258 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 288 



platydactyla or whether they should be listed as intergrades. We have 

 seen the type of platydactyla and that of meridensis, and on the basis 

 of an examination of these types we are calling the Boyaca specimens 

 typical platydactyla; however, a series of fresh material from the 

 Venezuelan Andes is required before the limits of variation in platy- 

 dactyla can be ascertained. 



The type of meridensis is very similar to the Colombian specimens 

 from Boyaca, while the type of platydactyla, although somewhat 

 old and faded, appears to have more of a "servalina" pattern (see 

 under H.l. labialis). 



Specimens Examined 

 COLOMBIA 



Boyaca: Chita, MZUM 92162 (19). 

 VENEZUELA: Merida, BM 1904.6.30.17 [1947.2.13.14] (type of platydactyla); 



MCZ 2527 (type of meridensis); near Merida, Chama, USNM 71114. 



15. VARIABILIS group 



Small to medium-sized tree frogs with small, rounded vomerine 

 tooth patches and with well-developed patagia which are pink or 

 red in life. As in the previous group, which occupies the Sierra Oriental, 

 this group of the Sierra Occidental likewise consists of three vicarious 

 forms. These may be distinguished by the following key: 



a 1 . Either belly or dorsum, or both, with a rather distinct pattern. 



b 1 . Dorsal pattern of blotches or interrupted stripes; ventral surfaces generally 



heavily mottled H. variabilis 



b 2 . Dorsal pattern generally of rather distinct dorsolateral stripes; belly im- 

 maculate or lightly mottled H. bogerti 



a 2 . No distinct dorsal pattern and ventral surface nearly or completely im- 

 maculate H. columbiana 



Hyla variabilis Boulenger 



Plate 34d-f 



1896. Hyla variabilis Boulenger, p. 120 (type locality, Cali, Valle, Colombia). — 

 Nieden, 1923, p. 262.— Barbour and Loveridge, 1929, p. 280.— Dunn, 

 1944a, p. 77.— Peters, 1952, p. 17.— Marx, 1958, p. 434.— Cochran, 

 1961, p. 60. 



Diagnosis. — A small frog with well-developed patagium, reduced 

 webbing between the fingers, and chin, throat, and belly generally 

 rather heavily mottled in dark gray or black. 



Hyla variabilis is most closely allied to columbiana and bogerti. 

 From columbiana it differs in having a more distinct dorsal pattern 

 and much more extensive mottling on the undersurfaces. From 

 bogerti it differs in having a longer leg so that the extended heel 

 reaches the anterior rather than the posterior margin of the eye; 

 in having the belly much more extensively mottled; and in having 



