The tadpoles of the hylid frogs (Anura: Hylidae: Hypsiboas and Osteopilus) of Hispaniola

Abstract

Hispaniolan hylid frogs are represented by four endemic species: Hypsiboas heilprini, Osteopilus dominicensis, O. pulchrilineatus and O. vastus. There are two tadpole ecomorphs represented in the hylid frogs of Hispaniola: lentic (O. dominicensis and O. pulchrilineatus) and lotic (H. heilprini and O. vastus). Tadpoles of the four species may be found sympatrically, but in different microhabitats. Hispaniolan hylid tadpoles reach a moderate size (up to 57 mm in total length is recorded in H. heilprini), and differ from those of Peltophryne, Rhinella, Leptodactylus and Lithobates (the other genera with free-living larvae present on the island), by having the oral discs not emarginated and, from the first three taxa, by a dextral vent opening. Oral deformities observed in most tadpoles of H. heilprini from Ébano Verde, Cordillera Central, were caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. An identification key is also provided.

The phylogeny of the Casque‐headed Treefrogs (Hylidae: Hylinae: Lophyohylini)

“…Ron et al, 2012; Jungfer et al, 2013). Regarding the latter, Noble (1927) and Díaz et al (2015) reported, however, that eggs are laid in water retained in basins in gravel and stone on the edge of a pond in a stream; six days after hatching, larvae move over wet stones to the stream, where they complete their development.…”

“…Juncá et al (2008) reported on the larvae of Corythomantis , which have a number of character states that are likely autapomorphies of this genus. These include the absence of an anterior gap in the marginal papillae of the oral disc (in Lophyohylini, homoplastic in Osteocephalus festae and Osteopilus vastus ; Ron et al, 2010; Galvis et al, 2014; Díaz et al, 2015); the occurrence of at least five anterior tooth rows (vs. a maximum of four in all known larvae of Itapotihyla , Nyctimantis and Trachycephalus ; Schiesari et al, 1996; Schiesari and Moreira, 1996; Wogel et al, 2000, 2006; Prado et al, 2003; Pimenta and Canedo, 2007; Cajade et al, 2010); and the enlarged oral disc, whose maximum width is ca. 80% of maximum body width (vs. 50–66% in the other species of Lophyohylini having large oral discs, Osteopilus vastus , O. pulchrilineatus and Osteocephalus festae ; Ron et al, 2010; Galvis et al, 2014).…”

“…Vellard, 1948; McDiarmid and Altig, 1990); see Appendix for a complete list. Corythomantis greeningi , Osteopilus dominicensis , O. pulchrilineatus , and O. septentrionalis have been recorded to reproduce in both ponds and slow moving waters (Jared et al, 1999; Vargas Salinas, 2006; Juncá et al, 2008; Díaz et al, 2014, 2015); species of the Osteocephalus buckleyi group and Osteopilus vastus reproduce in streams (e.g. Ron et al, 2012; Jungfer et al, 2013).…”

“…See text and Appendix for the sources of the data employed for the optimization. The only available observation of reproduction in Osteopilus vastus indicates that eggs were placed in small basins, at the side of a stream, whereas tadpoles are known to subsequently develop in streams (Noble, 1927; Galvis et al, 2014; Díaz et al, 2015). We scored it as polymorphic, pending further studies.…”