moved closer, they jumped to the ground and ran off. None was + observed to ascend large trees. Some individuals were observed + foraging on the forest floor; these took shelter on the bases of + trees. One individual was sleeping on a palm frond at night. The + adult males have a uniformly orange-red dewlap.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Anolis limifrons rodriguezi</b> Bocourt</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 2; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>In dry forests and more open situations than occur at Chinajá + this little anole is abundant, but in the wet forests of southern El + Petén, only three specimens were found. Two were on palm + fronds about two meters above the ground; the other was on a low + bush. I suspect that ecologically this species overlaps <i>A. humilis + uniformis</i> and <i>A. lemurinus bourgeaei</i>, but too few observations are + recorded to justify a definite statement at this time.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Anolis sericeus sericeus</b> Hallowell</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 2; Sayaxché, 1; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This small anole is common and widespread in the Atlantic + lowlands of southern México and northern Central America; usually + it inhabits sub-humid regions. Consequently, its presence in the + wet forests of southern El Petén was unexpected. The specimens + from Chinajá were sleeping on low bushes at night, whereas the + others were found on bushes by day.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Basiliscus vittatus</b> Wiegmann</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 6; Río de la Pasión, 1; Río San Román, 1; Sayaxché, 3; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>Individuals of this abundant species were most frequently seen in + dense bushes along the margins of rivers or small streams. None + was observed far from water. These lizards, like the anoles, are + known locally as <i>toloque</i>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Corythophanes cristatus</b> (Merrem)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>Three individuals were found on tree trunks; the fourth was on + a thick vine about one meter above the ground. The two largest + males have snout-vent lengths of 121 and 115 mm. and tail lengths + of 265 and 243 mm. The largest female (KU 59603), obtained on + June 28, has a snout-vent length of 125 mm. and a tail length of + 247 mm. This individual contained eight ova varying in greatest + diameter from 10.6 to 12.2 (average 11.1) mm. Also present are + numerous ovarian eggs having diameters up to about 3.5 mm.</p> +<p>One of the large males displayed a defensive behavior prior to + capture. When first observed the lizard was clinging to a tree + trunk about one and one-half meters above the ground. When I + approached, the lizard turned its flanks towards me; then it flattened + the body laterally, extended the dewlap, opened its mouth, and + made short rushing motions. When touched it bit viciously. On + the ground these lizards have a rather awkward bipedal gait that + is much slower than in <i>Basiliscus vittatus</i>.</p> +<p>In life an adult male (KU 55804) was reddish brown dorsally + with dark chocolate brown markings; the venter was creamy white, + and the iris was dark red. The natives call this lizard <i>piende jente</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Iguana iguana rhinolopha</b> Wiegmann</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Río San Román, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>The <i>iguana</i>, as this lizard is called locally, seems to be uncommon + in the forested areas of southern El Petén. Possibly this is due to + the fact that the flesh of this lizard is relished as food by the natives. + My two specimens were in large trees at the edge of the river.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Laemanctus deborrei</b> Boulenger</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 5.</p> +</div> +<p>On June 26 a female having a snout-vent length of 129 mm. + and a tail length of 502 mm. was found on a bush in the forest. + The lizard, when approached, faced the collector and opened its + mouth. In life the dorsum was bright green; the lateral stripe + was white, and the iris was yellowish brown. This specimen contained + four ova having lengths of 13.4 to 14.2 (average 13.9) mm.</p> +<p>On June 30 at Toocog five white-shelled eggs were found in a + rotting log. Measurements of the eggs are—length, 23.5 to 25.0 + (average 24.2) mm.; width, 15.0 to 15.5 (average 15.4) mm. These + eggs hatched on August 30. The five young had snout-vent lengths<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> of 43 to 45 (average 44) mm., and tail lengths of 137 to 140 (average + 138) mm. In life the hatchlings had a dull dark green dorsum, + pale bright green venter and stripes on head, and reddish brown + iris. In preservative the hatchlings are creamy tan above with + five or six square dark brown blotches middorsally.</p> +<p>The natives consider this lizard to be one of the anoles; consequently, + it is known as <i>toloque</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Lepidophyma flavimaculatum flavimaculatum</b> Duméril</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 8; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>Individuals were found beneath logs on the forest floor or moving + about in the litter on the forest floor. One was observed crawling + across a trail during a heavy rain. In some adults the tan dorsal + spots are large and distinct; in others the spots are small and indistinct. + Two juveniles, apparently recent hatchlings, were found + on June 28 and July 5. These specimens have snout-vent lengths + of 29 mm. and tail lengths of 38 and 41 mm.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Eumeces schwartzei</b> Fischer</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One specimen (KU 59551) was found on the forest floor at midday; + it is an adult female having a snout-vent length of 125 mm. + and a tail length of 210 mm. This specimen is larger than those recorded + by Taylor (1936:99) and extends the known range of the + species south of Ramate, approximately 125 kilometers south-south-westward + to Chinajá.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Eumeces sumichrasti</b> (Cope)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One adult male having a snout-vent length of 82 mm. was found + beneath a palm frond on the forest floor. In life the dorsum was + dull brown; the chin was cream; the belly was yellow, and the underside + of the tail was orange. A juvenile having a black body, yellow + dorsal stripes, and a bright blue tail was observed on the forest floor.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Scincella cherriei cherriei</b> (Cope)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 2; 30 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All individuals of this lizard were found in the leaf litter on the + forest floor; many escaped capture. In life the tail is dull bluish + gray. The number of dorsal scales varies from 59 to 61 (average<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> 60); thus, these specimens fall within the range of variation of <i>S. + cherriei cherriei</i>, and thereby differ from <i>S. cherriei stuarti</i> to the + west and <i>S. cherriei ixbaac</i> to the north.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Ameiva festiva edwardsi</b> Bocourt</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 16; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 10; Sayaché, 4; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This abundant terrestrial lizard, locally called <i>lagartijo</i>, is found + throughout the forest. A juvenile obtained on March 14 at Sayaxché + has a snout-vent length of 42 mm. and a prominent umbilical scar. + Other juveniles were observed at Chinajá in February and March, + thereby indicating that the young probably hatch in the early part + of the year. Juveniles have bright blue tails.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Celestus rozellae</b> Smith</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>Two specimens were obtained from trees by workmen in + February. These lizards have snout-vent lengths of 70 and 83 mm. + and tail lengths of 133 and 135 mm. There are 21 and 23 lamellae + beneath the fourth toe; each has 31 longitudinal rows of scales + around the body.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Boa constrictor imperator</b> Daudin</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2; Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All specimens were found on the forest floor. One individual + was found in combat with a large <i>Drymarchon corais melanurus</i>. + Apparently, the <i>Drymarchon</i> was attempting to devour the <i>Boa</i>, + which had a total length of 1683 mm. Locally this snake is called <i>masacuata</i>; it is one of the few snakes believed by the local inhabitants + to be non-poisonous.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Clelia clelia clelia</b> Daudin</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One specimen is represented only by the head; the snake was + killed on the forest floor by workmen. Another individual was + found in a pool of water at the base of a limestone outcropping in + the forest; this specimen (KU 58167) is a female having a body + length of 2220 mm. and a total length of 2634 mm. This snake + contained 22 ova averaging 56 × 23 mm. Both specimens were + uniform shiny black above and cream-color below. The local name + is <i>sumbadora</i>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Coniophanes bipunctatus bipunctatus</b> (Günther)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This snake was found on the forest floor by day; it is a male + having 130 ventrals, an incomplete tail; cream-colored belly, and a + pair of large brown spots on each ventral scute.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Coniophanes fissidens fissidens</b> (Günther)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This male specimen was found beneath a rock in a sink hole. + It has 122 ventrals and 77 caudals. A narrow temporal stripe + extends along the upper edge of the anterior temporal and the + lower edge of the upper secondary temporal. The belly is ashy + white with a pair of small black spots on each ventral.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Coniophanes imperialis clavatus</b> (Peters)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3.</p> +</div> +<p>All specimens were found on the forest floor by day. These small + snakes are capable of rapid movement and quickly disappear in + the litter on the ground. Two individuals evaded capture. The + belly is creamy white anteriorly and vermillion red posteriorly.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Dryadophis melanolomus laevis</b> (Fischer)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3.</p> +</div> +<p>These snakes, locally known as <i>sumbadora</i>, were found on the + forest floor; two others were seen, but escaped. The variation in + coloration has been a source of confusion in this species in northern + Central America (see Stuart, 1941:86). All of the present specimens + are males: KU 55709 has 178 ventrals, 121 caudals, and a total + length of 914 mm.; the dorsum is olive-tan with six darker cross-bars + on the neck; the belly is creamy white. KU 58160 has 188 + ventrals, 123 caudals, and a total length of 1365 mm.; the dorsum is + uniform olive-brown, except that some dorsal scales at midbody + have black anterior borders like <i>D. melanolomus melanolomus</i> has + in the Yucatán Peninsula; the venter is pale yellow. KU 58158 has + 179 ventrals, 122 caudals, and a total length of 723 mm.; the dorsum + is rich chocolate brown with eight dark cross-bars on the neck; the + belly is bright orange.</p> +<p>Stuart (1941a:87) stated that in life two distinct color phases + were observed in specimens collected by him in Alta Verapaz, + Guatemala. One had an olive-brown dorsum and the other, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> reddish orange dorsum. Stuart made no mention of variation in + the color of the venter. Similar variation is known in <i>D. melanolomus + alternatus</i> in Costa Rica, where some individuals have orange-red + venters. This color phase has been recognized as a distinct + species, <i>Dryadophis sanguiventris</i>, by Taylor (1954:722). Examination + of 18 specimens from Costa Rica shows no differences in + scutellation, nor geographic segregation of two populations. I am + convinced that the red-bellied <i>Dryadophis</i> in Costa Rica, like those + in Guatemala, represent a color phase of the subspecies inhabiting + those areas and that <i>Dryadophis sanguiventris</i> Taylor is a synonym + of <i>Dryadophis melanolomus alternatus</i> (Bocourt).</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Drymarchon corais melanurus</b> (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>The specimen from Sayaxché was found at the edge of a clearing + in the forest; that from 15 kilometers northwest of Chinajá was found + on the forest floor coiled with a <i>Boa constrictor imperator</i>, which + the <i>Drymarchon</i> apparently was trying to eat. The <i>Drymarchon</i> is + a giant specimen having a total length of 2950 mm. (see Duellman, + 1961:368). The <i>Boa</i> with which it was coiled has a total length + of 1683 mm. I was attracted to the snakes by a loud thrashing + noise. When I approached the writhing mass, the snakes separated, + but I was able to see that the <i>Drymarchon</i> had its teeth firmly imbedded + in the posterior part of the head of the <i>Boa</i>. From the <i>Drymarchon</i> I forced the regurgitation of a recently ingested <i>Bothrops nummifer nummifer</i> having a total length of 953 mm. + These observations show that the snake-eating capabilities of <i>Drymarchon</i> can hardly be over-estimated.</p> +<p>In both <i>Drymarchon</i> the anterior one-half of the body is olive-tan, + which changes to bluish black posteriorly. The local name is <i>sumbadora</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Drymobius margaritiferus margaritiferus</b> (Schlegel)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3; Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All individuals were obtained in clearings in the forest by day + in the rainy season. Two individuals each contained a <i>Similisca + baudini</i> and another contained a <i>Bufo valliceps valliceps</i>. Locally + this snake is known by the appropriate name of <i>ranera</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Imantodes cenchoa leucomelas</b> Cope</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 4.</p> +</div> +<p>With the exception of one that was found dead in camp, all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> individuals were taken from low vegetation by day. The dorsum + is creamy tan with 28 to 35 (average 32) chocolate brown blotches, + and the venter is ashy white with small brown flecks. Three males + have 238 to 248 (average 244) ventrals and 148 to 154 (average + 151) caudals; one female has 239 ventrals and 142 caudals. The + largest specimen, a male, has a body length of 660 mm. and a total + length of 943 mm.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Lampropeltis doliata polyzona</b> Cope</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One female (KU 57156) having 230 ventrals and 54 caudals + was found on the forest floor by day. This individual has a black + snout with a white bar across the nasals and prefrontals, a white + spot in the middle of the frontal, and a white band across the + temporals and parietals that is bordered posteriorly by a black + band. There are 28 white and 28 red rings on the body. The + tips of the red scales are darkened. The black rings between the + white and red rings are not so expanded as to interrupt the white + rings dorsally as in <i>L. doliata abnorma</i> as identified by Stuart + (1948:70). Locally this snake, like all red, black, and white or + yellow banded snakes, is called <i>coral</i> or <i>coralillo</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Leptodeira frenata malleisi</b> Dunn and Stuart</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This specimen, a male having 173 ventrals and 69 caudals, was + found beneath the bark on a log in the forest. In life the dorsum + was pinkish tan with 36 chocolate brown blotches on the body; + the venter was rosy pink.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Leptodeira septentrionalis polysticta</b> Günther</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3; Toocog, 11.</p> +</div> +<p>If numbers of specimens are indicative of abundance, this is the + most common snake in southern El Petén. All were found at night + in the rainy season. At a pond in the forest at Toocog these snakes + were observed on low vegetation, on the ground, and in the water. + Evidently they congregate at breeding choruses of frogs. One <i>Leptodeira</i> contained a <i>Smilisca baudini</i> and another contained + eggs of <i>Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori</i>. The natives call this snake <i>nahuyaca</i>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Leptophis ahaetulla praestans</b> (Cope)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>13 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>Both specimens were obtained from trees when they were felled. + One individual (KU 55716) has a body length of 1345 mm. and a + total length of 2035 mm. In life the entire snake was uniform bright + green; the eye was yellow. In preservative the dorsum is dark + blue, and the venter is green.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Leptophis mexicanus mexicanus</b> Duméril, Bibron and Duméril</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; 15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 4.</p> +</div> +<p>All specimens came from low trees in the forest. The largest + specimen is a male having a body length of 724 mm. and a total + length of 1236 mm. In life the middorsum was a golden tan; the + top of the head was a vivid green. One individual had ingested a <i>Smilisca baudini</i>. The local name is <i>bejuquillo</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Ninia sebae sebae</b> (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Toocog, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This specimen, a male having 144 ventrals and 55 caudals, was + found beneath bark on a log in the forest. There is a black band + five scales in length on the nape followed posteriorly by a red + band six scales in length and then by a complete black band one + and one-half scales in length. The rest of the body is dull red with + 16 incomplete black bands one to one and one-half scales in length + on the anterior two-thirds of the body.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Oxybelis aeneus aeneus</b> (Wagler)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>One individual was found in a low tree; the other was in a + bush. Both specimens are males; the largest has a body length + of 754 mm. and a total length of 1286 mm. Bogert and Oliver + (1945:388) distinguished <i>O. aeneus aeneus</i> in Central and South + America from <i>O. aeneus auratus</i> in México in that the diameter of + the eye is more than the length of the internasal, whereas in <i>O. + aeneus auratus</i> the diameter of the eye is less than the length of the + internasal. Stuart (1958:27) stated that on the basis of this + character three specimens from Tikal in northeastern El Petén + definitely were <i>O. aeneus aeneus</i>. Of the present specimens from + southern El Petén, one has an internasal:eye ratio of 1.08; the other + has a ratio of 0.87. A careful review of these snakes is needed to + verify the validity of the characters used to separate the subspecies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> and to determine areas of intergradation. The local name for the + vine-snake is <i>bejuquillo</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis</b> Salvin</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>These specimens are tentatively referred to <i>P. euryzonus</i>. KU + 57160 is a female having 130 ventrals, 87 caudals, and 23 black + rings on the body; KU 58150 is a juvenile having 128 ventrals, 79 + caudals, and 27 black rings on the body. In both specimens the + tip of the snout is yellow; a broad yellow band on the parietals and + temporals is bordered posteriorly by a black band on the nape. + The black rings on the body are not bordered by yellow, but + black rings on the tail have yellow borders ventrally. In the red + interspaces between the black rings, black flecks and spots, especially + posteriorly, tend to form secondary black rings (Fig. 6a). + According to Stuart (1948:71), <i>P. euryzonus aequalis</i> has 25 to 27 + black rings on the body, whereas <i>P. elapoides salvini</i>, which also + occurs in El Petén, has 15 to 23 black rings.</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> <img src="images/i044.jpg" width="600" height="362" alt="Fig. 6. Dorsal color patterns of Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis (A) and Micrurus affinis apiatus (B)."/> <span class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 6.</span> Dorsal color patterns of <i>Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis</i> (A) and <i>Micrurus + affinis apiatus</i> (B).</span> + <p> </p> +</div> +<p>The specimen from the Río San Román contained a partly + digested <i>Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri</i>. Locally <i>Piocercus</i> is called <i>coral</i> or <i>coralillo</i>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Pseustes poecilonotus poecilonotus</b> (Günther)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>Two juveniles were on the forest floor; one juvenile and an adult + were on low bushes. The juveniles have a tan dorsum with reddish + brown blotches; the belly is gray, and the iris is cream-color + above and brown below. The one adult is olive-brown above and + creamy white below on the anterior three-fourths of the body; + posteriorly it is black above and below. There are no paravertebral + dark stripes nor pale spots on the dorsal scales.</p> +<p>Two specimens (one juvenile and the adult) when encountered + compressed the anterior part of the body laterally and struck repeatedly. + Locally the adults are called <i>sumbadora</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Sibon dimidiata dimidiata</b> (Günther)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2.</p> +</div> +<p>Both snakes were obtained from trees when they were felled. + In life the dorsum was pinkish orange with dark chocolate brown + blotches narrowly edged with black.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Sibon nebulata nebulata</b> (Linnaeus)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>20 km. NW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This specimen, a male having a body length of 544 mm. and + a tail length of 198 mm., was found in a felled tree. In life the + belly was pink and black; the dorsal black blotches were narrowly + outlined with pink.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Spilotes pullatus mexicanus</b> (Laurenti)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This large snake, locally called <i>mica</i>, seems to be equally at + home on the ground and in low trees and bushes. It is fast moving + for a large snake; two individuals escaped capture. The natives + said that this snake eats other snakes, but examination of stomachs + revealed no supporting evidence.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Stenorrhina degenhardti</b> (Berthold)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This specimen, a female having 158 ventrals, 37 caudals, and a + total length of 489 mm., was found on the forest floor. On the + olive-brown dorsum are 27 irregular, narrow, dark brown, transverse + bands. The head is uniform olive-brown; the chin and labials are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> cream-color. The venter is cream-color with a row of brown spots + forming a midventral stripe. A large spider was found in the + stomach.</p> +<p>I have refrained from assigning a subspecific name to this snake. + Cursory examination of specimens from throughout México and + Central America reveals a bewildering array of variation in coloration + that suggests that the subspecies <i>mexicanus</i> is not recognizable, + or that two species occur sympatrically in parts of southern México + and northern Central America.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Tretanorhinus nigroluteus lateralis</b> Bocourt</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>A single male having 136 ventrals, 75 caudals, and a total length + of 407 mm. was found by a stream in camp. The dorsum is pale + grayish tan with 34 pairs of small chocolate brown spots, some of + the anterior ones of which are connected across the back. A cream-colored + lateral stripe is on the third and fourth dorsal scale-rows + anteriorly and the second and third rows posteriorly. The lower + dorsal scale rows are black. The venter is dark grayish brown with + cream-colored flecks anteriorly and creamy gray posteriorly where + the dark color is restricted to the midventral region and the lateral + edges of ventrals and first dorsal scale-row.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Xenodon rabdocephalus mexicanus</b> Smith</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>Both individuals were found on the forest floor. An adult male + having a total length of 420 mm. has a cream-colored venter with + brown flecks. A juvenile having a total length of 172 mm. has a + creamy white belly with black crossbands.</p> +<p>At the suggestion of L. C. Stuart, I am following Schmidt + (1941:501) in placing <i>X. mexicanus</i> as a subspecies of <i>X. rabdocephalus</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Micrurus affinis apiatus</b> (Jan)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 2; Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>All specimens were found beneath litter on the forest floor. + All are males having 202 to 211 (average 205) ventrals, 53 to 56 + (54.6) caudals, and 34 to 48 (41) primary black rings on the body. + There are no yellow rings, and black spots in the red interspaces + tend to form secondary black rings (Fig. 6b), the same as in <i>Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis</i>. The local name is <i>coral</i> or <i>coralillo</i>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bothrops atrox asper</b> (Garman)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 1; Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>Although we found only two specimens, natives and workmen + at the camp at Chinajá stated that the <i>barba amarilla</i>, as this snake + is known locally, had been abundant when the camp had been + established less than two years before our visit.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bothrops nasutus</b> Bocourt</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>12 km. NW of Chinajá, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This specimen, a male having a total length of 415 mm., was + found on the forest floor. The dorsum is brown with dark brown + blotches separated middorsally by a narrow orange-tan stripe extending + from the nape to the base of the tail. The belly is grayish + tan with white flecks on the lateral edges of the ventrals. The local + name is <i>nahuyaca</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bothrops nummifer nummifer</b> (Rüppell)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>15 km. NW of Chinajá, 2; Sayaxché, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>Two individuals were found on the forest floor, and one adult, + having a total length of 953 mm., was removed from the stomach + of a large <i>Drymarchon corais melanurus</i>. There is considerable + variation in color and pattern. A juvenile (KU 58104), having a + total length of 332 mm., has a tan dorsum with 19 interconnected + dark brown, diamond-shaped, middorsal blotches, the lateral extensions + of which are black; the belly is a cream-color with brown + squares. An adult female (KU 55706), having a total length of + 779 mm., has a dorsal coloration like the preceding specimen, except + that the lateral extensions of the dorsal blotches are brown; + the belly is a uniform cream-color. A second adult female (KU + 55707), having a total length of 953 mm., has a brown dorsum + with 21 interconnected black, diamond-shaped, middorsal blotches, + the lateral extensions of which are black; the belly is a cream-color + with black squares.</p> +<p>The local name for this species is <i>braza de piedra</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>Bothrops schlegeli schlegeli</b> (Berthold)</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>Paso Subín, 1.</p> +</div> +<p>This specimen was taken from the thatched roof of a house at + the edge of the forest and contained the remains of a small mammal. + The local name is <i>nahuyaca</i>.</p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="HYPOTHETICAL_LIST_OF_SPECIES" id="HYPOTHETICAL_LIST_OF_SPECIES"></a>HYPOTHETICAL LIST OF SPECIES</h2> +<p>Listed below are thirteen species that have not been found in + southern El Petén but that probably occur there.</p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p><b><i>Dermophis mexicanus mexicanus</i></b> (Duméril and Bibron).—Natives at Chinajá + know caecilians, which they call <i>dos cabezas</i>. This species has been taken + in Tabasco and northern Chiapas. Its occurrence in southern El Petén is expected. + Less likely, the caecilian known to the natives at Chinajá is <i>Gymnopis + oligozona</i>, which is known from Finca Volcán on the southern slopes of the + valley of the Río Cahabón in Alta Verapaz.</p> + <p><b><i>Gastrophryne elegans</i></b> (Boulenger).—This small fossorial frog is known from + Piedras Negras (Taylor and Smith, 1945:604), 12 miles east of Yaxha + (Stuart, 1934:7), and Tikal (Stuart, 1958:18), all in northern and central + El Petén. Two specimens in the collection of the University of Kansas are + from 28 kilometers northeast of Campur, Alta Verapaz. Probably the species + ranges throughout the forested lowlands of northern Alta Verapaz and El + Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Mabuya brachypoda</i></b> Taylor.—The absence of this widespread lizard in our + collections cannot be explained. Probably it occurs in southern El Petén, + for it is known in northern and central El Petén and in Alta Verapaz.</p> + <p><b><i>Dendrophidion vinitor</i></b> Smith.—This snake is known from Piedras Negras, + El Petén and from various localities in Alta Verapaz; it is an inhabitant of + humid forest and should occur in southern El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Elaphe triaspis mutabilis</i></b> (Cope).—The subspecies <i>E. triaspis mutabilis</i> is + known from Alta Verapaz and <i>E. triaspis triaspis</i> from the Yucatán Peninsula, + British Honduras, and Uaxactún in northern El Petén. Because of the + much higher degree of resemblance between the faunas of southern El Petén + and Alta Verapaz as compared with southern El Petén and Yucatán, <i>E. triaspis + mutabilis</i> would be expected to occur in southern El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Ninia diademata nietoi</i></b> Burger and Werler.—This snake is known from Tikal + and from Alta Verapaz; it is a small cryptophile that probably occurs in + southern El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Oxyrhophus petola aequifasciatus</i></b> Werner.—This snake, which probably + is conspecific with <i>Oxyrhophus baileyi</i> in southern Veracruz, México, is known + from Tikal, British Honduras, and Alta Verapaz; it is expected in southern + El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Pliocercus elapoides salvini</i></b> Müller.—This species is widespread in the Atlantic + lowlands of southern México and northern Central America; the subspecies <i>P. elapoides salvini</i> occurs in Alta Verapaz and probably in southern + El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Rhadinaea decorata decorata</i></b> (Günther).—This is another small cryptophile + that is widespread on the Atlantic lowlands from México to Panamá; it + definitely is expected at places like Chinajá in southern El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Scaphiodontophis annulatus</i></b> (Duméril and Bibron).—Three subspecies of <i>Scaphiodontophis annulatus</i> are recognized in northern Central America: <i>S. annulatus annulatus</i> from Alta Verapaz, <i>S. annulatus hondurensis</i> from + northern Honduras, and <i>S. annulatus carpicinctus</i> from Piedras Negras and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> Tikal in El Petén and from British Honduras. This rare and highly variable + species probably occurs in southern El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Tantilla schistosa schistosa</i></b> (Bocourt).—This widespread species in Central + America is known from several localities in Alta Verapaz and almost certainly + occurs in southern El Petén.</p> + <p><b><i>Tropidodipsas sartori sartori</i></b> Cope.—This fossorial species has been collected + in northern El Petén and in Alta Verapaz. The natives at Chinajá described + to me a <i>coral</i> having orange rings on a black body that likely was this species.</p> + <p><b><i>Micrurus elegans veraepacis</i></b> Schmidt.—This species has been collected at + various localities in Alta Verapaz and in Chiapas, inhabits areas like those + in southern El Petén, and probably occurs there.</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="SUMMARY" id="SUMMARY"></a>SUMMARY</h2> +<p>A study of the amphibians and reptiles in the rainforests of + southern El Petén, Guatemala, reveals the presence of 78 species; + an additional 13 species probably occur there. In this tropical area + having a high amount of rainfall most of the species of amphibians + and reptiles have extensive ranges in the wet forests on the Atlantic + lowlands of southern México and northern Central America; some + species that more frequently are found in sub-humid forests also + occur.</p> +<p>Ecologically the fauna is divided into five major habitats—aquatic, + aquatic margin, fossorial, terrestrial, and arboreal. Forty-two + per cent of the 78 species are wholly or partly arboreal. The + fauna is most closely related to that in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, + but includes many species that occur in the Tikal-Uaxactún area in + northeastern Guatemala.</p> +<p><i>Eleutherodactylus rostralis</i> (Werner) and <i>E. rhodopis</i> (Cope) + are redefined and their relationships are suggested. The color + phases of <i>Dryadophis melanolomus laevis</i> and <i>D. m. alternatus</i> are + discussed; <i>Dryadophis sanguiventris</i> Taylor is synonymized with <i>Dryadophis melanolomus alternatus</i> (Bocourt).</p> +<p>The breeding habits, eggs, and tadpoles of the hylid frogs <i>Hyla + ebraccata</i> and <i>Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori</i> are described, as + are the eggs and juveniles of <i>Laemanctus deborrei</i>.</p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="LITERATURE_CITED" id="LITERATURE_CITED"></a>LITERATURE CITED</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Baylor, E. R. and Stuart, L. C.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1961. A new race of <i>Bufo valliceps</i> from Guatemala. Proc. Biol. Soc. + Washington, 74:195-202, August 11.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Bogert, C. M. and Oliver, J. A.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1945. A preliminary analysis of the herpetofauna of Sonora. Bull. + Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 83:297-426, March 30.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Brocchi, P.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1881-1883 Étude des batraciens de l'Amerique Centrale. Mission scientifique + au Mexique. Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 3 (2):1-122, pls. 1-21.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Duellman, W. E.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1958. A review of the frogs of the genus <i>Syrrhophus</i> in western Mexico. + Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 594:1-15, pls. 1-3, June 6.</p> + <p>1960. A distributional study of the amphibians of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, + México. Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist., 13:21-72, + August 16.</p> + <p>1961. A record size for <i>Drymarchon corais melanurus</i>. Copeia, 1960 + (4):367-368, January.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Dunn, E. R. and Emlen, J. T.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1932. Reptiles and amphibians from Honduras. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. + Philadelphia, 84:21-32, March 22.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Firschein, I. L. and Smith, H. M.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1957. A high-crested race of toad (<i>Bufo valliceps</i>) and other noteworthy + reptiles and amphibians from southern Mexico. Herpetologica, + 13:219-222, October 31.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Lundell, C. L.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1937. The vegetation of Petén. Carnegie Institute Washington Publ. + 178:1-244, pls. 1-39. June 16.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Neill, W. T. and Allen, R.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1959. Studies on the amphibians and reptiles of British Honduras. Publ. + Ross Allen's Reptile Inst., 2:1-76, November 10.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Sapper, K.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1932. Klimakunde von Mittelamerika. <i>In</i> Handbuch Klimakunde, 2:1-74, + Taf. 1-13.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Schmidt, K. P.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1936. Guatemalan salamanders of the genus <i>Oedipus</i>. Zool. Ser. Field + Mus. Nat. Hist., 20:135-166, October 31.</p> + <p>1941. The amphibians and reptiles of British Honduras. Zool. Ser. Field + Mus. Nat. Hist, 22:475-510, December 30.</p> + <p>1946. Turtles collected by the Smithsonian Biological Survey of the + Panamá Canal Zone. Smithsonian Misc. Coll., 106 (8):1-9, pl. 1, + August 1.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Simpson, G. G.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1960. Notes on the measurement of faunal resemblance. Amer. Jour. + Sci., 258-A:300-311.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Smith, H. M. and Taylor, E. H.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1945. An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico. Bull. + U. S. Natl. Mus., 187: iv + 239 pp., October 5.</p> + <p>1948. An annotated checklist and key to the amphibia of Mexico. Bull. + U. S. Natl. Mus., 194: iv + 118 pp., June 17.</p> + <p>1950. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Mexico exclusive + of the snakes. Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., 199: v + 253 pp., October 26.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Stuart, L. C.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1934. A contribution to a knowledge of the herpetological fauna of El + Peten, Guatemala. Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, + 292:1-18, June 29.</p> + <p>1935. A contribution to a knowledge of the herpetology of a portion of + the savanna region of central Petén, Guatemala. Misc. Publ. Mus. + Zool. Univ. Michigan, 29:1-56, pls. 1-4, October 1.</p> + <p>1937. Some further notes on the amphibians and reptiles of the Peten + forest of northern Guatemala. Copeia, 1937 (1):67-70, April 10.</p> + <p>1941a. Studies of Neotropical Colubrinae VIII. A revision of the genus <i>Dryadophis</i> Stuart, 1939. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, + 49:1-105, pls. 1-4, March 19.</p> + <p>1941b. Two new species of <i>Eleutherodactylus</i> from Guatemala. Proc. + Biol. Soc. Washington, 54:197-200, December 8.</p> + <p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> + <p>1943. Taxonomic and geographic comments on Guatemalan salamanders + of the genus <i>Oedipus</i>. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, + 56:1-33, pls. 1-2, January 30.</p> + <p>1948. The amphibians and reptiles of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Misc. + Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 69:1-109, June 12.</p> + <p>1950. A geographic study of the herpetofauna of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. + Contr. Lab. Vert. Biol. Univ. Michigan, 45:1-77, pls. 1-9, + May.</p> + <p>1958. A study of the herpetofauna of the Uaxactun-Tikal area of northern + El Peten, Guatemala. Contr. Lab. Vert. Biol. Univ. Michigan, + 75:1-30, June.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Taylor, E. H.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1936. A taxonomic study of the cosmopolitan scincoid lizards of the + genus <i>Eumeces</i>. Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull., 23:1-643, August 15.</p> + <p>1954. Further studies on the serpents of Costa Rica. Univ. Kansas Sci. + Bull., 36:673-801, July 15.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="smcap">Taylor, E. H. and Smith, H. M.</span></p> +<div class="blockquot"> + <p>1945. Summary of collections of amphibians made in Mexico under + the Walter Rathbone Bacon Traveling Scholarship. Proc. U. S. + Natl. Mus., 95:521-613, June 30.</p> +</div> +<p><i>Transmitted November 29, 1962.</i></p> +<p>29-5935</p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a name="UNIVERSITY_OF_KANSAS_PUBLICATIONS" id="UNIVERSITY_OF_KANSAS_PUBLICATIONS"></a>UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS + MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY</h2> +<p>Institutional libraries interested in publications exchange may obtain this + series by addressing the Exchange Librarian, University of Kansas Library, + Lawrence, Kansas. Copies for individuals, persons working in a particular + field of study, may be obtained by addressing instead the Museum of Natural + History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. There is no provision for + sale of this series by the University Library, which meets institutional requests, + or by the Museum of Natural History, which meets the requests of individuals. + However, when individuals request copies from the Museum, 25 cents should + be included, for each separate number that is 100 pages or more in length, for + the purpose of defraying the costs of wrapping and mailing.</p> +<p>* An asterisk designates those numbers of which the Museum's supply (not the Library's + supply) is exhausted. Numbers published to date, in this series, are as follows:</p> +<p> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 1. Nos. 1-26 and index. Pp. 1-638, 1946-1950.</span><br /> + <br /> + *Vol. 2. (Complete) Mammals of Washington. By Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 1-444, 140<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">figures in text. April 9, 1948.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 3. *1. The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and distribution. By Rollin</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures in text. June 19, 1951.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">*2. A quantitative study of the nocturnal migration Of birds. By George H.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Lowery, Jr. Pp. 361-472, 47 figures in text. June 29, 1951.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">3. Phylogeny of the waxwings and allied birds. By M. Dale Arvey. Pp. 473-530,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">49 figures in text, 13 tables. October 10, 1951.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">*4. Birds from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. By George H. Lowery, Jr., and</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 531-649, 7 figures in text, 2 tables. October 10,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">1951.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">Index. Pp. 651-681.</span><br /> + <br /> + *Vol. 4. (Complete) American weasels. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 1-466, 41 plates, 31<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">figures in text. December 27, 1951.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 5. Nos. 1-37 and index. Pp. 1-676, 1951-1953.</span><br /> + <br /> + *Vol. 6. (Complete) Mammals of Utah, <i>taxonomy and distribution</i>. By Stephen D.<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Durrant. Pp. 1-549, 91 figures in text, 30 tables. August 10, 1952.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 7. Nos. 1-15 and index. Pp. 1-651, 1952-1955.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 8. Nos. 1-10 and index. Pp. 1-675. 1954-1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 9. *1. Speciation of the wandering shrew. By James S. Findley. Pp. 1-68, 18</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">figures in text. December 10, 1955.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">2. Additional records and extension of ranges of mammals from Utah. By</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Stephen D. Durrant, M. Raymond Lee, and Richard M. Hansen. Pp. 69-80.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">December 10, 1955.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">3. A new long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) from northeastern Mexico. By Rollin</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">H. Baker and Howard J. Stains. Pp. 81-84. December 10, 1955.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">4. Subspeciation in the meadow mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 85-104, 2 figures in text. May 10, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">5. The condylarth genus Ellipsodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. 105-116, 6</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">figures in text. May 19, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">6. Additional remains of the multituberculate genus Eucosmodon. By Robert</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">W. Wilson. Pp. 117-123, 10 figures in text. May 19, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">7. Mammals of Coahuila, Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 125-335, 75 figures</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">in text. June 15, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">8. Comments on the taxonomic status of Apodemus peninsulae, with description</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">of a new subspecies from North China. By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 337-346,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">1 figure in text, 1 table. August 15, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">9. Extensions of known ranges of Mexican bats. By Sydney Anderson. Pp.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">347-351. August 15, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">10. A new bat (Genus Leptonycteris) from Coahuila. By Howard J. Stains.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Pp. 353-356. January 21, 1957.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">11. A new species of pocket gopher (Genus Pappogeomys) from Jalisco, Mexico.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 357-361. January 21, 1957.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">12. Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Thomomys bottae, in Colorado.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Phillip M. Youngman. Pp. 363-387, 7 figures in text. February 21, 1958.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">13. New bog lemming (genus Synaptomys) from Nebraska. By J. Knox Jones,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Jr. Pp. 385-388. May 12, 1958.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">14. Pleistocene bats from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo León, México. By J. Knox</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Jones, Jr. Pp. 389-396. December 19, 1958.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">15. New subspecies of the rodent Baiomys from Central America. By Robert</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">L. Packard. Pp. 397-404. December 19, 1958.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">16. Mammals of the Grand Mesa, Colorado. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 405-414,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">1 figure in text. May 20, 1959.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">17. Distribution, variation, and relationships of the montane vole, Microtus montanus.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 415-511, 12 figures in text, 2 tables.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">August 1, 1959.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">18. Conspecificity of two pocket mice, Perognathus goldmani and P. artus. By</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">E. Raymond Hall and Marilyn Bailey Ogilvie. Pp. 513-518, 1 map. January</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">14, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">19. Records of harvest mice, Reithrodontomys, from Central America, with description</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">of a new subspecies from Nicaragua. By Sydney Anderson and</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 519-529. January 14, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">20. Small carnivores from San Josecito Cave (Pleistocene), Nuevo León, México.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 531-538, 1 figure in text. January 14, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">21. Pleistocene pocket gophers from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo León, México.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 539-548, 1 figure in text. January 14, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">22. Review of the insectivores of Korea. By J. Knox Jones, Jr., and David H.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Johnson. Pp. 549-578. February 23, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">23. Speciation and evolution of the pygmy mice, genus Baiomys. By Robert L.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Packard. Pp. 579-670, 4 plates, 12 figures in text. June 16, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">Index. Pp. 671-690</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 10. 1. Studies of birds killed in nocturnal migration. By Harrison B. Tordoff and</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Robert M. Mengel. Pp. 1-44, 6 figures in text, 2 tables. September 12, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">2. Comparative breeding behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and A. maritima.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Glen E. Woolfenden. Pp. 45-75, 6 plates, 1 figure. December 20, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">3. The forest habitat of the University of Kansas Natural History Reservation.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Henry S. Fitch and Ronald R. McGregor. Pp. 77-127, 2 plates, 7 figures</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">in text, 4 tables. December 31, 1956.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">4. Aspects of reproduction and development in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 129-161, 8 figures in text, 4 tables. December</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">19, 1957.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">5. Birds found on the Arctic slope of northern Alaska. By James W. Bee.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Pp. 163-211, plates 9-10, 1 figure in text. March 12, 1958.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">*6. The wood rats of Colorado: distribution and ecology. By Robert B. Finley,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Jr. Pp. 213-552, 34 plates, 8 figures in text, 35 tables. November 7, 1958.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">7. Home ranges and movements of the eastern cottontail in Kansas. By Donald</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">W. Janes. Pp. 553-572, 4 plates, 3 figures in text. May 4, 1959.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">8. Natural history of the salamander, Aneides hardyi. By Richard F. Johnston</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">and Gerhard A. Schad. Pp. 573-585. October 8, 1959.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">9. A new subspecies of lizard, Cnemidophorus sacki, from Michoacán, México.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By William E. Duellman. Pp. 587-598, 2 figures in text. May 2, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">10. A taxonomic study of the middle-American snake, Pituophis deppei. By</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">William E. Duellman. Pp. 599-610, 1 plate, 1 figure in text. May 2, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">Index. Pp. 611-626.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 11. Nos. 1-10 and index. Pp. 1-703, 1958-1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 12. 1. Functional morphology of three bats: Sumops, Myotis, Macrotus. By Terry</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">A. Vaughan. Pp. 1-153, 4 plates, 24 figures in text. July 8, 1959.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">*2. The ancestry of modern Amphibia: a review of the evidence. By Theodore</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">H. Eaton, Jr. Pp. 155-180, 10 figures in text. July 10, 1959.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">3. The baculum in microtine rodents. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 181-216, 49</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">figures in text. February 19, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">*4. A new order of fishlike Amphibia from the Pennsylvanian of Kansas. By</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Theodore H. Eaton, Jr., and Peggy Lou Stewart. Pp. 217-240, 12 figures in</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">text. May 2, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">5. Natural history of the bell vireo. By Jon C. Barlow. Pp. 241-296, 6 figures</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">in text. March 7, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">6. Two new pelycosaurs from the lower Permian of Oklahoma. By Richard C.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Fox. Pp. 297-307, 6 figures in text. May 21, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">7. Vertebrates from the barrier island of Tamaulipas, México. By Robert K.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Selander, Richard F. Johnston, B. J. Wilks, and Gerald G. Raun. Pp. 309-345,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">pls. 5-8. June 18, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">8. Teeth of Edestid sharks. By Theodore H. Eaton, Jr. Pp. 347-362, 10 figures</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">in text. October 1, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">More numbers will appear in volume 12.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 13. 1. Five natural hybrid combinations in minnows (Cyprinidae). By Frank B.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Cross and W. L. Minckley. Pp. 1-18. June 1, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">2. A distributional study of the amphibians of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">México. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 19-72, pls. 1-8, 3 figures in text.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">August 16, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">3. A new subspecies of the slider turtle (Pseudemys scripta) from Coahuila,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">México. By John M. Legler. Pp. 73-84, pls. 9-12, 3 figures in text. August</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">16, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">4. Autecology of the copperhead. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 85-288, pls. 13-20,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">26 figures in text. November 30, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">5. Occurrence of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, in the Great Plains and</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Rocky Mountains. By Henry S. Fitch and T. Paul Maslin. Pp. 289-308,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">4 figures in text. February 10, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">6. Fishes of the Wakarusa river in Kansas. By James E. Deacon and Artie L.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Metcalf. Pp. 309-322, 1 figure in text. February 10, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">7. Geographic variation in the North American cyprinid fish, Hybopsis gracilis.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By Leonard J. Olund and Frank B. Cross. Pp. 323-348, pls. 21-24, 2 figures</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">in text. February 10, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">8. Descriptions of two species of frogs, genus Ptychohyla; studies of American</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">hylid frogs, V. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 349-357, pl. 25, 2 figures</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">in text. April 27, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">9. Fish populations, following a drought, in the Neosho and Marais des Cygnes</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">rivers of Kansas. By James Everett Deacon. Pp. 359-427, pls. 26-30, 3 figs.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">August 11, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">10. Recent soft-shelled turtles of North America (family Trionychidae). By</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Robert G. Webb. Pp. 429-611, pls. 31-54, 24 figures in text. February</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">16, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">Index. Pp. 613-624.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 14. 1. Neotropical bats from western México. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 1-8.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 6.5em;">October 24, 1960.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">2. Geographic variation in the harvest mouse. Reithrodontomys megalotis, on</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">the central Great Plains and in adjacent regions. By J. Knox Jones, Jr.,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">and B. Mursaloglu. Pp. 9-27, 1 figure in text. July 24, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">3. Mammals of Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. By Sydney Anderson.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Pp. 29-67, pls. 1 and 2, 3 figures in text. July 24, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">4. A new subspecies of the black myotis (bat) from eastern Mexico. By E.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Raymond Hall and Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 69-72, 1 figure in text. December</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">29, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">5. North American yellow bats, "Dasypterus," and a list of the named kinds</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">of the genus Lasiurus Gray. By E. Raymond Hall and J. Knox Jones, Jr.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Pp. 73-98, 4 figures in text. December 29, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">6. Natural history of the brush mouse (Peromyscus boylii) in Kansas with</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">description of a new subspecies. By Charles A. Long. Pp. 99-111, 1 figure</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">in text. December 29, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">7. Taxonomic status of some mice of the Peromyscus boylii group in eastern</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Mexico, with description of a new subspecies. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 113-120,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">1 figure in text. December 29, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">8. A new subspecies of ground squirrel (Spermophilus spilosoma) from Tamaulipas,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Mexico. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 121-124. March 7, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">9. Taxonomic status of the free-tailed bat, Tadarida yucatanica Miller. By J.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Knox Jones, Jr., and Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 125-133, 1 figure in text. March 7,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">10. A new doglike carnivore, genus Cynaretus, from the Clarendonian Pliocene,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">of Texas. By E. Raymond Hall and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 135-138,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">2 figures in text. April 30, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">11. A new subspecies of wood rat (Neotoma) from northeastern Mexico. By</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 139-143. April 30, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">12. Noteworthy mammals from Sinaloa, Mexico. By J. Knox Jones, Jr., Ticul</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Alvarez, and M. Raymond Lee. Pp. 145-159, 1 figure in text. May 18,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">13. A new bat (Myotis) from Mexico. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 161-164,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">1 figure in text. May 21, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">14. The mammals of Veracruz. By E. Raymond Hall and Walter W. Dalquest.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Pp. 165-362, 2 figures. May 20, 1963.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5em;">15. The recent mammals of Tamaulipas, México. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 363-473,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">5 figures in text. May 20, 1963.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">More numbers will appear in volume 14.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Vol. 15. 1. The amphibians and reptiles of Michoacán, México. By William E. Duellman.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Pp. 1-148, pls. 1-6, 11 figures in text. December 20, 1961.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">2. Some reptiles and amphibians from Korea. By Robert G. Webb, J. Knox</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Jones, Jr., and George W. Byers. Pp. 149-173. January 31, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">3. A new species of frog (Genus Tomodactylus) from western México. By</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Robert G. Webb, Pp. 175-181, 1 figure in text. March 7, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">4. Type specimens of amphibians and reptiles in the Museum of Natural History,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">the University of Kansas. By William E. Duellman and Barbara Berg.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">Pp. 183-204. October 26, 1962.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 5.5em;">5. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Petén, Guatemala.</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">By William E. Duellman. Pp. 205-249, pls. 7-10, 6 figures in text. October</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">4, 1963.</span><br /> + <br /> + <span style="margin-left: 7em;">More numbers will appear in volume 15.</span><br /> +</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Amphibians and Reptiles of the +Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala, by William E. 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Duellman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala + +Author: William E. Duellman + +Release Date: December 24, 2011 [EBook #38398] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + ================================= + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS + MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Volume 15, No. 5, pp. 205-249, pls. 7-10, 6 figs. + + -------------- October 4, 1963 -------------- + + Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests + of Southern El Peten, Guatemala + + BY + WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + LAWRENCE + 1963 + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch, + Theodore H. Eaton, Jr. + + Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 205-249, pls. 7-10, 6 figs. + Published October 4, 1963 + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + Lawrence, Kansas + + PRINTED BY + JEAN M. NEIBARGER, STATE PRINTER + TOPEKA, KANSAS + 1963 + + [Illustration: Printer's Logo] + + 29-5935 + + + + + Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Peten, + Guatemala + + BY + + WILLIAM E. DUELLMAN + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + INTRODUCTION 207 + Acknowledgments 208 + + DESCRIPTION OF AREA 208 + Physiography 209 + Climate 209 + Vegetation 209 + + GAZETTEER 210 + + THE HERPETOFAUNA OF THE RAINFOREST 211 + Composition of the Fauna 212 + Ecology of the Herpetofauna 212 + Relationships of the Fauna 217 + + ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES 218 + + HYPOTHETICAL LIST OF SPECIES 246 + + SUMMARY 247 + + LITERATURE CITED 247 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Early in 1960 an unusual opportunity arose to carry on biological field +work in the midst of virgin rainforest in southern El Peten, Guatemala. +At that time the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala had an air strip and camp +at Chinaja, from which place the company was constructing a road +northward through the forest. In mid-February, 1960, J. Knox Jones, Jr. +and I flew into El Peten to collect and study mammals, reptiles, and +amphibians. While enjoying the comforts of the fine field camp at +Chinaja, we worked in the surrounding forest and availed ourselves of +the opportunity to be on hand when the road crews were cutting the tall +trees in the forest, thereby bringing to the ground many interesting +specimens of the arboreal fauna. We stayed at Chinaja until late March, +with the exception of a week spent at Toocog, another camp of the Ohio +Oil Company located 15 kilometers southeast of La Libertad and on the +edge of the savanna. Thus, at Toocog we were able to work both in the +forest and on the savanna. In the summer of 1960, John Wellman +accompanied me to El Peten for two weeks in June and July. Most of our +time was spent at Chinaja, but a few days were spent at Toocog and other +localities in south-central El Peten. + +Many areas in Guatemala have been studied intensively by L. C. Stuart, +who has published on the herpetofauna of the forested area of +northeastern El Peten (1958), the savannas of central El Peten (1935), +and the humid mountainous region to the south of El Peten in Alta +Verapaz (1948 and 1950). The area studied by me and my companions is +covered with rainforest and lies to the north of the highlands of Alta +Verapaz and to the south of the savannas of central El Peten. A few +specimens of amphibians and reptiles were obtained in this area in 1935 +by C. L. Hubbs and Henry van der Schalie; this collection, reported on +by Stuart (1937), contained only one species, _Cochranella +fleischmanni_, not present in our collection of 77 species and 617 +specimens. + + +Acknowledgments + +I am grateful to L. C. Stuart of the University of Michigan, who made +the initial arrangements for our work in El Peten, aided me in the +identification of certain specimens, and helped in the preparation of +this report. J. Knox Jones, Jr. and John Wellman were able field +companions, who added greatly to the number of specimens in the +collection. In Guatemala, Clark M. Shimeall and Harold Hoopman of the +Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala made available to us the facilities of the +company's camps at Chinaja and Toocog. Alberto Alcain and Luis Escaler +welcomed us at Chinaja and gave us every possible assistance. Juan +Monteras and Antonio Aldana made our stay at Toocog enjoyable and +profitable. During our visits to southern El Peten, Julio Bolon C. +worked for us as a collector, and between March and June he collected +and saved many valuable specimens; his knowledge of the forest and its +inhabitants was a great asset to our work. Jorge A. Ibarra, Director of +the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural in Guatemala assisted us in +obtaining necessary permits and extended other kindnesses. To all of +these people I am indebted for the essential parts that they played in +the completion of this study. + +Field work in the winter of 1960 was made possible by funds from the +American Heart Association for the purposes of collecting mammalian +hearts. My field work in the summer of 1960 was supported by a grant +from the Graduate Research Fund of the University of Kansas. + + + + +DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA + + +A vast lowland region stretches northward for approximately 700 +kilometers from the highlands of Guatemala to the Gulf of Mexico. The +northern two-thirds of this low plain is bordered on three sides by seas +and forms the Yucatan Peninsula. The lowlands at the base of the +Yucatan Peninsula make up the Departamento El Peten of Guatemala. The +area with which this report is concerned consists of the south-central +part of El Peten. + + +Physiography + +Immediately south of Chinaja is a range of hills, the Serrania de +Chinaja, having an almost due east-west axis and a crest of about 600 +meters above sea level. South of the Serrania de Chinaja are +succeedingly higher ridges building up to the Meseta de Coban and Sierra +de Pocolha and eventually to the main Guatemalan highlands. The northern +face of the Serrania de Chinaja is a fault scarp dropping abruptly from +about 650 meters at the crest to about 140 meters at the base. From the +base of the Serrania de Chinaja northward to the Rio de la Pasion at +Sayaxche the terrain is gently rolling and has a total relief of about +50 meters. North of the Rio de la Pasion is a low dome reaching an +elevation of 170 meters at La Libertad; see Stuart (1935:12) for further +discussion of the physiography of central El Peten. The rocks in +southern El Peten are predominately Miocene marine limestones; there are +occasional pockets of Pliocene deposits. There is little evidence of +subterranean solution at Chinaja, but northward in central El Peten +karsting is common. The upper few inches of soil is humus rich in +organic matter; below this is clay. + + +Climate + +The climate of El Peten is tropical with equable temperatures throughout +the year. Temperatures at Chinaja varied between a night-time low of 65 deg. +F. and a daytime high of 91 deg. F. during the time of our visits. In the +Koeppen system of classification the climate at Chinaja and Toocog is Af. +Rain falls throughout the year, but there is a noticeable dry season. To +anyone who has traveled from south to north in El Peten and the Yucatan +Peninsula, it is obvious from the changes in vegetation that there is a +decrease in rainfall from south to north. There is a noticeable +difference between Chinaja and Toocog. Although rainfall data are not +available for Chinaja and Toocog, there are records for nearby stations +(Sapper, 1932). At Paso Caballos on the Rio San Pedro about 40 +kilometers northwest of Toocog the average annual rainfall amounts to +1620 mm.; the driest month is March (21 mm.), and the wettest months are +June (269 mm.) and September (265 mm.). At Cubilquitz, Alta Verapaz, +about 35 kilometers south-southwest of Chinaja and at an elevation of +300 meters, the average annual rainfall is 4006 mm.; the driest month is +March (128 mm.), and the wettest months are July (488 mm.) and October +(634 mm.). + +During the 18 days in February and March, 1960, that we kept records on +the weather at Chinaja moderate to heavy showers occurred on seven days. +During our stay there in June and July rain fell every day, as it did in +Toocog. However, during the week spent at Toocog in March no rain fell. + + +Vegetation + +The vegetation of northern and central El Peten has been studied by +Lundell (1937), who made only passing remarks concerning the plants of +the southern part of El Peten. No floristic studies have been made +there. The following remarks are necessarily brief and are intended +only to give the reader a general picture of the forest. I have included +names of a few of the commoner trees that I recognized. + +Chinaja is located in a vast expanse of unbroken rainforest. In this +forest there is a noticeable stratification of the vegetation. Three +strata are apparent; in the uppermost layer the tops of the trees are +from 40 to 50 meters above the ground. The spreading crowns of the trees +and the interlacing vines form a nearly continuous canopy over the lower +layers. Among the common trees in the upper stratum are _Calophyllum +brasiliense_, _Castilla elastica_, _Cedrela mexicana_, _Ceiba +pentandra_, _Didalium guianense_, _Ficus_ sp., _Sideroxylon lundelli_, +_Swietenia macrophylla_, and _Vitex_ sp. (Pl. 1, fig. 1). The middle +layer of trees have crowns about 25 meters above the ground; these trees +in some places where the upper canopy is missing form the tallest trees +in the forest. This is especially true on steep hillsides. Common trees +in the middle layer include _Achras zapote_, _Bombax ellipticum_, +_Cecropia mexicana_, _Orbignya cohune_, and _Sabal_ sp. The lowermost +layer reaches a height of about 10 meters; in many places in the forest +this layer is absent. Common trees in the lower stratum include +_Crysophila argentea_, _Cymbopetalum penduliflorum_, _Casearia_ sp., and +_Hasseltia dioica_. + +The ground cover is sparce; apparently only a few small herbs and ferns +live on the heavily shaded forest floor. Important herpetological +habitats include the leaf litter, rotting stumps, and rotting tree +trunks on the forest floor and the buttresses of many of the gigantic +trees, especially _Ceiba pentandra_ (Pl. 2). Epiphytes, especially +various kinds of bromeliads, are common. Most frequently these are in +the trees in the upper and middle strata. + +At Toocog there is sharp break between savanna and forest (Pl. 7, fig. +2). The forest is noticeably drier and more open than at Chinaja (Pl. +9). The crowns of the trees are lower, and there is no nearly continuous +canopy between 40 and 50 meters above the ground. Although _Swietenia +macrophylla_ and other large trees occur, they are less common than at +Chinaja. Especially common at Toocog are _Achras zapote_, _Brosimum +alicastrum_, and various species of _Ficus_. + + + + +GAZETTEER + + +The localities from which specimens were obtained are cited below and +shown on the accompanying map (Fig. 1). + +[Illustration: FIG. 1. Map of El Peten, Guatemala, showing localities +mentioned in text.] + + Chinaja.--Lat. 16 deg. 02', long. 90 deg. 13', elev. 140 m. Camp of + the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala and formerly a small + settlement. On some maps Chinaja is located just to the north + of the Alta Verapaz--El Peten boundary; recent surveys place + the location just to the south of the imaginary line through + the rainforest. Field work was conducted in the immediate + vicinity of the camp, on the lower slopes of the Serrania de + Chinaja, and at several sites to the northwest and + north-northwest of Chinaja, where the forest was being + cleared. The entire area supports rainforest. + + La Libertad.--Lat. 16 deg. 47', long. 90 deg. 07', elev., 170 m. A + town on the savannas in central El Peten; although we + collected there in the rainy season, the specimens obtained on + the savannas are not included in this report. + + Paso Subin.--Lat. 16 deg. 38', long. 90 deg. 12', elev. 90 m. A small + settlement on the Rio Subin, a tributary of the Rio de la + Pasion. Specimens were obtained in rainforest in the immediate + vicinity of the settlement. + + Rio de la Pasion.--A large river flowing northward through + southern El Peten and thence westward into the Rio Usumacinta. + Specimens were obtained along the river between the Rio Subin + and Sayaxche. + + Rio San Roman.--A river flowing northward in south-central El + Peten to the Rio Salinas (Usumacinta). We collected along the + river at a place about 16 kilometers north-northwest of + Chinaja, approximately at Lat. 16 deg. 10', long. 90 deg. 17', elev. + 110 m. In the dry season the river was clear; it is surrounded + by rainforest. + + Sayaxche.--Lat. 16 deg. 31', long. 90 deg. 09', elev. 80 m. A town on + the southern bank of the Rio de la Pasion. Specimens were + obtained in the rainforest and in cleared areas in the + immediate vicinity of the town. + + Toocog (formerly Sojio).--Lat. 16 deg. 41', long. 90 deg. 02', elev. + 140 m. A camp of the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala located at + the rainforest-savanna edge, 15 kilometers southeast of La + Libertad. Although we collected on the savannas as well as in + the forest, especially to the east of the camp, only species + obtained in the forest are considered in this report. + + + + +THE HERPETOFAUNA OF THE RAINFOREST + + +In presenting an account of the herpetofauna of southern El Peten three +items need to be considered: (1) The composition of the fauna; (2) the +ecology of the fauna; (3) the relationships of the fauna. Each of these +topics is discussed briefly below. Logically a discussion of the origin +of the fauna should follow, but this is being withheld for inclusion in +a report on the herpetofauna of the entire El Peten by L. C. Stuart and +the author; at that time the above topics will be expanded to cover the +herpetofauna of the whole region. + + +Composition of the Fauna + +TABLE 1.--COMPOSITION OF THE HERPETOFAUNA IN SOUTHERN EL PETEN, +GUATEMALA. + + =============+============+============+============ + Group | Families | Genera | Species + -------------+------------+------------+------------ + Gymnophiona | (1)[A] | (1) | (1) + Caudata | 1 | 1 | 2 + Salientia | 6 | 10 (1) | 19 (1) + Crocodilia | 1 | 1 | 1 + Testudines | 4 | 7 | 8 + Sauria | 6 | 13 (1) | 19 (1) + Serpentes | 4 | 21 (7) | 29 (10) + +------------+------------+------------ + Total | 22 (1) | 53 (10) | 78 (13) + -------------+------------+------------+------------ + +[Footnote A: Numbers in parenthesis indicate the number of additional +taxa that probably occur.] + + +A total of 78 species of amphibians and reptiles has been found in the +rainforests in southern El Peten; a break down into families and genera +is given in table 1. Another 13 species probably occur in southern El +Peten (see Hypothetical List of Species). The fauna primarily is +composed of typical humid lowland forest inhabitants, such as: + + _Hyla ebraccata_ + _Hyla loquax_ + _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_ + _Smilisca phaeota cyanosticta_ + _Anolis biporcatus_ + _Anolis capito_ + _Anolis humilis uniformis_ + _Eumeces sumichrasti_ + _Ameiva festiva edwardsi_ + _Imantodes cenchoa leucomelas_ + _Leptophis ahaetulla praestans_ + _Xenodon rabdocephalus mexicanus_ + _Bothrops nasutus_ + _Bothrops schlegeli schlegeli_ + +Nevertheless, the region also provides at least a limited amount of +habitat suitable for some species that are more frequently found in open +forest of a drier nature; such species include: + + _Hyla microcephala martini_ + _Hyla staufferi_ + _Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus_ + _Anolis sericeus sericeus_ + _Eumeces schwartzei_ + _Oxybelis aeneus aeneus_ + +Because of the absence of sufficiently open habitat or owing to the +presence of competitors, some conspicuous members of sub-humid forests +are not present in southern El Peten. Conspicuous absentees are the +following: + + _Rhinophrynus dorsalis_ + _Phrynohyas spilomma_ + _Triprion petasatus_ + _Anolis tropidonotus_ + _Ctenosaura similis_ + _Ameiva undulata_ + _Cnemidophorus angusticeps_ + _Conophis lineatus_ + _Masticophis mentovarius mentovarius_ + +PLATE 7 + +[Illustration: FIG. 1. Edge of rainforest along airstrip at Chinaja, El +Peten, Guatemala.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2. Rainforest at edge of savanna at Toocog, El +Peten, Guatemala.] + +PLATE 8 + +[Illustration: Interior of rainforest at Chinaja. Notice size of +buttresses on large tree (_Ceiba pentandra_).] + +PLATE 9 + +[Illustration: Interior of rainforest at Toocog. Notice less dense +vegetation as compared with Pl. 8.] + +PLATE 10 + +[Illustration: FIG. 1. Rainforest along Rio San Roman, 16 kilometers +north-northwest of Chinaja.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2. Rain pond in forest at Toocog. This was a +breeding site for six species of frogs.] + + +Ecology of the Herpetofauna + +Our two visits to Chinaja and Toocog afforded the opportunity to gather +data on the ecology of the rainforests of southern El Peten and to study +the relationships between the environment and members of the +herpetofauna. Tropical rainforests present the optimum conditions +for life, and it is in this environment that life reaches its greatest +diversity. Here, too, biological inter-relationships are most complex. +This complexity is illustrated by the presence of many species of some +genera, all of which are found together in the same geographic region. +In the rainforests of southern El Peten there are six species of +_Anolis_, five of _Hyla_, four of _Bothrops_, and three of +_Coniophanes_. Obviously, the diversity of ecological niches in the +rainforest is sufficient to support a variety of related species. Of the +examples mentioned above, fairly adequate ecological data were obtained +for most of the species of _Anolis_, which will be used to show the +ecological diversity and vertical stratification of sympatric species in +the rainforests. + +Of the six species of _Anolis_, all except _A. sericeus_ are typically +found in humid forests. _Anolis sericeus sericeus_ is poorly represented +in the collections from southern El Peten, where it may be in +competition with _Anolis limifrons rodriguezi_ that resembles _Anolis s. +sericeus_ in size, coloration, and habits. Therefore, _Anolis sericeus +sericeus_ is excluded from the following discussion. The common +terrestrial species is _Anolis humilis uniformis_; sometimes this small +species perches or suns on the bases of small trees or buttresses of +some large trees. When disturbed it takes to the ground and seeks cover +in the leaf litter or beneath logs or palm fronds. _Anolis lemurinus +bourgeaei_ is about twice the size of _Anolis humilis uniformis_ and is +usually observed on buttresses of large trees or on the lower two meters +of tree trunks. Individuals were seen foraging on the ground along with +_Anolis humilis uniformis_. At no time were _Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei_ +observed to ascend the trunks of large trees; they always took refuge +near the bases of trees. _Anolis limifrons rodriguezi_ is found on the +stems and branches of bushes. It is a small species that sometimes is +observed on the ground but was never seen ascending large trees. _Anolis +capito_ is about the same size as _Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei_ and lives +on the trunks of large trees. In the tops of the trees lives a large +green species, _Anolis biporcatus_. + +Similar segregation habitatwise can be demonstrated for other members of +the herpetofauna. The avoidance of interspecific competition in feeding +is well illustrated by three species of snakes that probably are the +primary ophidian predators on frogs. _Drymobius margaritiferus +margaritiferus_ is diurnal and terrestrial; it feeds on frogs at the +edges of breeding ponds by day. Also during the day _Leptophis mexicanus +mexicanus_ feeds on frogs in bushes and trees. At night the activities +of both of these species is replaced by those of _Leptodeira +septentrionalis polysticta_, which not only feeds on the frogs in the +trees and bushes, but descends to the ground and even enters the water +in search of food. + +From the examples discussed above, the importance of the three +dimensional aspect of the rainforest is apparent. The presence of a +large and diverse habitat above the ground is of great significance in +the rainforest, for of the non-aquatic components of the herpetofauna in +the rainforests of southern El Peten, 42 per cent of the species spend +at least part of their lives in the bushes and trees. Another important +part of the forest is the subterranean level--the rich mulch, +underground tunnels, and rotting subterranean vegetation. Of the 78 +species of amphibians and reptiles in southern El Peten, seven are +primarily fossorial, and half-a-dozen others are secondarily fossorial. +Probably the fossorial members of the fauna are the least well +represented in the collection, for such widespread species as _Dermophis +mexicanus mexicanus_, _Rhadinaea decorata decorata_ and _Tantilla +schistosa schistosa_ were expected, but not found. + +In the following discussion of the ecological distribution of amphibians +and reptiles in the rainforest I have depended chiefly on my +observations made in southern El Peten, but have taken into +consideration observations made on the same species in other regions, +together with reports from other workers. The reader should keep in mind +that the evidence varies from species to species. Of some species I have +observed only one animal in the field; of others, I have seen scores and +sometimes hundreds of individuals. For species on which I have few +observations or rather inconclusive evidence, the circumstance of +inadequate data is mentioned. + +In analyzing the ecological distribution within the forest, it is +convenient to recognize five subdivisions (habitats); each is treated +below as a unit. + +1. AQUATIC.--This habitat includes permanent streams and rivers (Pl. 10, +fig. 1), some of which are clear and others muddy. In the rainy season +temporary ponds form in depressions on the forest floor (Pl. 10, fig. +2); these are important as breeding sites for many species of +amphibians. Aquatic members of the herpetofauna are here considered to +be those species that either spend the greatest part of their lives in +the water or usually retreat to water for shelter. Seven species of +turtles and one crocodilian are aquatic. Of these, _Dermatemys mawi_, +_Staurotypus triporcatus_, and _Pseudemys scripta ornata_ inhabit clear +water, whereas _Chelydra rossignoni_, _Claudius angustatus_, +_Kinosternon acutum_, and _K. leucostomum_ inhabit muddy water. +_Crocodylus moreleti_ apparently inhabits both clear and muddy water, +for in the dry season it lives along the clear rivers, but in the rainy +season inhabits flooded areas in the forest as well. + +2. AQUATIC MARGIN.--Extensive marshes were lacking in the part of +southern El Peten that I visited; consequently, the aquatic margin +habitat is there limited to the edges of rivers and borders of temporary +ponds. _Bufo marinus_, _Rana palmipes_, and _Rana pipiens_ are +characteristic inhabitants of the aquatic margin, although in the rainy +reason _Bufo marinus_ often is found away from water. Observations +indicate that _Tretanorhinus nigroluteus lateralis_ inhabits the margins +of ponds and streams and actually spends considerable time in the water. +Although _Iguana iguana rhinolopha_ is arboreal, it lives in trees along +rivers, into which it plunges upon being disturbed. Species included in +this category are those that customarily spend most of their lives at +the edge of permanent water. Frogs and toads that migrate to the water +for breeding and the snakes that prey on the frogs at that time are not +assigned to the aquatic-margin habitat. + +3. FOSSORIAL.--Characteristic inhabitants of the mulch on the forest +floor are _Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri_, _Lepidophyma flavimaculatum +flavimaculatum_, _Scincella cherriei cherriei_, _Ninia sebae sebae_, +_Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis_, and _Micrurus affinis apiatus_. Other +species of snakes that spend most of their lives above ground often +forage in the mulch layer; among these are _Coniophanes bipunctatus +biserialis_, _Coniophanes fissidens fissidens_, _Coniophanes imperialis +clavatus_, _Lampropeltis doliata polyzona_, and _Stenorrhina +degenhardti_. Among the amphibians, at least _Hypopachus cuneus +nigroreticulatus_, _Eleutherodactylus rostralis_, and _Syrrhophus +leprus_ are known to seek shelter in the mulch. + +4. TERRESTRIAL.--One turtle, _Geoemyda areolata_, is primarily +terrestrial. Among the lizards, conspicuous terrestrial species are +_Anolis humilis uniformis_ and _Ameiva festiva edwardsi_; _Anolis +lemurinus bourgeaei_ and _Basiliscus vittatus_ spend part of their lives +on the ground, but also live on trees and in bushes. _Eumeces +schwartzei_ and _E. sumichrasti_ apparently are terrestrial. The only +terrestrial lizard that is nocturnal is _Coleonyx elegans elegans_, +which by day hides in the leaf litter or below ground. Nocturnal +amphibians that are terrestrial include _Bufo marinus_, _Bufo valliceps +valliceps_, _Eleutherodactylus rugulosus rugulosus_, _Syrrhophus +leprus_, and _Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus_. A large number of +active diurnal snakes are terrestrial; these include _Boa constrictor +imperator_, _Clelia clelia clelia_, _Dryadophis melanolomus laevis_, +_Drymarchon corais melanurus_, _Drymobius margaritiferus +margaritiferus_, _Pseustes poecilonotus poecilonotus_, and _Spilotes +pullatus mexicanus_. Nocturnal terrestrial snakes include three kinds of +_Bothrops_ (_B. atrox asper_, _B. nasutus_, and _B. nummifer nummifer_), +all of which seem to be equally active by day. + +5. ARBOREAL.--In this habitat the third dimension (height) of +the rainforest probably is the most complex insofar as the +inter-relationships of species and ecological niches are concerned. I +have attempted to categorize species as to microhabitats within the +arboreal habitat; in so doing, I recognize four subdivisions--bushes, +tree trunks, tree tops, and epiphytes. + +Bush inhabitants include several species of lizards and snakes, all of +which have rather elongate, slender bodies, and long tails. Common +bush-inhabitants in southern El Peten are _Anolis limifrons rodriguezi_, +_Basiliscus vittatus_, _Laemanctus deborrei_, _Leptophis mexicanus +mexicanus_, and _Oxybelis aeneus aeneus_. All of these are diurnal, and +all but _Laemanctus_ have been observed sleeping on bushes at night. + +Tree-trunk inhabitants include five species of lizards. _Thecadactylus +rapicaudus_ lives on the trunks of large trees; _Sphaerodactylus +lineolatus_ lives beneath the bark on dead trees and on corozo palms. +_Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei_ lives on the bases and buttresses of large +trees, from which it often descends to the ground. _Corythophanes +cristatus_ and _Anolis capito_ were found only on tree trunks and large +vines. + +The least information is available for the species living in the tree +tops. The following species were obtained from tops of trees when they +were felled, or have been observed living in the tree tops: _Anolis +biporcatus_, _Iguana iguana rhinolopha_, _Celestus rozellae_, +_Leptodeira septentrionalis polysticta_, _Leptophis ahaetulla +praestans_, _Sibon dimidiata dimidiata_, and _Sibon nebulata nebulata_. + +Epiphytes, especially the bromeliads, provide refuge for a variety of +tree frogs and small snakes. Of the tree frogs, _Hyla picta_, _Hyla +staufferi_, _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_, _Similisca baudini_, and +_Similisca phaeota cyanosticta_ have been found in bromeliads; other +species probably occur there. Among the snakes, _Imantodes cenchoa +leucomelas_, _Leptodeira frenata malleisi_, _Leptodeira septentrionalis +polysticta_, _Sibon dimidiata dimidiata_, and _Sibon nebulata nebulata_ +are frequent inhabitants of bromeliads; all of these snakes are +nocturnal. + + +Relationships of the Fauna + +Most of the 78 species of amphibians and reptiles definitely known from +the rainforest in southern El Peten have extensive ranges in the +Atlantic lowlands of southern Mexico and Central America; many extend +into South America. Sixty-two (80%) of the species belong to this group +having extensive ranges in Middle America. Three species (_Syrrhophus +leprus_, _Leptodeira frenata_, and _Kinosternon acutum_) are at the +southern limits of their distributions in southern El Peten and northern +Alta Verapaz, whereas _Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ and _Thecadactylus +rapicaudus_ are at the northern and western limits of their +distributions in El Peten. Nine (11%) species have the center of their +distributions in El Peten and the Yucatan Peninsula; representatives of +this group include _Claudius angustatus_, _Dermatemys mawi_, _Laemanctus +deborrei_, and _Eumeces schwartzei_. + +In determining a measure of faunal resemblance, I have departed from the +formulae discussed by Simpson (1960) and have analyzed the degree of +resemblance by the following formula used to calculate an index of +faunal relationships: + + C (2) / (N_{1} + N_{2}) = R, where + + C = species common to both faunas. + + N_{1} = number of species in the first fauna. + + N_{2} = number of species in the second fauna. + + R = degree of relationships (when R = 1.00, the faunas are + identical; when R = 0, the faunas are completely different). + +The herpetofauna of southern El Peten has been compared with that in the +Tikal-Uaxactun area (Stuart, 1958), that in the humid lowlands of Alta +Verapaz (Stuart, 1950, plus additional data), and that in the Mexican +state of Yucatan (Smith and Taylor, 1945, 1948, and 1950). The +herpetofaunas of lowland Alta Verapaz and Yucatan are the largest, +having respectively 94 and 91 species, where as there are 78 species +known from southern El Peten and 64 from the Tikal-Uaxactun area. An +analysis of faunal relationships (Table 2) shows that the faunas of the +rainforests of southern El Peten and lowland Alta Verapaz are closely +related. The relationships between these two areas and the +Tikal-Uaxactun area in northern El Peten is notably less. Apparently +the biggest faunal changes take place between southern El Peten and the +Tikal-Uaxactun area, and between the latter and Yucatan. As stated by +Stuart (1958:7) the Tikal-Uaxactun is transitional between the humid +rainforests to the south and the dry outer end of the Yucatan Peninsula. +The transitional nature of the environment is exemplified by a rather +depauperate herpetofauna consisting of some species of both dry and +humid environments and lacking a large fauna typical of either. +Contrariwise, the continuity of the environment from southern El Peten +to the lowlands of Alta Verapaz is reflected in degree of resemblance of +the herpetofaunas. + +TABLE 2.--INDEX OF FAUNAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOUTHERN EL PETEN AND +OTHER REGIONS. + + ======================+==========+==========+==========+========== + | Lowland | Southern | Tikal- | + | Alta | El | Uaxactun | Yucatan + | Verapaz | Peten | Area | + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Lowland Alta Verapaz | | .85 | .61 | .43 + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Southern El Peten | .85 | | .64 | .41 + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Tikal-Uaxactun Area | .61 | .64 | | .63 + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + Yucatan | .43 | .41 | .63 | + ----------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------- + +Most of the species of amphibians and reptiles found in southern El +Peten are found in humid tropical forests from the Isthmus of +Tehuantepec southeastward on the Atlantic lowlands well into Central +America. + + + + +ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES + + +In the following pages various aspects of the occurrence, life +histories, ecology, and variation of the species of amphibians and +reptiles known from southern El Peten are discussed. Only _Cochranella +fleischmanni_ reported by Stuart (1937) from Rio Subin at Santa Teresa +was not collected by us and is excluded. Because more worthwhile +information was gathered for some species than others, the length and +completeness of the accounts vary. All specimens listed are in the +Museum of Natural History at the University of Kansas, to which +institution all catalog numbers refer. Preceding the discussion of each +species is an alphabetical list of localities from which specimens were +obtained; numbers after a locality indicate the number of specimens +obtained at each locality. + + +=Bolitoglossa dofleini= (Werner) + + Chinaja, 1. + +An adult female having minute ovarian eggs has a snout-vent length of 81 +mm., a tail length of 59 mm., 13 costal grooves, two intercostal spaces +between adpressed toes, 38-35 vomerine teeth in irregular rows forming a +broad arch from a point posterolaterad to the internal nares to a point +near the anterior edge of the parasphenoid teeth, and 43-44 +maxilliary-premaxillary teeth. In life the dorsum was rusty brown with +irregular black and orange spots and streaks. The flanks were bluish +gray with black in the costal grooves and creamy tan flecks along the +ventral edge of the flank. The belly and underside of the tail were +yellowish tan with dark brown spots laterally. The limbs were orange +proximally and black distally; the pads of the feet were bluish black. +The dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tail were yellowish orange with +black spots. The iris was grayish yellow. + +Stuart (1943:17) reported this species from Finca Volcan, Alta Verapaz. +He diagnosed his specimens as having 13 costal grooves and two or three +intercostal spaces between adpressed toes. He stated that the vomerine +teeth were about 12 in number and that in life the dorsum was mottled +gray and black, the sides gray and brown, and the undersurfaces +uniformly dark gray. These specimens differ noticeably from the +individual from Chinaja in the number of vomerine teeth and in +coloration. + +In August, 1961, I obtained a specimen of _Bolitoglossa dofleini_ at +Finca Los Alpes, Alta Verapaz, approximately 13 kilometers airline +south-southwest of Finca Volcan and at approximately the same elevation. +Although the salamander was dead when found, it obviously was more +heavily pigmented than the individual from Chinaja. The belly was bluish +gray with black spots laterally; the dorsum was dull brownish gray with +some brownish red streaks. The specimen is a female having small ovarian +eggs, a snout-vent length of 90 mm., 13 costal grooves, and two +intercostal spaces between adpressed limbs. There are 28-29 vomerine +teeth, more than twice as many as in specimens from Finca Volcan +(Stuart, 1943:17), but noticeably fewer than in the specimen from +Chinaja. + +The presence of this species at Chinaja lends support to the idea that +the specimen from the Rio de la Pasion listed by Brocchi (1882:116) +also is _Bolitoglossa dofleini_. Furthermore, the confirmed presence of +this species in the lowlands of El Peten suggests that there may be +genetic connection between _B. dofleini_ in the Alta Verapaz and _B. +yucatana_ in the Yucatan Peninsula. _Bolitoglossa yucatana_ differs from +_B. dofleini_ in having five intercostal spaces between adpressed toes +and in having a different color pattern. Both are robust species having +no close relationships to other species of _Bolitoglossa_ in northern +Central America. + +The specimen from Chinaja was found in water in the axil of a large +elephant-ear plant (_Xanthosoma_) by day in March. Its stomach contained +fragments of beetles and a large roach. The natives did not know +salamanders and had no name for them. + + +=Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri= (Brocchi) + + Chinaja, 2; Rio San Roman, 1. + +One specimen is a female having a snout-vent length of 80 mm., a tail +length of 82 mm., and a total length of 162 mm. It contains 63 large +eggs, the largest of which has a diameter of about three millimeters. +This specimen has 13 costal grooves, four intercostal spaces between +adpressed toes, and 12-13 vomerine teeth. A juvenile having a snout-vent +length of 39 mm. and a tail length of 33 mm. has 12 costal grooves, +three intercostal spaces between adpressed toes, and 8-8 vomerine teeth. +In life these salamanders were uniformly dull brownish black above with +a dull creamy yellow irregular dorsal stripe beginning on the occiput +and continuing onto the tail. There are no yellow or orange streaks or +flecks on the head or limbs. The specimen from the Rio San Roman was +taken from the stomach of a _Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis_ and has not +been studied in detail, because of its poor condition. + +The present specimens show no tendency for the development of a broad +irregular dorsal band that encloses black spots or forms irregular +dorsolateral stripes, as is characteristic of _B. moreleti mexicanus_, a +subspecies that has been reported from La Libertad (Stuart, 1935:35) and +Piedras Negras (Taylor and Smith, 1945:545) in El Peten, and from +Xunantunich, British Honduras (Neill and Allen, 1959:20). + +Schmidt (1936:151) and Stuart (1943:13) found _B. moreleti mulleri_ in +bromeliads at Finca Samac, Alta Verapaz. Taylor and Smith's (1945:545) +and Neill and Allen's (1959:20) specimens of _B. moreleti mexicanus_ +were obtained from bromeliads, but Neill and Allen (_loc. cit._) stated +that the natives in British Honduras said that they had found +salamanders beneath rubbish on the forest floor. My specimens were +obtained from beneath logs on the forest floor in the rainy season. +Possibly in drier environments the species characteristically inhabits +bromeliads, at least in the dry season. + + +=Bufo marinus= (Linnaeus) + + Chinaja, 3; 10 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; 11 km. NNW of Chinaja, + 1. + +During both visits to Chinaja this large toad was breeding in a small +permanent pond in the camp. During the day the toads took refuge in +crevices beneath the buildings or beneath large boulders by the pond. At +dusk from four to ten males congregated at the pond and called. Tadpoles +of this species were in the pond in March and in July. One juvenile was +found beneath a rock in the forest, and another was on the forest floor +by day. + +The natives' name for this species and the following one is _sapo_. + + +=Bufo valliceps valliceps= Wiegmann + + Chinaja, 52; Rio San Roman, 8; Sayaxche, 2; Toocog, 1. + +This is one of the most abundant, or at least conspicuous, amphibians +inhabiting the forest. Breeding congregations were found on February 24, +March 2, March 11, and June 27. At these times the toads were +congregated at temporary ponds in the forest or along small sluggish +streams. Throughout the duration of both visits to Chinaja individual +males called almost nightly at the permanent pond at the camp. + +The variation in snout-vent length of 20 males selected at random is +56.7 to 72.5 mm. (average, 64.8 mm.). Two adult females have snout-vent +lengths of 80.4 and 87.6 mm. In all specimens the parotid glands are +somewhat elongated and not rounded as in _Bufo valliceps wilsoni_ (see +Baylor and Stuart, 1961:199). My observations on the condition of the +cranial crests of the toads in El Peten agree with the findings of +Baylor and Stuart (_op. cit._:198) in that hypertrophied crests are +usual in large females. In the shape of the parotids and nature of the +cranial crests the specimens from El Peten are like those from the +Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico. As I pointed out (1960:53), the +validity of the subspecies _Bufo valliceps macrocristatus_, described +from northern Chiapas by Firschein and Smith (1957:219) and supposedly +characterized by hypertrophied cranial crests, is highly doubtful. + +In the toads from El Peten the greatest variation is in coloration. The +dorsal ground-color varies from orange and rusty tan to brown, yellowish +tan, and pale gray. In some individuals the flanks and dorsum are one +continuous color, whereas in others a distinct dorsolateral pale colored +band separates the dorsal color from dark brown flanks. In some +individuals the venter is uniform cream color, in others it bears a few +scattered black spots, and in still others there are many spots, some of +which are fused to form a black blotch on the chest. In breeding males +the vocal sac is orange tan. All specimens have a coppery red iris. + +Aside from the breeding congregations, active toads were found on the +forest floor at night; a few were there by day. Some individuals were +beneath logs during the day. + + +=Eleutherodactylus rostralis= (Werner) + + Chinaja, 10. + +Because of the multiplicity of names and the variation in coloration, +the small terrestrial _Eleutherodactylus_ in southern Mexico and +northern Central America are in a state of taxonomic confusion. Stuart +(1934:7, 1935:37, and 1958:17) referred specimens from El Peten to +_Eleutherodactylus rhodopis_ (Cope). Stuart (1941b:197) described +_Eleutherodactylus anzuetoi_ from Alta Verapaz and El Quiche, Guatemala, +suggested that the new species was an upland relative of +_Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ (Werner), and used that name for the frogs +that he earlier had referred to _Eleutherodactylus rhodopis_. Dunn and +Emlen (1932:24) placed _E. rostralis_ in the synonymy of _E. gollmeri_ +(Peters). Examination of series of these frogs from southern Mexico, +Guatemala, and Costa Rica causes me to think that there are four +species; these can be distinguished as follows: + + _E. rhodopis._--No web between toes; one tarsal tubercle; + tibiotarsal articulation reaches to nostril; iris bronze in + life. + + _E. anzuetoi._--No web between toes; a row of tarsal + tubercles; tibiotarsal articulation reaches to tip of snout; + color of iris unknown. + + _E. rostralis._--A vestige of web between toes; no tarsal + tubercles; tibiotarsal articulation reaches snout or slightly + beyond; iris coppery red in life. + + _E. gollmeri._--A vestige of web between toes; no tarsal + tubercles; tibiotarsal articulation reaches well beyond snout; + iris coppery red in life. + +The presence of webbing between the toes, the absence of tarsal +tubercles, and the coppery red iris distinguish _E. rostralis_ and _E. +gollmeri_ from the other species. Probably _E. rostralis_ and _E. +gollmeri_ are conspecific, but additional specimens are needed from +Nicaragua and Honduras to prove conspecificity. On the other hand, the +characters of the frogs from Chinaja clearly show that they are related +to _E. gollmeri_ to the south and not to _E. rhodopis_ to the north in +Mexico. + +At Chinaja, _Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ was more abundant than the +few specimens indicate, for upon being approached the frogs moved +quickly and erratically, soon disappearing in the leaf litter on the +forest floor. Most of the specimens were seen actively moving on the +forest floor in the daytime; one was found beneath a rock, and one was +on the forest floor at night. + + +=Eleutherodactylus rugulosus rugulosus= (Cope) + + Chinaja, 2; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 4. + +These frogs were found on the forest floor by day. With the exception of +one female having a snout-vent length of 69.5 mm., all are juveniles. +The apparent rarity of this species at Chinaja may be due to the absence +of rocky streams, a favorite habitat of this frog. The local name for +this frog is _sapito_, meaning little toad. + + +=Leptodactylus labialis= (Cope) + + Toocog, 1. + +One juvenile having a snout-vent length of 16.4 mm. was found at night +beside a pond in the forest. The scarcity of the species of +_Leptodactylus_ in the southern part of El Peten probably is due to the +lack of permanent marshy ponds. + + +=Leptodactylus melanonotus= (Hallowell) + + Sayaxche, 1. + +One individual was found beneath a rock beside a stream in the forest. +The local name is _ranita_, meaning little frog. + + +=Syrrhophus leprus= Cope + + Chinaja, 2; 15 km NW of Chinaja, 1. + +An adult female having a snout-vent length of 27.5 mm. was found on the +forest floor by day. Two juveniles having snout-vent lengths of 15.5 and +19.0 mm. were beneath rocks on the forest floor. The specimens are +typical of the species as defined by Duellman (1958:8). + + +=Hyla ebraccata= Cope + + Toocog, 66. + +This small tree frog congregated in large numbers at a forest pond at +Toocog. Between June 30 and July 2 we collected specimens and observed +the breeding habits of this and other species at the pond. Calling males +were distributed around the pond, where they called from low herbaceous +vegetation at the edge of the pond or from plants rising above the +water. Calling commenced at dusk and continued at least into the early +hours of the morning. On one occasion a female was observed at a +distance of about 50 centimeters away from a calling male sitting on a +blade of grass. The female climbed another blade of grass until she was +about eight centimeters away from the male, at which time he saw her, +stopped calling, jumped to the blade of grass on which she was sitting +and clasped her. Clasping pairs were observed on blades of grass and +leaves of plants above the water; most pairs were less than 50 +centimeters above the surface of the pond. + +The eggs are deposited on the dorsal surfaces of leaves above the water. +All eggs are in one plane (a single layer) on the leaf. External +membranes are barely visible, as the eggs consist of a single coherent +mass. Eggs in the yolk plug stage have diameters of 1.2 to 1.4 mm. +Seventeen eggs masses were found; these contained from 24 to 76 (average +44) eggs. The jelly is extremely viscous and tacky to the touch. At time +of hatching the jelly becomes less viscous; the tadpoles wriggle until +they reach the edge of the leaf and drop into the water. + +Eleven tadpoles were preserved as they hatched; these have total lengths +of 4.5 to 5.0 (average 4.77) mm. Hatchling tadpoles are active swimmers +and have only a small amount of yolk. The largest tadpoles preserved +have total lengths of 13.0 and 13.5 mm. At this size distinctive +sword-tail and bright coloration have developed. + +[Illustration: FIG. 2. Tadpole of _Hyla ebraccata_ (KU 59986) from +Toocog, El Peten, Guatemala. x 6.] + +Description of fully developed tadpole (KU 59986): Total length, 13.5 +mm.; tail-length, 8.4 mm., 62 per cent of total length. Snout, in dorsal +view, bluntly rounded; in lateral view less bluntly rounded; body +depressed; head flattened; mouth terminal; eye large, its diameter 25 +per cent of length of body; nostrils near tip of snout and directed +anteriorly; spiracle sinistral and situated postero-ventrad to eye; +cloaca median. Tail-fin thrice depth of tail-musculature, which extends +beyond posterior end of tail-fin giving sword-tail appearance (Fig. 2). +In life, black stripe on each side of body and on top of head; black +band on anterior part of tail and another on the posterior part; body +and anterior part of tail creamy yellow; dark red band between black +bands on tail. Mouth terminal, small, its width about one-fifth width of +body; fleshy ridge dorsally and ventrally; row of small papillae on +ventral lip; no lateral indentations of lips; upper beak massive, +convex, and finely serrate; lower beak small and mostly concealed behind +upper; no teeth (Fig. 3). + +[Illustration: FIG. 3. Mouthparts of larval _Hyla ebraccata_ (KU 59986) +from Toocog, El Peten, Guatemala. x 100.] + + +=Hyla loquax= Gaige and Stuart + + Toocog, 14. + +These specimens were found at night when they were calling from low +vegetation in a forest pond. Most of the frogs were several meters away +from the edge of the pond. Although two clasping pairs were found, we +obtained no eggs or tadpoles referable to this species. + + +=Hyla microcephala martini= Smith + + Chinaja, 1; Toocog, 21. + +The specimen from Chinaja was calling from a small bush at the edge of a +temporary grassy pond in a clearing in the forest. At Toocog this +species was closely associated with _Hyla ebraccata_; males were calling +from herbaceous vegetation in and around the forest pond. These frogs +were not so abundant in the forest at Toocog as they were around ponds +on the savanna at La Libertad. + + +=Hyla picta= (Guenther) + + Toocog, 8. + +This small tree frog was calling from herbs in a pond in the forest on +June 30 and July 2. The voice is weak; probably greater numbers of males +were present than are indicated by the few specimens collected, for the +din from the more vociferous species made it impossible to hear _Hyla +picta_ unless one was calling close by. + + +=Hyla staufferi= Cope + + Chinaja, 1. + +This individual was calling from a low bush in the clearing at Chinaja. +None was found in the pond in the forest at Toocog. Stuart (1935:38) and +Duellman (1960:63) noted that _Hyla staufferi_ breeds early in the rainy +season. Nevertheless, I think early breeding habits do not account for +the near absence of this species in our collections from southern El +Peten. In early July, 1960, a few individuals were heard at a pond on +the savanna at La Libertad. In mid-July of the same year they were +calling sporadically from temporary ponds in the lower Motagua Valley. +Possibly the individual collected at Chinaja was accidentally +transported there in cargo from Toocog, from which camp at the edge of +the savanna planes fly to Chinaja weekly. My observations on this +species throughout its range in Mexico and Central America indicate that +it inhabits savannas and semi-arid forests and usually is absent from +heavy rainforest. Stuart (1948:34) obtained this species at Cubilquitz +in the lowlands of Alta Verapaz. + + +=Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori= Funkhouser + + Toocog, 25. + +Between June 30 and July 2 this species was abundant at a pond in the +forest at Toocog. Calling males were as high as five meters in bushes +and trees around the pond. At dusk males were observed descending a +vine-covered tree at the edge of the pond; this strongly suggests that +the frogs retreat to this tree and others like it for diurnal seclusion. +Clasping pairs were found on branches and leaves above the water. The +eggs are deposited in clumps usually on vertical leaves, but sometimes +on horizontal leaves or on branches, vines, and aerial roots above the +water. Twenty-six clutches of eggs contained from 14 to 44 (average 29) +eggs. In a clutch in which the eggs are in yolk plug stage the average +diameter of the embryos is 2.3 mm. and that of the vitelline membranes, +3.4 mm. Most of the eggs are in the external part of the gelatinous +mass; the jelly is clear. The yolk is pale green, and the animal pole is +brown. As development ensues, the yolk becomes yellow and the embryo +first dark brown and then pale grayish tan. Upon hatching the tadpoles +wriggle free of the jelly and drop into the water. One clutch of 19 eggs +was observed to hatch in three minutes. Apparently, on dropping into the +water the hatchling tadpoles go to the bottom of the pond, for one or +two minutes pass from the time they enter the water until they reappear +near the surface. The average total length of seven hatchling tadpoles +is 7.4 mm. There is a moderate amount of yolk, but this does not form a +large ventral bulge. Large tadpoles congregate in the sunny parts of the +pond, where they were observed just beneath the surface. Many had their +mouths at the surface. Except for constant fluttering of the tip of the +tail, they lie quietly with the axis of the body at an angle of about 45 +degrees with the surface of the water. + +Description of tadpole (KU 60006): total length, 24.5 mm.; tail-length, +15.4 mm.; body broader than deep; head moderately flattened; snout +viewed from above blunt; nostrils close to snout and directed dorsally; +eyes of moderate size and directed laterally; mouth directed +anteroventrally; anus median; spiracle ventral, its opening just to left +of midline slightly more than one-half distance from tip of snout to +vent. Tail-fin slightly more than twice as deep as tail musculature, +which curves upward posteriorly; tail-fin narrowly extending to tip of +tail (Fig. 4). Color in life pale gray; in preservative white with +scattered melanophores; tail-fin transparent. + +[Illustration: FIG. 4. Tadpole of _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_ (KU +60006) from Toocog, El Peten, Guatemala. x 4.] + +Upper lip having single row of papillae laterally, but none medially; +lower lip having single row of papillae; no lateral indentation of lips; +two or more rows of papillae at lateral corners of lips; tooth-rows 2/3; +second upper tooth row as long as first, interrupted medially; inner +lower tooth-row as long as upper rows, interrupted medially; second and +third lower rows decreasingly shorter; upper beak moderate in size and +having long lateral projections; lower beak moderate in size; both beaks +finely serrate (Fig. 5). + +[Illustration: FIG. 5. Mouthparts of larval _Phyllomedusa callidryas +taylori_ (KU 60006) from Toocog, El Peten, Guatemala. x 30.] + + +=Smilisca baudini= (Dumeril and Bibron) + + Chinaja, 9; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 42; Rio de la Pasion, 1; + Rio San Roman, 5; Sayaxche; Toocog, 2. + +Individuals of this species were found at night sitting on bushes and +small trees in the forest in February and March and again in June and +July. One was in the axil of a leaf of a _Xanthosoma_. In June and July +males were heard nearly every night. The series of specimens from 20 +kilometers north-northwest of Chinaja was taken from a breeding +congregation in a shallow muddy pool in the forest. Tadpoles of this +species were in small, often muddy pools in the forest. To my knowledge +_Smilisca baudini_ is the only hylid to breed in these pools at Chinaja, +although perhaps _Smilisca phaeota_ also utilizes them. The only other +amphibian at Chinaja known to breed in the pools is _Bufo valliceps +valliceps_. Although two specimens were on bushes at night at Toocog, +_Smilisca baudini_ was not present at the pond where five other species +of hylids were breeding. Nevertheless, _Smilisca baudini_ was calling +from two ponds on the savannas near La Libertad. All of the specimens +from southern El Peten have yellow or yellowish white flanks and +ventrolateral surfaces. + + +=Smilisca phaeota cyanosticta= (Smith) + + Chinaja, 4; 10 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +All specimens were found in February and March. Those from Chinaja were +obtained from _Xanthosoma_ and bromeliads; the individual from 10 +kilometers north-northwest of Chinaja is an adult male that was calling +from a puddle in a fallen tree on March 13. A juvenile having a +snout-vent length of 34.7 mm. lacks the pale blue spots on the thighs; +instead, the anterior and posterior surfaces of the thighs are bright +red. + + +=Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus= Taylor + + Toocog, 1. + +An adult male having a snout-vent length of 41.7 mm. was found at night +on the forest floor at the edge of a temporary pond. In life the dorsum +was dark brown with chocolate brown markings; the stripe on the side of +the head was white; the middorsal stripe was pale orange; the belly was +black and white, and the iris was a bronze color. + +Characteristically this species inhabits savannas and open forest; thus, +its occurrence in the rainforest at Toocog is surprising. This is the +southernmost record for the species in El Peten; to the south in the +highlands it is replaced by the smaller _Hypopachus inguinalis_, having +rounded, instead of compressed, metatarsal tubercles. + + +=Rana palmipes= Spix + + Chinaja, 11; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, + 1. + +With the exception of one recently metamorphosed juvenile having a +snout-vent length of 30.7 mm. that was found on the forest floor by day +on June 24, and one that was found beside a pool in a cave, all +individuals were found at temporary woodland pools or along sluggish +streams at night. The largest specimen is a female having a snout-vent +length of 107 mm. + + +=Rana pipiens= Schreber + + Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; Rio San Roman, 1; + Toocog, 1. + +All specimens were found near water at night. The largest individual is +a female having a snout-vent length of 112.5 mm. + + +=Crocodylus moreleti= Dumeril and Dumeril + + Chinaja, 1; Rio San Roman, 1. + +One specimen was obtained from a quiet pool in the Rio San Roman at +night; another was found in a small sluggish stream at Chinaja. Two +large individuals were seen in tributaries to the Rio San Roman. On the +savannas at Toocog two small individuals were obtained in the dry +season, at which time the crocodiles apparently were migrating to water. +The local name for this species is _lagarto_. + + +=Chelydra rossignoni= (Bocourt) + + Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +The paucity of specimens of _Chelydra_ from Central America has resulted +in rather inadequate diagnoses of various populations. The present +specimens have carapace lengths of 250 and 238 mm. and plastral lengths +of 185 and 176 mm. The length of carapace/bridge ratio is 6.0 and 6.1 +per cent. Each individual has four barbels, the median pair of which are +extremely long. In KU 55977 the lateral pair of barbels is forked at the +base. The relative length of the plastral bridge in these specimens +compares favorable with the ratio (.06-.08) given by Schmidt (1946:4) +for five specimens from Honduras. _Chelydra serpentina_, which may occur +sympatrically with _C. rossignoni_ in some parts of Central America, has +a narrower plastral bridge and only two barbels beneath the chin. +Furthermore, _C. rossignoni_ and _C. osceola_ in Florida have long, flat +tubercles on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the neck, whereas _C. +serpentina_ has short, round tubercles. + +The specimen from Chinaja was found in a small sluggish stream; the +other individual was in a muddy pool in the forest. The local name is +_sambodanga_. + + +=Claudius angustatus= Cope + + 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +One specimen was unearthed from the bank of a small muddy stream by a +bulldozer. This individual represents the second record for the species +in Guatemala; the first was provided by specimens, likewise found in +muddy waters, at Tikal (Stuart, 1958:19). The local name is _caiman_. + + +=Kinosternon acutum= Gray + + 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 4; 30 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2. + +These turtles were found on the forest floor, in small sluggish streams, +and in pools in the forest. One adult male had, in life, the top of the +head yellow with black spots; the stripes on the head and neck were red. +Specimens were obtained both in the dry and rainy seasons. The local +name for both species of _Kinosternon_ is _pochitoque_. + + +=Kinosternon leucostomum= Dumeril and Bibron + + Chinaja, 3; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2. + +Individuals of this turtle were found on the forest floor and in small +sluggish streams. In life most specimens had a tan or pale brown head +with pinkish tan stripes on the head and neck. All individuals were +obtained in February and March. No ecological differences between this +species and _K. acutum_ were evident. + + +=Staurotypus triporcatus= (Wiegmann) + + Paso Subin, 1. + +This species is represented in the collection by one complete shell +found on the bank of the Rio Subin. The carapace has a length of 292 mm. +The local name is _Guao_. Natives stated that this turtle was not +uncommon in clear rivers and lakes, a habitat suggested for the species +by Stuart (1958:19). + + +=Dermatemys mawi= Gray + + Chinaja, 1; Rio San Roman, 4. + +The record from Chinaja is based on a carapace found in a chiclero camp, +where the turtle evidently had been brought for food. The four specimens +from the Rio San Roman were obtained from edges of deep pools in clear +water. In adult males the top of the head was reddish orange in life. +One of the specimens from the Rio San Roman currently is living in the +Philadelphia Zoological Gardens. The local name for this turtle is +_tortuga blanca_; it is sought for its meat. + + +=Geoemyda areolata= (Dumeril and Bibron) + + Chinaja, 2. + +Two specimens were obtained from dense forest at Chinaja. The local name +is _mojina_. + + +=Pseudemys scripta ornata= (Gray) + + Paso Subin, 1. + +One subadult was obtained from clear water in the Rio Subin. The stripes +on the head and neck were yellow; there was no red "ear" on the side of +the head. The stripes on the forelimbs were orange, and the ocelli on +the carapace were red. The local name is _jicotea_. + + +=Coleonyx elegans elegans= Gray + + Toocog, 1. + +One adult male having a snout-vent length of 89 mm. was found beneath a +log in the forest. Locally this gecko is known as _escorpion_; the +natives believe it to be deadly poisonous. The use of the name +_escorpion_ seems to be restricted to lizards thought to be venomous. +Nearly everywhere in Mexico and Central America some species of lizard +carries this appellation. In El Peten I heard the name used only for +_Coleonyx elegans_ and _Thecadactylus rapicaudus_; in the lowlands of +Guerrero, Mexico, the name is applied to geckos of the genus +_Phyllodactylus_. The venomous lizards of the genus _Heloderma_ in the +lowlands of western Mexico are called _escorpiones_. In the mountains of +southern Mexico various skinks of the genus _Eumeces_, as well as +lizards of the genus _Xenosaurus_, carry the same appellation. _Abronia_ +in the mountains of Mexico and _Gerrhonontus_ throughout Mexico and +Central America likewise are called _escorpiones_. Although many people +in various parts of Middle America consider most lizards poisonous, +there is a unanimity of opinion concerning the venomous qualities of the +various kinds of _escorpiones_. I know of only two other lizards in +Middle America that are so uniformly regarded in native beliefs; these +are _Enyaliosaurus clarki_ in the Tepalcatepec Valley in Michoacan, +called _nopiche_, and _Phrynosoma asio_ in western Mexico, called +_cameleon_. + + +=Sphaerodactylus lineolatus= Lichtenstein + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; Toocog, 1. + +These small geckos were much more abundant than the few specimens +indicate. They frequently were seen on the trunks of corozo palms, where +they quickly took refuge in crevices at the bases of the fronds. The +specimen obtained at Toocog was under the bark of a standing dead tree. +In life the ventral surface of the tail was orange. The individual from +Chinaja was in the leaf litter on the ground at the base of a dead tree. + + +=Thecadactylus rapicaudus= (Houttuyn) + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2. + +Two specimens were found beneath the bark of standing dead trees; +another was found in the crack in the trunk of a mahogany tree about 13 +meters above the ground. In life the dorsum was yellowish tan with dark +brown markings; the venter was yellowish tan with brown flecks, and the +iris was olive-tan. The largest specimen is a male having a snout-vent +length of 95 mm.; all specimens have regenerated tails. Individuals when +caught twisted their bodies and attempted to bite; upon grabbing a +finger they held on with great tenacity. + + +=Anolis biporcatus= (Wiegmann) + + 14 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; 17 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW + of Chinaja, 3; 30 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; Sayaxche, 1. + +All specimens of this large anole were obtained from trees. Some +individuals were found in the tops of trees immediately after they were +felled. My limited observations on this anole suggest that it is an +inhabitant of the upper levels of the forest. In life an adult male from +20 kilometers north-northwest of Chinaja was brilliant green above; the +eyelids were bright yellow; the belly was white. The outer part of the +dewlap was pale orange, and the median part was pinkish blue. A juvenile +having a snout-vent length of 47 mm. and a tail length of 86 mm. was +pale grayish green with pale gray flecks on the dorsum. The largest male +has a snout-vent length of 98 mm. and a tail length of 217 mm.; the same +measurements of the largest female are 89 and 213 mm. This species, +together with all other anoles, is known locally as _toloque_. + + +=Anolis capito= Peters + + Chinaja, 2; 14 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; Rio de la Pasion, 1. + +All individuals were observed on trunks of trees between heights of +three and ten meters above the ground. The largest male has a snout-vent +length of 81 mm. and a tail length of 155 mm.; the same measurements of +the largest female are 87 and 150 mm. The streaked brown dorsum, +combined with the lizards' habit of pressing the body against the trunks +of trees, make this anole especially difficult to see. + + +=Anolis humilis uniformis= Cope + + Chinaja, 24; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 22; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, + 6; Sayaxche, 1. + +This small dull brown anole is a characteristic inhabitant of the forest +floor, where the lizards move about in a series of quick, short hops and +thus easily evade capture. Three individuals were found on small bushes, +and four were on the bases of trees; otherwise, all were observed on the +ground. Observations indicate that this species is active throughout +the day, except during and immediately after heavy rains. The males have +a deep red dewlap with a dark blue median spot. + + +=Anolis lemurinus bourgeaei= Bocourt + + Chinaja, 11; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 4; 30 km. NNW of Chinaja, + 2; Rio de la Pasion, 1; Rio San Roman, 1; Sayaxche, 8; Toocog, + 6. + +This moderate-sized anole characteristically inhabits the low bushes and +bases of trees in the forest. Individuals were most readily observed on +the buttresses of some of the gigantic mahogany and ceiba trees. When +approached the lizards usually ran around the tree or ducked to the +other side of the buttress; if the observer moved closer, they jumped to +the ground and ran off. None was observed to ascend large trees. Some +individuals were observed foraging on the forest floor; these took +shelter on the bases of trees. One individual was sleeping on a palm +frond at night. The adult males have a uniformly orange-red dewlap. + + +=Anolis limifrons rodriguezi= Bocourt + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 2; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +In dry forests and more open situations than occur at Chinaja this +little anole is abundant, but in the wet forests of southern El Peten, +only three specimens were found. Two were on palm fronds about two +meters above the ground; the other was on a low bush. I suspect that +ecologically this species overlaps _A. humilis uniformis_ and _A. +lemurinus bourgeaei_, but too few observations are recorded to justify a +definite statement at this time. + + +=Anolis sericeus sericeus= Hallowell + + Chinaja, 2; Sayaxche, 1; Toocog, 1. + +This small anole is common and widespread in the Atlantic lowlands of +southern Mexico and northern Central America; usually it inhabits +sub-humid regions. Consequently, its presence in the wet forests of +southern El Peten was unexpected. The specimens from Chinaja were +sleeping on low bushes at night, whereas the others were found on bushes +by day. + + +=Basiliscus vittatus= Wiegmann + + Chinaja, 6; Rio de la Pasion, 1; Rio San Roman, 1; Sayaxche, + 3; Toocog, 1. + +Individuals of this abundant species were most frequently seen in dense +bushes along the margins of rivers or small streams. None was observed +far from water. These lizards, like the anoles, are known locally as +_toloque_. + + +=Corythophanes cristatus= (Merrem) + + Chinaja, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +Three individuals were found on tree trunks; the fourth was on a thick +vine about one meter above the ground. The two largest males have +snout-vent lengths of 121 and 115 mm. and tail lengths of 265 and 243 +mm. The largest female (KU 59603), obtained on June 28, has a snout-vent +length of 125 mm. and a tail length of 247 mm. This individual contained +eight ova varying in greatest diameter from 10.6 to 12.2 (average 11.1) +mm. Also present are numerous ovarian eggs having diameters up to about +3.5 mm. + +One of the large males displayed a defensive behavior prior to capture. +When first observed the lizard was clinging to a tree trunk about one +and one-half meters above the ground. When I approached, the lizard +turned its flanks towards me; then it flattened the body laterally, +extended the dewlap, opened its mouth, and made short rushing motions. +When touched it bit viciously. On the ground these lizards have a rather +awkward bipedal gait that is much slower than in _Basiliscus vittatus_. + +In life an adult male (KU 55804) was reddish brown dorsally with dark +chocolate brown markings; the venter was creamy white, and the iris was +dark red. The natives call this lizard _piende jente_. + + +=Iguana iguana rhinolopha= Wiegmann + + Rio San Roman, 2. + +The _iguana_, as this lizard is called locally, seems to be uncommon in +the forested areas of southern El Peten. Possibly this is due to the +fact that the flesh of this lizard is relished as food by the natives. +My two specimens were in large trees at the edge of the river. + + +=Laemanctus deborrei= Boulenger + + Chinaja, 1; Toocog, 5. + +On June 26 a female having a snout-vent length of 129 mm. and a tail +length of 502 mm. was found on a bush in the forest. The lizard, when +approached, faced the collector and opened its mouth. In life the dorsum +was bright green; the lateral stripe was white, and the iris was +yellowish brown. This specimen contained four ova having lengths of 13.4 +to 14.2 (average 13.9) mm. + +On June 30 at Toocog five white-shelled eggs were found in a rotting +log. Measurements of the eggs are--length, 23.5 to 25.0 (average 24.2) +mm.; width, 15.0 to 15.5 (average 15.4) mm. These eggs hatched on August +30. The five young had snout-vent lengths of 43 to 45 (average 44) mm., +and tail lengths of 137 to 140 (average 138) mm. In life the hatchlings +had a dull dark green dorsum, pale bright green venter and stripes on +head, and reddish brown iris. In preservative the hatchlings are creamy +tan above with five or six square dark brown blotches middorsally. + +The natives consider this lizard to be one of the anoles; consequently, +it is known as _toloque_. + + +=Lepidophyma flavimaculatum flavimaculatum= Dumeril + + Chinaja, 8; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 2. + +Individuals were found beneath logs on the forest floor or moving about +in the litter on the forest floor. One was observed crawling across a +trail during a heavy rain. In some adults the tan dorsal spots are large +and distinct; in others the spots are small and indistinct. Two +juveniles, apparently recent hatchlings, were found on June 28 and July +5. These specimens have snout-vent lengths of 29 mm. and tail lengths of +38 and 41 mm. + + +=Eumeces schwartzei= Fischer + + Chinaja, 1. + +One specimen (KU 59551) was found on the forest floor at midday; it is +an adult female having a snout-vent length of 125 mm. and a tail length +of 210 mm. This specimen is larger than those recorded by Taylor +(1936:99) and extends the known range of the species south of Ramate, +approximately 125 kilometers south-south-westward to Chinaja. + + +=Eumeces sumichrasti= (Cope) + + 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +One adult male having a snout-vent length of 82 mm. was found beneath a +palm frond on the forest floor. In life the dorsum was dull brown; the +chin was cream; the belly was yellow, and the underside of the tail was +orange. A juvenile having a black body, yellow dorsal stripes, and a +bright blue tail was observed on the forest floor. + + +=Scincella cherriei cherriei= (Cope) + + Chinaja, 2; 30 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; Toocog, 1. + +All individuals of this lizard were found in the leaf litter on the +forest floor; many escaped capture. In life the tail is dull bluish +gray. The number of dorsal scales varies from 59 to 61 (average 60); +thus, these specimens fall within the range of variation of _S. cherriei +cherriei_, and thereby differ from _S. cherriei stuarti_ to the west and +_S. cherriei ixbaac_ to the north. + + +=Ameiva festiva edwardsi= Bocourt + + Chinaja, 16; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 10; Sayache, 4; Toocog, 1. + +This abundant terrestrial lizard, locally called _lagartijo_, is found +throughout the forest. A juvenile obtained on March 14 at Sayaxche has a +snout-vent length of 42 mm. and a prominent umbilical scar. Other +juveniles were observed at Chinaja in February and March, thereby +indicating that the young probably hatch in the early part of the year. +Juveniles have bright blue tails. + + +=Celestus rozellae= Smith + + 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2. + +Two specimens were obtained from trees by workmen in February. These +lizards have snout-vent lengths of 70 and 83 mm. and tail lengths of 133 +and 135 mm. There are 21 and 23 lamellae beneath the fourth toe; each +has 31 longitudinal rows of scales around the body. + + +=Boa constrictor imperator= Daudin + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2; Toocog, 1. + +All specimens were found on the forest floor. One individual was found +in combat with a large _Drymarchon corais melanurus_. Apparently, the +_Drymarchon_ was attempting to devour the _Boa_, which had a total +length of 1683 mm. Locally this snake is called _masacuata_; it is one +of the few snakes believed by the local inhabitants to be non-poisonous. + + +=Clelia clelia clelia= Daudin + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +One specimen is represented only by the head; the snake was killed on +the forest floor by workmen. Another individual was found in a pool of +water at the base of a limestone outcropping in the forest; this +specimen (KU 58167) is a female having a body length of 2220 mm. and a +total length of 2634 mm. This snake contained 22 ova averaging 56 x 23 +mm. Both specimens were uniform shiny black above and cream-color below. +The local name is _sumbadora_. + + +=Coniophanes bipunctatus bipunctatus= (Guenther) + + Chinaja, 1. + +This snake was found on the forest floor by day; it is a male having 130 +ventrals, an incomplete tail; cream-colored belly, and a pair of large +brown spots on each ventral scute. + + +=Coniophanes fissidens fissidens= (Guenther) + + Toocog, 1. + +This male specimen was found beneath a rock in a sink hole. It has 122 +ventrals and 77 caudals. A narrow temporal stripe extends along the +upper edge of the anterior temporal and the lower edge of the upper +secondary temporal. The belly is ashy white with a pair of small black +spots on each ventral. + + +=Coniophanes imperialis clavatus= (Peters) + + Chinaja, 3. + +All specimens were found on the forest floor by day. These small snakes +are capable of rapid movement and quickly disappear in the litter on the +ground. Two individuals evaded capture. The belly is creamy white +anteriorly and vermillion red posteriorly. + + +=Dryadophis melanolomus laevis= (Fischer) + + Chinaja, 3. + +These snakes, locally known as _sumbadora_, were found on the forest +floor; two others were seen, but escaped. The variation in coloration +has been a source of confusion in this species in northern Central +America (see Stuart, 1941:86). All of the present specimens are males: +KU 55709 has 178 ventrals, 121 caudals, and a total length of 914 mm.; +the dorsum is olive-tan with six darker cross-bars on the neck; the +belly is creamy white. KU 58160 has 188 ventrals, 123 caudals, and a +total length of 1365 mm.; the dorsum is uniform olive-brown, except that +some dorsal scales at midbody have black anterior borders like _D. +melanolomus melanolomus_ has in the Yucatan Peninsula; the venter is +pale yellow. KU 58158 has 179 ventrals, 122 caudals, and a total length +of 723 mm.; the dorsum is rich chocolate brown with eight dark +cross-bars on the neck; the belly is bright orange. + +Stuart (1941a:87) stated that in life two distinct color phases were +observed in specimens collected by him in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. One +had an olive-brown dorsum and the other, a reddish orange dorsum. +Stuart made no mention of variation in the color of the venter. Similar +variation is known in _D. melanolomus alternatus_ in Costa Rica, where +some individuals have orange-red venters. This color phase has been +recognized as a distinct species, _Dryadophis sanguiventris_, by Taylor +(1954:722). Examination of 18 specimens from Costa Rica shows no +differences in scutellation, nor geographic segregation of two +populations. I am convinced that the red-bellied _Dryadophis_ in Costa +Rica, like those in Guatemala, represent a color phase of the subspecies +inhabiting those areas and that _Dryadophis sanguiventris_ Taylor is a +synonym of _Dryadophis melanolomus alternatus_ (Bocourt). + + +=Drymarchon corais melanurus= (Dumeril, Bibron and Dumeril) + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; Sayaxche, 1. + +The specimen from Sayaxche was found at the edge of a clearing in the +forest; that from 15 kilometers northwest of Chinaja was found on the +forest floor coiled with a _Boa constrictor imperator_, which the +_Drymarchon_ apparently was trying to eat. The _Drymarchon_ is a giant +specimen having a total length of 2950 mm. (see Duellman, 1961:368). The +_Boa_ with which it was coiled has a total length of 1683 mm. I was +attracted to the snakes by a loud thrashing noise. When I approached the +writhing mass, the snakes separated, but I was able to see that the +_Drymarchon_ had its teeth firmly imbedded in the posterior part of the +head of the _Boa_. From the _Drymarchon_ I forced the regurgitation of a +recently ingested _Bothrops nummifer nummifer_ having a total length of +953 mm. These observations show that the snake-eating capabilities of +_Drymarchon_ can hardly be over-estimated. + +In both _Drymarchon_ the anterior one-half of the body is olive-tan, +which changes to bluish black posteriorly. The local name is +_sumbadora_. + + +=Drymobius margaritiferus margaritiferus= (Schlegel) + + Chinaja, 3; Sayaxche, 1. + +All individuals were obtained in clearings in the forest by day in the +rainy season. Two individuals each contained a _Similisca baudini_ and +another contained a _Bufo valliceps valliceps_. Locally this snake is +known by the appropriate name of _ranera_. + + +=Imantodes cenchoa leucomelas= Cope + + Chinaja, 4. + +With the exception of one that was found dead in camp, all individuals +were taken from low vegetation by day. The dorsum is creamy tan with 28 +to 35 (average 32) chocolate brown blotches, and the venter is ashy +white with small brown flecks. Three males have 238 to 248 (average 244) +ventrals and 148 to 154 (average 151) caudals; one female has 239 +ventrals and 142 caudals. The largest specimen, a male, has a body +length of 660 mm. and a total length of 943 mm. + + +=Lampropeltis doliata polyzona= Cope + + Chinaja, 1. + +One female (KU 57156) having 230 ventrals and 54 caudals was found on +the forest floor by day. This individual has a black snout with a white +bar across the nasals and prefrontals, a white spot in the middle of the +frontal, and a white band across the temporals and parietals that is +bordered posteriorly by a black band. There are 28 white and 28 red +rings on the body. The tips of the red scales are darkened. The black +rings between the white and red rings are not so expanded as to +interrupt the white rings dorsally as in _L. doliata abnorma_ as +identified by Stuart (1948:70). Locally this snake, like all red, black, +and white or yellow banded snakes, is called _coral_ or _coralillo_. + + +=Leptodeira frenata malleisi= Dunn and Stuart + + Toocog, 1. + +This specimen, a male having 173 ventrals and 69 caudals, was found +beneath the bark on a log in the forest. In life the dorsum was pinkish +tan with 36 chocolate brown blotches on the body; the venter was rosy +pink. + + +=Leptodeira septentrionalis polysticta= Guenther + + Chinaja, 3; Toocog, 11. + +If numbers of specimens are indicative of abundance, this is the most +common snake in southern El Peten. All were found at night in the rainy +season. At a pond in the forest at Toocog these snakes were observed on +low vegetation, on the ground, and in the water. Evidently they +congregate at breeding choruses of frogs. One _Leptodeira_ contained a +_Smilisca baudini_ and another contained eggs of _Phyllomedusa +callidryas taylori_. The natives call this snake _nahuyaca_. + + +=Leptophis ahaetulla praestans= (Cope) + + 13 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +Both specimens were obtained from trees when they were felled. One +individual (KU 55716) has a body length of 1345 mm. and a total length +of 2035 mm. In life the entire snake was uniform bright green; the eye +was yellow. In preservative the dorsum is dark blue, and the venter is +green. + + +=Leptophis mexicanus mexicanus= Dumeril, Bibron and Dumeril + + Chinaja, 1; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; Sayaxche, 4. + +All specimens came from low trees in the forest. The largest specimen is +a male having a body length of 724 mm. and a total length of 1236 mm. In +life the middorsum was a golden tan; the top of the head was a vivid +green. One individual had ingested a _Smilisca baudini_. The local name +is _bejuquillo_. + + +=Ninia sebae sebae= (Dumeril, Bibron and Dumeril) + + Toocog, 1. + +This specimen, a male having 144 ventrals and 55 caudals, was found +beneath bark on a log in the forest. There is a black band five scales +in length on the nape followed posteriorly by a red band six scales in +length and then by a complete black band one and one-half scales in +length. The rest of the body is dull red with 16 incomplete black bands +one to one and one-half scales in length on the anterior two-thirds of +the body. + + +=Oxybelis aeneus aeneus= (Wagler) + + Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +One individual was found in a low tree; the other was in a bush. Both +specimens are males; the largest has a body length of 754 mm. and a +total length of 1286 mm. Bogert and Oliver (1945:388) distinguished _O. +aeneus aeneus_ in Central and South America from _O. aeneus auratus_ in +Mexico in that the diameter of the eye is more than the length of the +internasal, whereas in _O. aeneus auratus_ the diameter of the eye is +less than the length of the internasal. Stuart (1958:27) stated that on +the basis of this character three specimens from Tikal in northeastern +El Peten definitely were _O. aeneus aeneus_. Of the present specimens +from southern El Peten, one has an internasal:eye ratio of 1.08; the +other has a ratio of 0.87. A careful review of these snakes is needed to +verify the validity of the characters used to separate the subspecies +and to determine areas of intergradation. The local name for the +vine-snake is _bejuquillo_. + + +=Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis= Salvin + + Chinaja, 1; Rio San Roman, 1. + +These specimens are tentatively referred to _P. euryzonus_. KU 57160 is +a female having 130 ventrals, 87 caudals, and 23 black rings on the +body; KU 58150 is a juvenile having 128 ventrals, 79 caudals, and 27 +black rings on the body. In both specimens the tip of the snout is +yellow; a broad yellow band on the parietals and temporals is bordered +posteriorly by a black band on the nape. The black rings on the body are +not bordered by yellow, but black rings on the tail have yellow borders +ventrally. In the red interspaces between the black rings, black flecks +and spots, especially posteriorly, tend to form secondary black rings +(Fig. 6a). According to Stuart (1948:71), _P. euryzonus aequalis_ has 25 +to 27 black rings on the body, whereas _P. elapoides salvini_, which +also occurs in El Peten, has 15 to 23 black rings. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6. Dorsal color patterns of _Pliocercus euryzonus +aequalis_ (A) and _Micrurus affinis apiatus_ (B).] + +The specimen from the Rio San Roman contained a partly digested +_Bolitoglossa moreleti mulleri_. Locally _Piocercus_ is called _coral_ +or _coralillo_. + + +=Pseustes poecilonotus poecilonotus= (Guenther) + + Chinaja, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +Two juveniles were on the forest floor; one juvenile and an adult were +on low bushes. The juveniles have a tan dorsum with reddish brown +blotches; the belly is gray, and the iris is cream-color above and brown +below. The one adult is olive-brown above and creamy white below on the +anterior three-fourths of the body; posteriorly it is black above and +below. There are no paravertebral dark stripes nor pale spots on the +dorsal scales. + +Two specimens (one juvenile and the adult) when encountered compressed +the anterior part of the body laterally and struck repeatedly. Locally +the adults are called _sumbadora_. + + +=Sibon dimidiata dimidiata= (Guenther) + + 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2. + +Both snakes were obtained from trees when they were felled. In life the +dorsum was pinkish orange with dark chocolate brown blotches narrowly +edged with black. + + +=Sibon nebulata nebulata= (Linnaeus) + + 20 km. NW of Chinaja, 1. + +This specimen, a male having a body length of 544 mm. and a tail length +of 198 mm., was found in a felled tree. In life the belly was pink and +black; the dorsal black blotches were narrowly outlined with pink. + + +=Spilotes pullatus mexicanus= (Laurenti) + + Chinaja, 3; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; Sayaxche, 1. + +This large snake, locally called _mica_, seems to be equally at home on +the ground and in low trees and bushes. It is fast moving for a large +snake; two individuals escaped capture. The natives said that this snake +eats other snakes, but examination of stomachs revealed no supporting +evidence. + + +=Stenorrhina degenhardti= (Berthold) + + Chinaja, 1. + +This specimen, a female having 158 ventrals, 37 caudals, and a total +length of 489 mm., was found on the forest floor. On the olive-brown +dorsum are 27 irregular, narrow, dark brown, transverse bands. The head +is uniform olive-brown; the chin and labials are cream-color. The +venter is cream-color with a row of brown spots forming a midventral +stripe. A large spider was found in the stomach. + +I have refrained from assigning a subspecific name to this snake. +Cursory examination of specimens from throughout Mexico and Central +America reveals a bewildering array of variation in coloration that +suggests that the subspecies _mexicanus_ is not recognizable, or that +two species occur sympatrically in parts of southern Mexico and northern +Central America. + + +=Tretanorhinus nigroluteus lateralis= Bocourt + + Chinaja, 1. + +A single male having 136 ventrals, 75 caudals, and a total length of 407 +mm. was found by a stream in camp. The dorsum is pale grayish tan with +34 pairs of small chocolate brown spots, some of the anterior ones of +which are connected across the back. A cream-colored lateral stripe is +on the third and fourth dorsal scale-rows anteriorly and the second and +third rows posteriorly. The lower dorsal scale rows are black. The +venter is dark grayish brown with cream-colored flecks anteriorly and +creamy gray posteriorly where the dark color is restricted to the +midventral region and the lateral edges of ventrals and first dorsal +scale-row. + + +=Xenodon rabdocephalus mexicanus= Smith + + Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1. + +Both individuals were found on the forest floor. An adult male having a +total length of 420 mm. has a cream-colored venter with brown flecks. A +juvenile having a total length of 172 mm. has a creamy white belly with +black crossbands. + +At the suggestion of L. C. Stuart, I am following Schmidt (1941:501) in +placing _X. mexicanus_ as a subspecies of _X. rabdocephalus_. + + +=Micrurus affinis apiatus= (Jan) + + 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2; Sayaxche, 1. + +All specimens were found beneath litter on the forest floor. All are +males having 202 to 211 (average 205) ventrals, 53 to 56 (54.6) caudals, +and 34 to 48 (41) primary black rings on the body. There are no yellow +rings, and black spots in the red interspaces tend to form secondary +black rings (Fig. 6b), the same as in _Pliocercus euryzonus aequalis_. +The local name is _coral_ or _coralillo_. + + +=Bothrops atrox asper= (Garman) + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; Sayaxche, 1. + +Although we found only two specimens, natives and workmen at the camp at +Chinaja stated that the _barba amarilla_, as this snake is known +locally, had been abundant when the camp had been established less than +two years before our visit. + + +=Bothrops nasutus= Bocourt + + 12 km. NW of Chinaja, 1. + +This specimen, a male having a total length of 415 mm., was found on the +forest floor. The dorsum is brown with dark brown blotches separated +middorsally by a narrow orange-tan stripe extending from the nape to the +base of the tail. The belly is grayish tan with white flecks on the +lateral edges of the ventrals. The local name is _nahuyaca_. + + +=Bothrops nummifer nummifer= (Rueppell) + + 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 2; Sayaxche, 1. + +Two individuals were found on the forest floor, and one adult, having a +total length of 953 mm., was removed from the stomach of a large +_Drymarchon corais melanurus_. There is considerable variation in color +and pattern. A juvenile (KU 58104), having a total length of 332 mm., +has a tan dorsum with 19 interconnected dark brown, diamond-shaped, +middorsal blotches, the lateral extensions of which are black; the belly +is a cream-color with brown squares. An adult female (KU 55706), having +a total length of 779 mm., has a dorsal coloration like the preceding +specimen, except that the lateral extensions of the dorsal blotches are +brown; the belly is a uniform cream-color. A second adult female (KU +55707), having a total length of 953 mm., has a brown dorsum with 21 +interconnected black, diamond-shaped, middorsal blotches, the lateral +extensions of which are black; the belly is a cream-color with black +squares. + +The local name for this species is _braza de piedra_. + + +=Bothrops schlegeli schlegeli= (Berthold) + + Paso Subin, 1. + +This specimen was taken from the thatched roof of a house at the edge of +the forest and contained the remains of a small mammal. The local name +is _nahuyaca_. + + + + +HYPOTHETICAL LIST OF SPECIES + + +Listed below are thirteen species that have not been found in southern +El Peten but that probably occur there. + + =_Dermophis mexicanus mexicanus_= (Dumeril and Bibron).--Natives + at Chinaja know caecilians, which they call _dos cabezas_. + This species has been taken in Tabasco and northern Chiapas. + Its occurrence in southern El Peten is expected. Less likely, + the caecilian known to the natives at Chinaja is _Gymnopis + oligozona_, which is known from Finca Volcan on the southern + slopes of the valley of the Rio Cahabon in Alta Verapaz. + + =_Gastrophryne elegans_= (Boulenger).--This small fossorial frog + is known from Piedras Negras (Taylor and Smith, 1945:604), 12 + miles east of Yaxha (Stuart, 1934:7), and Tikal (Stuart, + 1958:18), all in northern and central El Peten. Two specimens + in the collection of the University of Kansas are from 28 + kilometers northeast of Campur, Alta Verapaz. Probably the + species ranges throughout the forested lowlands of northern + Alta Verapaz and El Peten. + + =_Mabuya brachypoda_= Taylor.--The absence of this widespread + lizard in our collections cannot be explained. Probably it + occurs in southern El Peten, for it is known in northern and + central El Peten and in Alta Verapaz. + + =_Dendrophidion vinitor_= Smith.--This snake is known from + Piedras Negras, El Peten and from various localities in Alta + Verapaz; it is an inhabitant of humid forest and should occur + in southern El Peten. + + =_Elaphe triaspis mutabilis_= (Cope).--The subspecies _E. + triaspis mutabilis_ is known from Alta Verapaz and _E. + triaspis triaspis_ from the Yucatan Peninsula, British + Honduras, and Uaxactun in northern El Peten. Because of the + much higher degree of resemblance between the faunas of + southern El Peten and Alta Verapaz as compared with southern + El Peten and Yucatan, _E. triaspis mutabilis_ would be + expected to occur in southern El Peten. + + =_Ninia diademata nietoi_= Burger and Werler.--This snake is + known from Tikal and from Alta Verapaz; it is a small + cryptophile that probably occurs in southern El Peten. + + =_Oxyrhophus petola aequifasciatus_= Werner.--This snake, which + probably is conspecific with _Oxyrhophus baileyi_ in southern + Veracruz, Mexico, is known from Tikal, British Honduras, and + Alta Verapaz; it is expected in southern El Peten. + + =_Pliocercus elapoides salvini_= Mueller.--This species is + widespread in the Atlantic lowlands of southern Mexico and + northern Central America; the subspecies _P. elapoides + salvini_ occurs in Alta Verapaz and probably in southern El + Peten. + + =_Rhadinaea decorata decorata_= (Guenther).--This is another + small cryptophile that is widespread on the Atlantic lowlands + from Mexico to Panama; it definitely is expected at places + like Chinaja in southern El Peten. + + =_Scaphiodontophis annulatus_= (Dumeril and Bibron).--Three + subspecies of _Scaphiodontophis annulatus_ are recognized in + northern Central America: _S. annulatus annulatus_ from Alta + Verapaz, _S. annulatus hondurensis_ from northern Honduras, + and _S. annulatus carpicinctus_ from Piedras Negras and Tikal + in El Peten and from British Honduras. This rare and highly + variable species probably occurs in southern El Peten. + + =_Tantilla schistosa schistosa_= (Bocourt).--This widespread + species in Central America is known from several localities in + Alta Verapaz and almost certainly occurs in southern El Peten. + + =_Tropidodipsas sartori sartori_= Cope.--This fossorial species + has been collected in northern El Peten and in Alta Verapaz. + The natives at Chinaja described to me a _coral_ having orange + rings on a black body that likely was this species. + + =_Micrurus elegans veraepacis_= Schmidt.--This species has been + collected at various localities in Alta Verapaz and in + Chiapas, inhabits areas like those in southern El Peten, and + probably occurs there. + + + + +SUMMARY + + +A study of the amphibians and reptiles in the rainforests of southern El +Peten, Guatemala, reveals the presence of 78 species; an additional 13 +species probably occur there. In this tropical area having a high amount +of rainfall most of the species of amphibians and reptiles have +extensive ranges in the wet forests on the Atlantic lowlands of southern +Mexico and northern Central America; some species that more frequently +are found in sub-humid forests also occur. + +Ecologically the fauna is divided into five major habitats--aquatic, +aquatic margin, fossorial, terrestrial, and arboreal. Forty-two per cent +of the 78 species are wholly or partly arboreal. The fauna is most +closely related to that in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, but includes many +species that occur in the Tikal-Uaxactun area in northeastern Guatemala. + +_Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ (Werner) and _E. rhodopis_ (Cope) are +redefined and their relationships are suggested. The color phases of +_Dryadophis melanolomus laevis_ and _D. m. alternatus_ are discussed; +_Dryadophis sanguiventris_ Taylor is synonymized with _Dryadophis +melanolomus alternatus_ (Bocourt). + +The breeding habits, eggs, and tadpoles of the hylid frogs _Hyla +ebraccata_ and _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_ are described, as are +the eggs and juveniles of _Laemanctus deborrei_. + + + + +LITERATURE CITED + + +BAYLOR, E. R. AND STUART, L. C. + + 1961. A new race of _Bufo valliceps_ from Guatemala. Proc. + Biol. Soc. Washington, 74:195-202, August 11. + +BOGERT, C. M. AND OLIVER, J. A. + + 1945. A preliminary analysis of the herpetofauna of Sonora. + Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 83:297-426, March 30. + +BROCCHI, P. + + 1881-1883 Etude des batraciens de l'Amerique Centrale. Mission + scientifique au Mexique. Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 3 + (2):1-122, pls. 1-21. + +DUELLMAN, W. E. + + 1958. A review of the frogs of the genus _Syrrhophus_ in + western Mexico. Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, + 594:1-15, pls. 1-3, June 6. + + 1960. A distributional study of the amphibians of the Isthmus + of Tehuantepec, Mexico. Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist., + 13:21-72, August 16. + + 1961. A record size for _Drymarchon corais melanurus_. Copeia, + 1960 (4):367-368, January. + +DUNN, E. R. AND EMLEN, J. T. + + 1932. Reptiles and amphibians from Honduras. Proc. Acad. Nat. + Sci. Philadelphia, 84:21-32, March 22. + +FIRSCHEIN, I. L. AND SMITH, H. M. + + 1957. A high-crested race of toad (_Bufo valliceps_) and other + noteworthy reptiles and amphibians from southern Mexico. + Herpetologica, 13:219-222, October 31. + +LUNDELL, C. L. + + 1937. The vegetation of Peten. Carnegie Institute Washington + Publ. 178:1-244, pls. 1-39. June 16. + +NEILL, W. T. AND ALLEN, R. + + 1959. Studies on the amphibians and reptiles of British + Honduras. Publ. Ross Allen's Reptile Inst., 2:1-76, November + 10. + +SAPPER, K. + + 1932. Klimakunde von Mittelamerika. _In_ Handbuch Klimakunde, + 2:1-74, Taf. 1-13. + +SCHMIDT, K. P. + + 1936. Guatemalan salamanders of the genus _Oedipus_. Zool. + Ser. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 20:135-166, October 31. + + 1941. The amphibians and reptiles of British Honduras. Zool. + Ser. Field Mus. Nat. Hist, 22:475-510, December 30. + + 1946. Turtles collected by the Smithsonian Biological Survey + of the Panama Canal Zone. Smithsonian Misc. Coll., 106 + (8):1-9, pl. 1, August 1. + +SIMPSON, G. G. + + 1960. Notes on the measurement of faunal resemblance. Amer. + Jour. Sci., 258-A:300-311. + +SMITH, H. M. AND TAYLOR, E. H. + + 1945. An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico. + Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., 187: iv + 239 pp., October 5. + + 1948. An annotated checklist and key to the amphibia of + Mexico. Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., 194: iv + 118 pp., June 17. + + 1950. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Mexico + exclusive of the snakes. Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., 199: v + 253 + pp., October 26. + +STUART, L. C. + + 1934. A contribution to a knowledge of the herpetological + fauna of El Peten, Guatemala. Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Univ. + Michigan, 292:1-18, June 29. + + 1935. A contribution to a knowledge of the herpetology of a + portion of the savanna region of central Peten, Guatemala. + Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 29:1-56, pls. 1-4, + October 1. + + 1937. Some further notes on the amphibians and reptiles of the + Peten forest of northern Guatemala. Copeia, 1937 (1):67-70, + April 10. + + 1941a. Studies of Neotropical Colubrinae VIII. A revision of + the genus _Dryadophis_ Stuart, 1939. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. + Univ. Michigan, 49:1-105, pls. 1-4, March 19. + + 1941b. Two new species of _Eleutherodactylus_ from Guatemala. + Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 54:197-200, December 8. + + 1943. Taxonomic and geographic comments on Guatemalan + salamanders of the genus _Oedipus_. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. + Univ. Michigan, 56:1-33, pls. 1-2, January 30. + + 1948. The amphibians and reptiles of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. + Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 69:1-109, June 12. + + 1950. A geographic study of the herpetofauna of Alta Verapaz, + Guatemala. Contr. Lab. Vert. Biol. Univ. Michigan, 45:1-77, + pls. 1-9, May. + + 1958. A study of the herpetofauna of the Uaxactun-Tikal area + of northern El Peten, Guatemala. Contr. Lab. Vert. Biol. Univ. + Michigan, 75:1-30, June. + +TAYLOR, E. H. + + 1936. A taxonomic study of the cosmopolitan scincoid lizards + of the genus _Eumeces_. Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull., 23:1-643, + August 15. + + 1954. Further studies on the serpents of Costa Rica. Univ. + Kansas Sci. Bull., 36:673-801, July 15. + +TAYLOR, E. H. AND SMITH, H. M. + + 1945. Summary of collections of amphibians made in Mexico + under the Walter Rathbone Bacon Traveling Scholarship. Proc. + U. S. Natl. Mus., 95:521-613, June 30. + +_Transmitted November 29, 1962._ + +29-5935 + + + + +UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Institutional libraries interested in publications exchange may obtain +this series by addressing the Exchange Librarian, University of Kansas +Library, Lawrence, Kansas. Copies for individuals, persons working in a +particular field of study, may be obtained by addressing instead the +Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. There +is no provision for sale of this series by the University Library, which +meets institutional requests, or by the Museum of Natural History, which +meets the requests of individuals. However, when individuals request +copies from the Museum, 25 cents should be included, for each separate +number that is 100 pages or more in length, for the purpose of defraying +the costs of wrapping and mailing. + +* An asterisk designates those numbers of which the Museum's supply (not +the Library's supply) is exhausted. Numbers published to date, in this +series, are as follows: + + Vol. 1. Nos. 1-26 and index. Pp. 1-638, 1946-1950. + +*Vol. 2. (Complete) Mammals of Washington. By Walter W. Dalquest. + Pp. 1-444, 140 figures in text. April 9, 1948. + + Vol. 3. *1. The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and + distribution. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures + in text. June 19, 1951. + + *2. A quantitative study of the nocturnal migration Of birds. + By George H. Lowery, Jr. Pp. 361-472, 47 figures in text. + June 29, 1951. + + 3. Phylogeny of the waxwings and allied birds. By M. Dale + Arvey. Pp. 473-530, 49 figures in text, 13 tables. October + 10, 1951. + + *4. Birds from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. By George H. + Lowery, Jr., and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 531-649, 7 + figures in text, 2 tables. October 10, 1951. + + Index. Pp. 651-681. + +*Vol. 4. (Complete) American weasels. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 1-466, 41 + plates, 31 figures in text. December 27, 1951. + + Vol. 5. Nos. 1-37 and index. Pp. 1-676, 1951-1953. + +*Vol. 6. (Complete) Mammals of Utah, _taxonomy and distribution_. By + Stephen D. Durrant. Pp. 1-549, 91 figures in text, 30 + tables. August 10, 1952. + + Vol. 7. Nos. 1-15 and index. Pp. 1-651, 1952-1955. + + Vol. 8. Nos. 1-10 and index. Pp. 1-675. 1954-1956. + + Vol. 9. *1. Speciation of the wandering shrew. By James S. Findley. + Pp. 1-68, 18 figures in text. December 10, 1955. + + 2. Additional records and extension of ranges of mammals from + Utah. By Stephen D. Durrant, M. Raymond Lee, and Richard + M. Hansen. Pp. 69-80. December 10, 1955. + + 3. A new long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) from northeastern + Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker and Howard J. Stains. Pp. + 81-84. December 10, 1955. + + 4. Subspeciation in the meadow mouse, Microtus + pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. + 85-104, 2 figures in text. May 10, 1956. + + 5. The condylarth genus Ellipsodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. + 105-116, 6 figures in text. May 19, 1956. + + 6. Additional remains of the multituberculate genus + Eucosmodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. 117-123, 10 figures + in text. May 19, 1956. + + 7. Mammals of Coahuila, Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. + 125-335, 75 figures in text. June 15, 1956. + + 8. Comments on the taxonomic status of Apodemus peninsulae, + with description of a new subspecies from North China. By + J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 337-346, 1 figure in text, 1 table. + August 15, 1956. + + 9. Extensions of known ranges of Mexican bats. By Sydney + Anderson. Pp. 347-351. August 15, 1956. + + 10. A new bat (Genus Leptonycteris) from Coahuila. By Howard + J. Stains. Pp. 353-356. January 21, 1957. + + 11. A new species of pocket gopher (Genus Pappogeomys) from + Jalisco, Mexico. By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 357-361. + January 21, 1957. + + 12. Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Thomomys + bottae, in Colorado. By Phillip M. Youngman. Pp. 363-387, + 7 figures in text. February 21, 1958. + + 13. New bog lemming (genus Synaptomys) from Nebraska. By J. + Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 385-388. May 12, 1958. + + 14. Pleistocene bats from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo Leon, + Mexico. By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 389-396. December 19, + 1958. + + 15. New subspecies of the rodent Baiomys from Central America. + By Robert L. Packard. Pp. 397-404. December 19, 1958. + + 16. Mammals of the Grand Mesa, Colorado. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 405-414, 1 figure in text. May 20, 1959. + + 17. Distribution, variation, and relationships of the montane + vole, Microtus montanus. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 415-511, + 12 figures in text, 2 tables. August 1, 1959. + + 18. Conspecificity of two pocket mice, Perognathus goldmani + and P. artus. By E. Raymond Hall and Marilyn Bailey + Ogilvie. Pp. 513-518, 1 map. January 14, 1960. + + 19. Records of harvest mice, Reithrodontomys, from Central + America, with description of a new subspecies from + Nicaragua. By Sydney Anderson and J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. + 519-529. January 14, 1960. + + 20. Small carnivores from San Josecito Cave (Pleistocene), + Nuevo Leon, Mexico. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 531-538, 1 + figure in text. January 14, 1960. + + 21. Pleistocene pocket gophers from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo + Leon, Mexico. By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 539-548, 1 figure + in text. January 14, 1960. + + 22. Review of the insectivores of Korea. By J. Knox Jones, + Jr., and David H. Johnson. Pp. 549-578. February 23, 1960. + + 23. Speciation and evolution of the pygmy mice, genus Baiomys. + By Robert L. Packard. Pp. 579-670, 4 plates, 12 figures in + text. June 16, 1960. + + Index. Pp. 671-690 + + Vol. 10. 1. Studies of birds killed in nocturnal migration. By + Harrison B. Tordoff and Robert M. Mengel. Pp. 1-44, 6 + figures in text, 2 tables. September 12, 1956. + + 2. Comparative breeding behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and + A. maritima. By Glen E. Woolfenden. Pp. 45-75, 6 plates, 1 + figure. December 20, 1956. + + 3. The forest habitat of the University of Kansas Natural + History Reservation. By Henry S. Fitch and Ronald R. + McGregor. Pp. 77-127, 2 plates, 7 figures in text, 4 + tables. December 31, 1956. + + 4. Aspects of reproduction and development in the prairie + vole (Microtus ochrogaster). By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. + 129-161, 8 figures in text, 4 tables. December 19, 1957. + + 5. Birds found on the Arctic slope of northern Alaska. By + James W. Bee. Pp. 163-211, plates 9-10, 1 figure in text. + March 12, 1958. + + *6. The wood rats of Colorado: distribution and ecology. By + Robert B. Finley, Jr. Pp. 213-552, 34 plates, 8 figures + in text, 35 tables. November 7, 1958. + + 7. Home ranges and movements of the eastern cottontail in + Kansas. By Donald W. Janes. Pp. 553-572, 4 plates, 3 + figures in text. May 4, 1959. + + 8. Natural history of the salamander, Aneides hardyi. By + Richard F. Johnston and Gerhard A. Schad. Pp. 573-585. + October 8, 1959. + + 9. A new subspecies of lizard, Cnemidophorus sacki, from + Michoacan, Mexico. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 587-598, + 2 figures in text. May 2, 1960. + + 10. A taxonomic study of the middle-American snake, Pituophis + deppei. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 599-610, 1 plate, 1 + figure in text. May 2, 1960. + + Index. Pp. 611-626. + + Vol. 11. Nos. 1-10 and index. Pp. 1-703, 1958-1960. + + Vol. 12. 1. Functional morphology of three bats: Sumops, Myotis, + Macrotus. By Terry A. Vaughan. Pp. 1-153, 4 plates, 24 + figures in text. July 8, 1959. + + *2. The ancestry of modern Amphibia: a review of the evidence. + By Theodore H. Eaton, Jr. Pp. 155-180, 10 figures in text. + July 10, 1959. + + 3. The baculum in microtine rodents. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. + 181-216, 49 figures in text. February 19, 1960. + + *4. A new order of fishlike Amphibia from the Pennsylvanian of + Kansas. By Theodore H. Eaton, Jr., and Peggy Lou Stewart. + Pp. 217-240, 12 figures in text. May 2, 1960. + + 5. Natural history of the bell vireo. By Jon C. Barlow. Pp. + 241-296, 6 figures in text. March 7, 1962. + + 6. Two new pelycosaurs from the lower Permian of Oklahoma. By + Richard C. Fox. Pp. 297-307, 6 figures in text. May 21, + 1962. + + 7. Vertebrates from the barrier island of Tamaulipas, Mexico. + By Robert K. Selander, Richard F. Johnston, B. J. Wilks, + and Gerald G. Raun. Pp. 309-345, pls. 5-8. June 18, 1962. + + 8. Teeth of Edestid sharks. By Theodore H. Eaton, Jr. Pp. + 347-362, 10 figures in text. October 1, 1962. + + More numbers will appear in volume 12. + + Vol. 13. 1. Five natural hybrid combinations in minnows (Cyprinidae). + By Frank B. Cross and W. L. Minckley. Pp. 1-18. June 1, + 1960. + + 2. A distributional study of the amphibians of the + Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico. By William E. Duellman. + Pp. 19-72, pls. 1-8, 3 figures in text. August 16, 1960. + + 3. A new subspecies of the slider turtle (Pseudemys scripta) + from Coahuila, Mexico. By John M. Legler. Pp. 73-84, pls. + 9-12, 3 figures in text. August 16, 1960. + + 4. Autecology of the copperhead. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. + 85-288, pls. 13-20, 26 figures in text. November 30, 1960. + + 5. Occurrence of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, in + the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. By Henry S. Fitch + and T. Paul Maslin. Pp. 289-308, 4 figures in text. + February 10, 1961. + + 6. Fishes of the Wakarusa river in Kansas. By James E. Deacon + and Artie L. Metcalf. Pp. 309-322, 1 figure in text. + February 10, 1961. + + 7. Geographic variation in the North American cyprinid fish, + Hybopsis gracilis. By Leonard J. Olund and Frank B. Cross. + Pp. 323-348, pls. 21-24, 2 figures in text. February 10, + 1961. + + 8. Descriptions of two species of frogs, genus Ptychohyla; + studies of American hylid frogs, V. By William E. + Duellman. Pp. 349-357, pl. 25, 2 figures in text. April + 27, 1961. + + 9. Fish populations, following a drought, in the Neosho and + Marais des Cygnes rivers of Kansas. By James Everett + Deacon. Pp. 359-427, pls. 26-30, 3 figs. August 11, 1961. + + 10. Recent soft-shelled turtles of North America (family + Trionychidae). By Robert G. Webb. Pp. 429-611, pls. 31-54, + 24 figures in text. February 16, 1962. + + Index. Pp. 613-624. + + Vol. 14. 1. Neotropical bats from western Mexico. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 1-8. October 24, 1960. + + 2. Geographic variation in the harvest mouse. Reithrodontomys + megalotis, on the central Great Plains and in adjacent + regions. By J. Knox Jones, Jr., and B. Mursaloglu. Pp. + 9-27, 1 figure in text. July 24, 1961. + + 3. Mammals of Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. By Sydney + Anderson. Pp. 29-67, pls. 1 and 2, 3 figures in text. July + 24, 1961. + + 4. A new subspecies of the black myotis (bat) from eastern + Mexico. By E. Raymond Hall and Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 69-72, + 1 figure in text. December 29, 1961. + + 5. North American yellow bats, "Dasypterus," and a list of + the named kinds of the genus Lasiurus Gray. By E. Raymond + Hall and J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 73-98, 4 figures in text. + December 29, 1961. + + 6. Natural history of the brush mouse (Peromyscus boylii) in + Kansas with description of a new subspecies. By Charles A. + Long. Pp. 99-111, 1 figure in text. December 29, 1961. + + 7. Taxonomic status of some mice of the Peromyscus boylii + group in eastern Mexico, with description of a new + subspecies. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 113-120, 1 figure in + text. December 29, 1961. + + 8. A new subspecies of ground squirrel (Spermophilus + spilosoma) from Tamaulipas, Mexico. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. + 121-124. March 7, 1962. + + 9. Taxonomic status of the free-tailed bat, Tadarida + yucatanica Miller. By J. Knox Jones, Jr., and Ticul + Alvarez. Pp. 125-133, 1 figure in text. March 7, 1962. + + 10. A new doglike carnivore, genus Cynaretus, from the + Clarendonian Pliocene, of Texas. By E. Raymond Hall and + Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 135-138, 2 figures in text. April + 30, 1962. + + 11. A new subspecies of wood rat (Neotoma) from northeastern + Mexico. By Ticul Alvarez. Pp. 139-143. April 30, 1962. + + 12. Noteworthy mammals from Sinaloa, Mexico. By J. Knox Jones, + Jr., Ticul Alvarez, and M. Raymond Lee. Pp. 145-159, 1 + figure in text. May 18, 1962. + + 13. A new bat (Myotis) from Mexico. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. + 161-164, 1 figure in text. May 21, 1962. + + 14. The mammals of Veracruz. By E. Raymond Hall and Walter W. + Dalquest. Pp. 165-362, 2 figures. May 20, 1963. + + 15. The recent mammals of Tamaulipas, Mexico. By Ticul + Alvarez. Pp. 363-473, 5 figures in text. May 20, 1963. + + More numbers will appear in volume 14. + + Vol. 15. 1. The amphibians and reptiles of Michoacan, Mexico. By + William E. Duellman. Pp. 1-148, pls. 1-6, 11 figures in + text. December 20, 1961. + + 2. Some reptiles and amphibians from Korea. By Robert G. + Webb, J. Knox Jones, Jr., and George W. Byers. Pp. + 149-173. January 31, 1962. + + 3. A new species of frog (Genus Tomodactylus) from western + Mexico. By Robert G. Webb, Pp. 175-181, 1 figure in text. + March 7, 1962. + + 4. Type specimens of amphibians and reptiles in the Museum + of Natural History, the University of Kansas. By William + E. Duellman and Barbara Berg. Pp. 183-204. October 26, + 1962. + + 5. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El + Peten, Guatemala. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 205-249, + pls. 7-10, 6 figures in text. October 4, 1963. + + More numbers will appear in volume 15. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Amphibians and Reptiles of the +Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala, by William E. Duellman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF *** + +***** This file should be named 38398.txt or 38398.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/3/9/38398/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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