Systematics of the pentadactylus species group of the frog genus Leptodactylus (Amphibia, Leptodactylidae

Abstract

and pattern characters are analyzed for the adult members of the Leptodactylus pentadactylus species group. Available data on tadpoles, mating calls, and karyotypes are incorporated in the analyses. Results of the analyses lead to the recognition of 11 species comprising the group. For each species, the following are provided: synonymy, description of adult characteristics, a distribution map and list of localities, and specimens examined. The following are included if known: distinctive adult colors in life, larval characteristics, mating call description, and karyotype. A key is provided for the adult members of the complex. Larval adaptations appear to be most important in interpreting the evolutionary history within this species group. Adult morphology appears to be evolutionarily rather conservative, contrasting with the patterns found in other species groups so far studied within this genus. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Heyer, W. Ronald Systematics of the pentadactylus species group of the frog genus Leptodactylus (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae) (Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no.

Determining sexual dimorphism in frog measurement data: integration of statistical significance, measurement error, effect size and biological significance

“…Both species are stocky and short legged. In the previous study (Heyer 1978), L. bufonius demonstrated sexual dimorphism in SVL (females larger), head length (male heads longer), head width (male heads wider), whereas L. troglodytes demonstrated sexual dimorphism in head length (male heads longer), shank length (male shanks longer), and foot length (male feet longer). In this study, both L. bufonius and L. troglodytes demonstrate statistically significant differences in femalemale SVL, but SVL differences are considered not meaningful and can not be demonstrated to be dimorphic for L. troglodytes with the available data.…”

“…In a previous study (Heyer 1978), L. furnarius (as L. laurae) demonstrated sexual dimorphism in SVL (females larger) and no dimorphism in thigh, shank, or foot length; L. gracilis demonstrated dimorphism only for head width (male heads longer) for the variables analyzed. Our results demonstrate statistically significant results solely for SVL in L. furnarius (females larger), with an effect size of 0.385, a medium effect size as defined herein.…”

“…Two sets of data analyzed in previous studies demonstrated different statistically significant results for measurements made between morphologically similar appearing species (Heyer 1978): (1) the species pair Leptodactylus bufonius and L. troglodytes; and (2) the species pair Leptodactylus furnarius and L. gracilis.…”

“…Two tests on the same species can lead to results that on the one hand infer sexual dimorphism and on the other hand deny any differences exist. For example, when a total of 35 L. furnarius were examined (Heyer 1978), male head length was larger than female. With a sample size of 74 specimens in the present study, the opposite was found.…”

Does advertisement call variation coincide with genetic variation in the genetically diverse frog taxon currently known as Leptodactylus fuscus (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae)?

“…Two sources of information have been most critical in reassessing species limits in frogs: molecular and advertisement call data. For example, Toda et al (1998) concluded that genetic divergences within Rana limnocharis were of such a magnitude that several morphologically indistinguishable species were 40 W. RONALD HEYER and YANA R. REID sidered to be a single species based on morphological and limited advertisement call data (Heyer 1978) with a distribution ranging from Panama and Colombia east of the Andes to Argentina and on the islands of Margarita, Trinidad, and Tobago. A more recent molecular study estimated genetic differentiation in the species from throughout its geographic range and demonstrated lack of genetic cohesion to such a degree that L. fuscus likely is composed of several species (Wynn and Heyer 2001).…”