184 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 13, No. 9 
Young palms were noted among the ruins of Nakum with petioles much 
longer and more slender than those of the adult palm at Laguna Colorada. 
Also, in the young palms the pinnae are relatively broader than in the adult, 
1.5 to 2 cm. wide with a length of 18 to 20 em. An injured leaf of a young 
palm growing on a ruined temple at Uaxactun showed a special enlargement 
of the basal pulvini, so that the pinnae stood nearly at right angles to the 
rachis instead of the usual angle of about 50 to 60 degrees in young palms, or 
about 40 degrees in adults. 
Since northern Petén has a dry season sufficiently long and severe to throw 
most of the vegetation into a dormant condition, it seems not unreasonable to 
expect that Opsiandra may prove somewhat resistant in more temperate 
climates and possibly adapted to household cultivation or to outdoor condi- 
tions in Florida or California. As a popular name the expression ‘Maya 
palm” might be used, in view of the habitat and frequent association with the 
ancient ruins. 
ZOOLOGY.—A new frog of the genus Leptodactylus.. Doris M. 
Cocaran, National Museum. (Communicated by Dr. L. 
STEJNEGER. ) 
A collection of reptiles and batrachians recently sent to the United 
States National Museum by Dr. W. L. Abbott contains an interesting 
new frog, of which I have prepared the following description: 
Leptodactylus dominicensis, sp. nov. 
Diagnosis.—Toes without distinct dermal margins; tongue heart-shaped; 
tympanum half the width of the eye; vomerine teeth in two long curved series 
behind the choanae; snout pointed, depressed, with a sharp edge. 
Type.—U. 8. N. M. No. 65670, Las Cafiitas, Dominican Republic; Feb- 
ruary 25, 1923; Dr. W. L. Abbott, collector. 
Description of type specimen.—Vomerine teeth in two long curved series 
beginning behind the middle of the choanae, separated by the width of the 
choanae; tongue moderate in size, heart-shaped; snout pointed, depressed, 
sharp-edged, declining rapidly from the eyes to the tip; when viewed in pro- 
file, upper lip projects considerably beyond lower lip; canthus rostralis sloping 
and very indistinct; nostrils a little nearer to end of snout than to eye; tym- 
panum longer than high, its greatest diameter very slightly more than half 
the diameter of eye; interorbital space equals width of upper eyelid; first 
finger much longer than second, which equals fourth; toes slightly webbed 
at base; third much longer than fifth; subarticular tubercles well developed; 
numerous smaller tubercles in series on the sole; two metatarsal tubercles, 
the inner connected with a very distinct tarsal fold; heels just touching when 
hind limbs are folded at right angles to axis of body; tarso-metatarsal joint 
reaching anterior border of tympanum when hind limbs are carried forward 
along the body; skin smooth above and below; numerous small, pointed glands 
on the outer surface of the tibia; a narrow dorso-lateral glandular fold, and a 
few elongate glands on the sides; a strong glandular fold from posterior angle 
1 Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 
