BY JOHN D. LYNCH AND HOWARD L. FREEMAN University of Kansas Lawrence 1966 University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch, Frank B. Cross Volume 17, No. 10, pp. 493-502, 3 Figs. Published October 27, 1966 University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas PRINTED BY ROBERT R. (BOB) SANDERS, STATE PRINTER TOPEKA, KANSAS 1966 31-5378 BY JOHN D. LYNCH AND HOWARD L. FREEMAN Gaige (1926) described Allophryne ruthveni as a new genus and species of dim

Six of the seven known specimens were available for study. Measurements were taken in the manner described by Duellman (1956). One specimen was cleared and stained, using the technique of Davis and Gore (1936), in order to study the skeleton. X-ray photographs were made of another specimen for comparison. Specimens examined. —Six, as follows: BRITISH GUIANA, Dist. Demarara : Marudi Creek, AMNH 44749; Dist. Equibo : Tumatumari, MCZ 11790 (paratype); Dist. Rupununi ( Berbice ): Wai Wai Country, N

The availability of additional material and the new information pertaining to osteology permit an amplification of Gaige's (1926) description. Allophryne Gaige, Occas. Papers Mus. Zool., Univ. Michigan, 176:1, Oct. 14, 1926. Crawford, Annals Carnegie Mus., 21(1):29, 32, Nov. 14, 1931. Noble, The biology of the amphibia. McGraw-Hill, p. 510, 1931. Ruthven, Herpetologica, 1:3, July 11, 1936. Gallardo, Papéis Avulsos, 17:79, Jan. 1, 1965. Type species. — Allophryne ruthveni Gaige. Diagnosis and def

The following characters of Allophryne are those generally held to be useful in determining family relationships: Griffiths (1959) accorded considerable taxonomic weight to the presence or absence of epicoracoidal horns in showing relationships among the genera placed in the Brachycephalidae [= Atelopodidae; Dendrobatidae; and Leptodactylidae (in part)] by Noble (1931). Allophryne possesses well-developed, free epicoracoidal horns, such as those found in the Hylidae, Centrolenidae, Leptodactylid

The skull of Allophryne ( Fig. 3 ) is distinctive among anurans; it does not closely resemble the skulls of either hylids or centrolenids, both of which have generally more delicate (except for casque-headed hylids, such as Corythomantis , Diaglena , Osteocephalus , Triprion ) and generalized skulls. Allophryne on the other hand has a strongly ossified central region (cranial roofing bones and sphenethmoid complex) and a weak peripheral zone. The peripheral elements are reduced (maxilla, pterygo

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

Among currently recognized families of frogs, Allophryne is least different from the Hylidae although it is our opinion that inclusion of this genus in the Hylidae probably represents an unnatural classification. However, the present evidence suggesting that Allophryne should be in another family is less convincing than evidence suggesting it should be in the Hylidae. We tentatively place Allophryne in the Hylidae....

Davis, D. D. and Gore, U. R. 1936. Clearing and staining skeletons of small vertebrates. Fieldiana: Technique, 4:1-16. Duellman, W. E. 1956. The frogs of the hylid genus Phrynohyas Fitzinger, 1843. Misc. Publs. Mus. Zool., Univ. Michigan, 96:1-47, February 21. Gaige, H. T. 1926. A new frog from British Guiana. Occas. Papers Mus. Zool., Univ. Michigan, 176:1-3, October 14. Gallardo, J. M. 1965. A propósito de los Leptodactylidae (Amphibia Anura). Papéis Avulsos, 17:77-87, January 1. Griffiths, I.