Bufonidae 



BUFO HEMIOPHRYS, COPE 



Identification Characteristics 



Colour: Brown, with medium-sized dark spots on each side of a 

 light vertebral streak. The tubercles set in the spots are reddish 

 in colour. There are brown spots on the upper lip, below the ear 

 and between the parotoid gland and shoulder. An irregular 

 brown band extends backward along the side. Sides below this 

 band reticulated with dark. Legs (even the feet) banded with 

 dark. Posterior surface of the femur coarsely reticulated with 

 dark. Underparts (except the throat) spotted. 



Measurements: Length 2j inches. Length of head (to end 

 of cranial crests) enters the total length about 4^ times. Length of 

 leg to heel equals the length of the body forward to the eye. 



Structure: Skin tubercular; tubercles small but prominent, 

 often set in rows on the back and tibia. Smaller granulations of 

 the skin conspicuous everywhere, especially on the sides. Paro- 

 toid narrow, oval. Head rounded ; muzzle vertical in front ; nostrils 

 terminal. Ear a vertical oval, two-thirds the diameter of the eye. 

 Cranial crests as follows: Parallel ridges between the eyes, elon- 

 gated and united behind in a transverse ridge above the nape. 

 These ridges of the top of the head turn outward at their posterior 

 ends, as if to form ridges back of the eyes to the ears, but extend 

 only a short distance, and end abruptly. Foot webbed exten- 

 sively, but webs deeply indented. Inner sole tubercle unusually 

 large, outer small; both of these tubercles have free cutting edges. 



Range: "Northern boundary of the United States." Type 

 specimens in the National Museum show northeastern Dakota 

 (Turtle Mountains) to be the type locality. Specimens are re- 

 reported also from Manitoba, Canada. 



Bufo hemiophrys, of which the type specimens — seven in 

 number — were found in 1874, is to be looked for in Dakota and 

 Manitoba, instead of in Montana, as stated by Cope. Owing to the 

 misstatement in " Batrachia of North America," diligent search 

 was made for this toad in northern Montana throughout the spring 

 and summer of 1905 by several collectors, but no specimens came 

 to light. 



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