A revision of the frogs of the subfamily Asterophryinae, family Microhylidae. Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 148, article 3
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Date
1972
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New York : [American Museum of Natural History]
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Abstract
"Asterophryine frogs are confined in distribution to the New Guinea region, from the Louisiade Archipelago on the east, westward through New Guinea proper to the Moluccas Islands. Members of this subfamily are not known to have reached Australia or the Bismarck Archipelago. The subfamily Asterophryinae is characterized by the diplasiocoelous condition of the vertebral column, upper and lower jaws symphygnathine in most genera, and the tongue broadly attached (less than one-quarter free behind). The closest relationship is with the Sphenophryninae, also limited largely to the New Guinea region, whose members are procoelous, eleutherognathine, and have the tongue more than one-quarter free behind. The last major reviser of the Microhylidae included five genera and 24 species in the Asterophryinae. In the present work seven genera (one new) are defined, largely on the basis of features of the osteology of the skull, and 37 species (10 new) are recognized. Apparently all asterophryine (and all sphenophrynine) frogs have direct embryonic development, omitting a free-living tadpole stage. All species for which information is available inhabit the floor of the rain forest, although structural features of some little-known forms suggest arboreal tendencies. None is known to be even partly aquatic. Various species are found at elevations from sea level to over 11,000 feet (3350 m.). The distribution of all species is shown on spot maps, and most species are illustrated. Keys to the genera and species are provided. Audiospectrograms illustrate the mating calls of five species. The chromosome number (n=13) is known for only one species of one genus"--P. 415.
Description
p. 413-546 : ill., maps ; 27 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 543-546).
Includes bibliographical references (p. 543-546).
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