MEXICAN TAILLESS AMPHIBIANS 175 



HYLA TAEMOPUS GUnther 



1901. Hyla taenio'pus Gunther, Biologia Central!- Americana, Reptilia and 

 Batrachia, pp. 269, 270, pi. 72, fig. f, Sept. 



Type locality. — Jalapa, State of Vera Cruz, Mexico. 



Range. — Not known to occur elsewhere than at the type locahty. 



Remarks. — The status and relationships of this species are quite 

 puzzling. The two cotypes (B. M. Nos. 1901. 12. 19. 86-87) were 

 collected by a Mexican Indian, Mateo Trujillo, who was employed as 

 a collector by F. D. Godman. The development of the vomerine 

 teeth indicates that they may possibly be immature individuals. The 

 general shape of the body, the extent of the web between fingers and 

 toes, as well as the coloration of the upperparts and sides, are super- 

 ficially like a young Phyllomedusa. The shape of the pupil of the eye, 

 however, is uncertain. After studying these cotypes, H. W. Parker 

 is inclined to regard taeniopus as being specifically distinct from bavdi- 

 nii. One of the cotypes differs from a juvenile Hyla baudinii in having 

 a tympanum that is slightly less than one-half the transverse diameter 

 of the eye, and a more depressed and more prominent snout. 



The following comments on the cotypes of this species were fur- 

 nished by Dr. E. R. Dunn: 



I found it difficult to make up my mind about Hyla taeniopus. I believe that 

 they are not H. baudinii, but it is diflScult to decide. The cotypes are both young 

 and differ from each other, but are obviously the same species. They lack the 

 post-tympanic black mark and show more black on the sides. The lateral mar- 

 bling is very striking, more so on one than on the other. The size of the tympanum 

 is not the same on both cotypes, and one has a longer snout than the other. 



These cotypes are described in my notes as follows: Larger indi- 

 vidual: Head-and-body length, 30 mm.; transverse diameter of tym- 

 panum, 1.7 mm. ; transverse diameter of eye, 3.3 mm. ; anterior edge of 

 eye to nostril, 3.1 mm. ; width of head at level of posterior angles of jaws, 

 10.7 mm.; the hind limb being carried forward along the body, the 

 tibio-tarsal joint reaches to center of eye; fingers one-fourth webbed 

 at base; tip of first finger reaches to apical disk of second; toes two- 

 thirds webbed; large inner and small outer metatarsal tubercle; 

 a tarsal fold from inner metatarsal tubercle to tibio-tarsal joint; 

 vomerine teeth in small clusters between the choanae; tongue broad, 

 circular; abdomen and under surface of thighs coarsely granular; 

 upperparts (in alcohol) rather uniform purplish; sides creamy white 

 with anastomosing blackish-brown spots or l^lotches, the white areas 

 being slightly larger than the dark-brown areas; three indistinct 

 dark crossbars on upper surface of thigh and tibia, and two on tarsus; 

 throat and chest with brown specks. The coloration of the smaller 

 cotype is the same as the preceding, except that the dark spots on 

 sides do not anastomose, and there are similar dark crossbars on 

 hind limbs. The head-and-body length of this cotype is 24.8 mm. 

 The vomerine teeth of both have barely penetrated the gums. 



