212 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
VOL. XXIV. 
RANA GRYLIO, new species. 
Dia(/nos/s. — Similar to Rana catesbeiana^ but with the fourth toe 
much shorter in proportion, the third toe, measured from the inner 
metatarsal tubercle, being more than three and one-half times the 
difference between the third and fourth toes. 
Type.— C?it. No. 27443, U.S.N.M.; Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. 
Ilahitat. — Florida and Gulf coast west to Mississippi. 
Remarks. — The most obvious difference between this species and 
the ordinary bullfrog- {Rana catesbelana) is the great length of the toes, 
except the fourth, the latter consequently projecting much less beyond 
the others than in R. catesheiana., in which the third toe, measured 
from the inner metatarsal tubercle, is considerablj^ less than three and 
one-half times the difference between it and the fourth toe. In fact, 
this difference is seldom more than one-fourth in the new species and 
seldom less than one-third in R. catesheiana. 
In order to ascertain exactly the proportions of the first four toes 
in both species large series of both species were measured, viz: 13 of 
R. grylio and 50 of R. catesbekma., the measurements, as well as their 
equivalents expressed in percentages of the fourth toe, being given at 
the end of this article. In order to get as stable a starting point as 
possible for these measurements the anterior edge of the inner meta- 
■ tarsal tubercle was chosen and the length of the toe in this case conse- 
quently means the distance from this point to the tip of the toe in 
question. 
The proportions obtained in this way may lie expressed as follows: 
Rana grylio. 
Rana catesheiana. 
Third toe 
Per cent of fourth toe. 
80 'to 84 
55 61 
34 39 
Per cent of fourth toe. 
■ 70 to 76 
47 51 
27 33 
Second toe 
First toe 
There is consequently no overlapping or intergrading. The fourth 
toe has the same relative length in both species, but in the new one 
the other toes have become considerably lengthened, thus giving a 
much larger surface of web than in the ordinary bullfrog. 
From the above it will be seen that a specimen of Rana, grylio., in 
which the distance from the tip of the fourth toe to the anterior edge 
of the inner metatarsal tubercle measures 50 mm., should normally 
have — 
The first toe, similarl}^ measured, 18.5 mm. (varying between 17 
mm. and 19.5 mm.). 
The second toe, similarly measured, 29 mm. (varying between 27.5 
mm. and 30.5 mm.). 
