Systematic Status of a South American Frog, Allophryne Ruthveni Gaige
Systematic Status of a South American Frog, Allophryne Ruthveni Gaige
by Don Freeman
8 Nov, 2018
The skull of Allophryne is definitely non-hylid. Most of the post-cranial features do not help to clarify relationships. Allophryne shares several osteological features with the Dendrobatidae: T-shaped terminal phalanges, general cranial morphology a
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The skull of Allophryne is definitely non-hylid. Most of the post-cranial features do not help to clarify relationships. Allophryne shares several osteological features with the Dendrobatidae: T-shaped terminal phalanges, general cranial morphology and procoelus vertebrae. But, the dendrobatids possess firmisternal pectoral girdles and lack epicoracoidal horns. Also, no dendrobatid has intercalary elements in the digits. We are, therefore, left with a taxonomic enigma. In one or more characters generally regarded as important, Allophryne differs from all presently defined families of frogs. The Hylidae and Dendrobatidae are the only currently recognized families in which the genus might be placed. Less