ANUliA SCAPH1OPIDAE SPEA STAGNALIS. 



525 



FAM. SCAPHIOPIDAE. 



Genus SPEA, Cope. 



SPEA STAGNALIS, Cope, sp. nov. 



PLATE XXV, FIGS. G, 7. 8. 



Head wide ; muzzle projecting beyond mouth ; nostrils terminal. 

 Loreal region oblique ; top of head slighly convex or plane in profile. 

 Membranum tyinpani invisible externally ; ostia pharyngea exceedingly 

 minute, much smaller than the choanse. Vomerine teeth between the nares 

 either anteriorly or posteriorly. Tongue round, extensively free, entire. 

 No pectoral nor tibial glands; parotoids flat and thin. Tarsal shovel large; 

 web of hind foot reaching middle of longest toe ; the leg extended brings 

 the heel to the middle of the parotoid gland. 



Color light-brown, with a few dark speckles ; a spot on cantlms ros- 

 tralis. 



The very minute size of the ostia pharyngea of this species distinguishes 

 it from the other Speas, and constitutes an approach to the rudimental con- 

 dition of the auditory apparatus seen in the genus Pelobates. 



"I found this species in temporary pools of rain water on the Eocene 

 plateau of Northwest New Mexico, thirty miles from the nearest spring, 

 and forty miles or more from running water. It is usually found in such 

 localities, where it passes through its metamorphoses with great rapidity. 

 As in other species of the group, the tadpoles reach a rather large size 

 before the changes are completed. After these are effected, the frog remains 

 in the pools as long as possible, swimming rather feebly from place to place 

 when disturbed. As in other Batrachians inhabiting similar situations (e.g., 

 Spea bombifrons, Amblystoma mavortium), their existence is entirely depend- 

 ent on the temporary pools remaining after rains, and their metamorphosis is 

 necessarily rapid, and subject to many vicissitudes." (Cope.) 



The plate exhibits views of dorsum, abdomen, and mouth. 



