William Edward Duellman

“ One of the large males displayed a defensive behavior prior to capture. When first observed the lizard was clinging to a tree trunk about one and one-half meters above the ground. When I approached, the lizard turned its flanks towards me; then it flattened the body laterally, extended the dewlap, opened its mouth, and made short rushing motions. When touched it bit viciously. On the ground these lizards have a rather awkward bipedal gait that is much slower than in Basiliscus vittatus. ”

“ Camp of the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala and formerly a small settlement. On some maps Chinajá is located just to the north of the Alta Verapaz—El Petén boundary; recent surveys place the location just to the south of the imaginary line through the rainforest. Field work was conducted in the immediate vicinity of the camp, on the lower slopes of the Serrania de Chinajá, and at several sites to the northwest and north-northwest of Chinajá, where the forest was being cleared. The entire area supports rainforest. ”

“ Three species (Syrrhophus leprus, Leptodeira frenata, and Kinosternon acutum) are at the southern limits of their distributions in southern El Petén and northern Alta Verapaz, whereas Eleutherodactylus rostralis and Thecadactylus rapicaudus are at the northern and western limits of their distributions in El Petén. Nine (11%) species have the center of their distributions in El Petén and the Yucatán Peninsula; representatives of this group include Claudius angustatus, Dermatemys mawi, Laemanctus deborrei, and Eumeces schwartzei. ”

“ This small tree frog congregated in large numbers at a forest pond at Toocog. Between June 30 and July 2 we collected specimens and observed the breeding habits of this and other species at the pond. Calling males were distributed around the pond, where they called from low herbaceous vegetation at the edge of the pond or from plants rising above the water. Calling commenced at dusk [224] and continued at least into the early hours of the morning. On one occasion a female was observed at a distance of about 50 centimeters away from a calling male sitting on a blade of grass. ”

“ The variation in coloration has been a source of confusion in this species in northern Central America (see Stuart, 1941:86) . All of the present specimens are males: KU 55709 has 178 ventrals, 121 caudals, and a total length of 914 mm.; the dorsum is olive-tan with six darker cross-bars on the neck; the belly is creamy white. KU 58160 has 188 ventrals, 123 caudals, and a total length of 1365 mm.; the dorsum is uniform olive-brown, except that some dorsal scales at midbody have black anterior borders like D. melanolomus melanolomus has in the Yucatán Peninsula ”

“ Bush inhabitants include several species of lizards and snakes, all of which have rather elongate, slender bodies, and long tails. Common bush-inhabitants in southern El Petén are Anolis limifrons rodriguezi, Basiliscus vittatus, Laemanctus deborrei, Leptophis mexicanus mexicanus, and Oxybelis aeneus aeneus. ”

“ North of the Río de la Pasión is a low dome reaching an elevation of 170 meters at La Libertad; see Stuart (1935:12) for further discussion of the physiography of central El Petén. The rocks in southern El Petén are predominately Miocene marine limestones; there are occasional pockets of Pliocene deposits. There is little evidence of subterranean solution at Chinajá, but northward in central El Petén karsting is common. The upper few inches of soil is humus rich in organic matter ”

“ In the toads from El Petén the greatest variation is in coloration. The dorsal ground-color varies from orange and rusty tan to brown, yellowish tan, and pale gray. In some individuals the [222] flanks and dorsum are one continuous color, whereas in others a distinct dorsolateral pale colored band separates the dorsal color from dark brown flanks. ”

“ Other species of snakes that spend most of their lives above ground often forage in the mulch layer; among these are Coniophanes bipunctatus biserialis, Coniophanes fissidens fissidens, Coniophanes imperialis clavatus, Lampropeltis doliata polyzona, and Stenorrhina degenhardti. Among the amphibians, at least Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus, Eleutherodactylus rostralis, and Syrrhophus leprus are known to seek shelter in the mulch. ”

“ All specimens of this large anole were obtained from trees. Some individuals were found in the tops of trees immediately after they were felled. My limited observations on this anole suggest that it is an inhabitant of the upper levels of the forest. In life an adult male from 20 kilometers north-northwest of Chinajá was brilliant green above ”

“ Hatchling tadpoles are active swimmers and have only a small amount of yolk. The largest tadpoles preserved have total lengths of 13.0 and 13.5 mm. At this size distinctive sword-tail and bright coloration have developed.
Fig. 2. Tadpole of Hyla ebraccata (KU 59986) from Toocog, El Petén, Guatemala.
Description of fully developed tadpole (KU 59986) : Total length, 13.5 mm.; tail-length, 8.4 mm., 62 per cent of total length. Snout, in dorsal view, bluntly rounded; in lateral view less bluntly rounded; body depressed; head flattened ”

“ Eleutherodactylus rostralis (Werner) and E. rhodopis (Cope) are redefined and their relationships are suggested. The color phases of Dryadophis melanolomus laevis and D. m. alternatus are discussed; Dryadophis sanguiventris Taylor is synonymized with Dryadophis melanolomus alternatus (Bocourt) .
The breeding habits, eggs, and tadpoles of the hylid frogs Hyla ebraccata and Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori are described, as are the eggs and juveniles of Laemanctus deborrei.
LITERATURE CITED
Baylor, E. R. and Stuart, L. C.
1961. ”

“ In life, black stripe on each side of body and on top of head; black band on anterior part of tail [225] and another on the posterior part; body and anterior part of tail creamy yellow; dark red band between black bands on tail. ”

“ Chinajá, 3; Toocog, 11.
If numbers of specimens are indicative of abundance, this is the most common snake in southern El Petén. All were found at night in the rainy season. At a pond in the forest at Toocog these snakes were observed on low vegetation, on the ground, and in the water. Evidently they congregate at breeding choruses of frogs. One Leptodeira contained a Smilisca baudini and another contained eggs of Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori. The natives call this snake nahuyaca.
[241]
Leptophis ahaetulla praestans (Cope)
13 km. ”