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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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