FROGS OF COLOMBIA — COCHRAN AND GOIN 449 



The most striking feature of schmidti, however, is its coloration — its very dark, 

 nearly black, dorsal ground color, and the extensively developed blotching on the 

 ventral surface of the body and limbs set it off at a glance. 



Description. — Vomerine teeth in two short, heavy, slightly arched series, between 

 and on a line with the posterior margin of the internal nares; tongue broadly 

 cordiform, its posterior margin free and with a very shallow notch; snout large, 

 broadly rounded as seen from above, except for the tip which is somewhat trun- 

 cate; tip of snout forming a broadly obtuse angle as seen in profile; upper jaw 

 extending slightly beyond lower; nostrils nearer tip of snout than eye, separated 

 by a distance about equal to their distance from the eye; internarial distance 

 half again as great as interocular distance; eye prominent, its greatest diameter 

 greater than distance from eye to nostril and nearly twice the interocular distance; 

 canthus rostralis not prominent; loreal region slightly concave; tympanum mod- 

 erate in size and very distinct, separated from eye by about one and one-half 

 times its own diameter; greatest diameter of eye about twice that of tympanum. 

 Fingers pointed, not webbed at base, the third the longest, the second and fourth 

 subequal and extending to the base of the penultimate phalanx of the third; the 

 terminal phalanx of the first finger strongly flexed; first finger slightly longer 

 than second and fourth; no evident pollex rudiment. Toes slender, pointed, 

 4-3-5-2-1 in decreasing order of length, webbed to the base of the penultimate 

 phalanx of the fourth toe and the base of the ultimate phalanx of the others; 

 a small outer and a larger inner metatarsal tubercle on each foot. Legs short, 

 heel reaching posterior margin of eye when leg is pressed along side of body; 

 elbow and knee just meeting when arm and leg are pressed along side; heels 

 slightly overlapping when hind legs are held at right angles to body. Skin of 

 dorsum rough and finely warty, particularly along sides; skin on snout and top 

 of head smooth but upper eyelids covered with fine warts; a narrow glandular 

 fold extending from posterior corner of eye to above tympanum where it turns 

 down and is lost in the wartiness of the sides; no apparent subgular vocal pouch. 



Dimensions (in mm.). — Snout-vent length, 82.0; head length, 30.0; head width, 

 34.6; cms, 32.3; shank, 36.3; pes, 62.3; hand, 20.4. 



Color in alcohol. — Top of head and dorsum very dark brownish gray; a light 

 gray band on each side extending from below eye to anterior margin of tympanum; 

 the region of the dorsum immediately behind the eyes just perceptibly paler 

 than rest of dorsum; tops of arms and legs slightly paler than dorsum, with 

 blotches of dark grayish black, these mottlings taking the form of indefinite 

 crossbars on the thighs; ground color of ventral surface dirty white; a few dots 

 of grayish black pigment under tip of chin; along the posterior border of jaws, 

 across the chest and belly, and under the arms extensive mottlings of dark grayish 

 black, these mottlings becoming confluent on the undersides of the thighs and 

 shanks so that they form definite reticulations. 



Genus Leptodactylus Fitzinger 



1826. Leptodactylus Fitzinger, p. 38 (type species, Rana fusca Schneider). 



Generic diagnosis. — Pupil horizontal. Tongue oval and rounded, 

 entire or slightly notched and free behind. Vomerine teeth between 

 the choanae. Tympanum usually distinct. Fingers and toes free, 

 not (or only slightly) dilated at the tips. Outer metatarsals united. 

 Omosternum cartilaginous; sternum with a bony style. Terminal 

 phalanges simple. 



