64 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



o. Egg mass. In the frogs, Rana catesheiana, Rana grylio, (R. heckscheri), 

 R. clamitans lay films; Rana pahistris, Rana pipiens, Rana sphenocephala, 

 Rana aesopus, Rana areolata, Rana virgatipes and Rana septentrionalis lay 

 plinths or masses beneath surface of water. In the Hylidae, Hyla squirella, 

 Hyla gratiosa, Pseudacris ocularis, Hyla crucifer, Acris gryllus lay single eggs, 

 Hyla andersonii and Hyla cinerea are in an intermediate group, and Hyla 

 versicolor and Hyla femoralis lay surface films. Again we have recurring 

 some of the groupings of the other headings. Biifo quercicus and Bufo ter- 

 restris are separate groups entirely on this basis. 



6. Individual eggs. In the Hylidae possibly Acris gryllus, Hyla crucifer 

 and Pseudacris ocularis should go together into one group of single eggs, 

 Hyla squirella and Hyla gratiosa into another, and Hyla cinerea and Hyla 

 andersonii into an intermediate group between single eggs and surface films. 

 Of the latter type we have Hyla femoralis and Hyla versicolor. In the Bufos, 

 Bufo quercicus belongs nearer Bufo compactilis or others of the southwest 

 than with B. terrestris which in turn is as near B. fowleri as B. americanus. 

 In the Ranas, Rana pipiens, R. sphenocephala, Rana aesopus, R. areolata, and 

 R. palustris fall together on this character, while Rana catesheiana and Rana 

 virgatipes have no inner envelope and R. grylio, R. septentrionalis and R. 

 clamitans have an inner envelope of jelly. 



7. Larval period. The over-winter group of R. virgatipes, R. clamitans, 

 R. septentrionalis, R. heckscheri, R. grylio, and R. catesheiana, seems a natural 

 group. They are later breeders than the short larval period group of Rana 

 pipiens, R. sphenocephala, R. aesopus, R. areolata, and R. palustris which 

 breed earlier except R. palustris. The Hylids, nine species, separate in no 

 such clearly cut fashion. 



8. Mature larvae. The tadpoles of R. pipiens, R. sphenocephala, R. 

 aesopus and R. areolata fall more or less together as do those of the wintering 

 tadpole group of six species {R. clamitans, R. catesheiana, R. grylio, R. heck- 

 scheri, R. virgatipes, and R. septentrionalis.) In the Hylids, Acris appears as 

 much a Ranid as a Hylid in character. Hyla crucifer and the species of 

 Pseudacris apparently fall together into another group. Hyla gratiosa, Hyla 

 andersonii, and Hyla cinerea seemingly are another group. And Hyla 

 femoralis, Hyla versicolor and Hyla squirella form a fourth group. 



9. Transformation period. The six Ranas {R. clamitans, R. grylio, R. 

 heckscheri, R. virgatipes, R. catesheiana, R. septentrionalis) begin to transform 

 early the following season. Later come Rana pipiens, R. sphenocephala or 

 Rana aesopus and Rana areolata. In the Hylids Pseudacris nigrita transforms 

 early, the others much later and over a larger period. So in the Bufos, Bufo 

 terrestris transforms early and Bufo quercicus much later. 



10. Transformation size. Apparently this gives little clue to relationship. 

 The group of Rana sphenocephala, Rana pipiens, Rana aesopus, Rana areolata 

 may have smallest transformers (the first two) or larger transformers (the 

 last two) or in the same way these groups may attain medium size or large 

 size as adults. In the same way Rana virgatipes is small in transformation 

 and adult size in its group {R. grylio group) which in the main is large in 

 these particulars. 



