AET. 11 NORTH AMERICAN TADPOLES — WRIGHT 39 



RANA GRYLIO Stejneger 



Plate 8, figures 2, 4 



Color description from life. — Belly is between citron yellow and pale 

 lemon yellow or lemon yellow with a prominent reticulation of 

 brownish black. On the sides the lemon yellow spots are surrounded 

 sometimes by pinkish vinaceous or orange vinaceous, or coral pink. 

 All the throat reo;ion back to the pectoral region is a clear black. 

 Across the pectoral region is apple green or light bice green. On 

 either side of the throat and below the eye and over the snout and in 

 front of nostril are spots of belly color. Over the back overlaying 

 black spots and between them is forest green or dark green or elm 

 green. When a tadpole is young it has a pinkish vinaceous line of 

 spots or stripe on the upper jaw to be. 



Tail. — The lemon yellow spots of the sides are also on the base of 

 the muscular part of the tail as more or less rounded spots with more 

 prominent pinkish vinaceous. About an inch from the base of the 

 muscular part the spotting goes along on to the middle of the mus- 

 cular part for an inch or less as a long band of pinkish vinaceous or 

 as a row of spots. Below this band are some rounded pinkish vina- 

 ceous spots like the band. These extend on to the lower crest. More 

 or less of a long black line of spots above this pinkish vinaceous band. 

 This black line starts in the middle of the muscular part but as it 

 approaches the tip of the tail it bends down toward the muscular 

 black line. Upper crest with no yellow or whitish spots. Lower 

 crest with many spots for first 2 inches. 



Pupil yellow or bronzy-rimmed. Iris flecked all over with bronzy. 

 Background of iris purplish. One looked greenish like the body 

 color. 



General appearance. — Tadpole quite large (100 mm.), with black 

 gular area and speckled belly which is so heavily pigmented the 

 intestine does not show through in preserved specimens. Ventral 

 contour narrower than in R. catesheiana and more of the R. clamitans 

 type. Tail elongate, tip sharply acuminate. Dorsal crest at widest 

 part about equal or slightly less than width of musculature, and 

 extending on to dorsum shghtly ahead of the vertical through the 

 buds of the hind legs. Spiracle sinistral, just visible from the dorsal 

 aspect, obliquely directed upward and backward, opening elliptical, 

 but little revealed from side. Spiracle opening just touches lateral 

 axis (muscular axis). Eye on or just above lateral axis. 



Anus dextral, opening at edge of ventral crest. 



Muciferous crypts present, but rather indistinct; this species easily 

 separated from R. clamitans in this regard. 



Mouth parts. — Teeth -|. Edge of upper labium about equal or 

 slightly longer than the length of the upper horny beak, and fringed 



