IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:

HABITAT: Tropical Montane Habitat, 4,500′, Oaxaca, Mexico Man-Made Oviposition Site, 4,500′, Oaxaca, Mexico

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:

TYPE:

PERSONAL NOTES:

CONSERVATION STATUS:

REFERENCES: Faivovich, J., C. F. B. Haddad, P. C. A. Garcia, D. R. Frost, J. A. Campbell, and W. C. Wheeler. 2005. Systematic review of the frog family Hylidae, with special reference to Hylinae: phylogenetic analysis and [...]]]> BLUE-SPOTTED MEXICAN TREEFROG
Smilisca cyanosticta – Smith 1953

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:

HABITAT:

Tropical Montane Habitat, 4,500′, Oaxaca, Mexico

Man-Made Oviposition Site, 4,500′, Oaxaca, Mexico

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:

TYPE:

PERSONAL NOTES:

CONSERVATION STATUS:

REFERENCES:
Faivovich, J., C. F. B. Haddad, P. C. A. Garcia, D. R. Frost, J. A. Campbell, and W. C. Wheeler. 2005. Systematic review of the frog family Hylidae, with special reference to Hylinae: phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 294:1-240.

LOWLAND BURROWING TREEFROG Smilisca fodiens – Boulenger 1882

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION: This wide-ranging species is found along the Pacific coast of Mexico from the Arizona border in Sonora, south to at least Michoacan. It also occurs inland in the mountains of eastern Sonora, as well as the western edge of the [...]]]>
Adult Female, 2,300′, Pima Co., Arizona

Adult Male, 1,800′, Sonora, Mexico

LOWLAND BURROWING TREEFROG
Smilisca fodiens – Boulenger 1882

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This wide-ranging species is found along the Pacific coast of Mexico from the Arizona border in Sonora, south to at least Michoacan. It also occurs inland in the mountains of eastern Sonora, as well as the western edge of the Mexican Plateau in central Jalisco, northwest Michoacan and extreme western Guanajuato. Elevational distribution from sea level to 1490 m.

HABITAT:

Habitat, 250′, Sinaloa, Mexico

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
Recently, the genus Pternohyla was synonomized with Smilisca.

TYPE:
Described as Pternohyla fodiens by Boulenger (1882). Holotype: BM 1947.2.24.26 (formerly 82.11.27.8) according to Condit (1964). Type locality: “Presidio, [Sinaloa,] W. Mexico”.

PERSONAL NOTES:
Smilisca fodiens has been a common sight on many of my trips to western Mexico. I have seen them throughout the state of Sonora, as well as in thornscrub regions of Sinaloa, Jalisco and Colima. Once while in the mountains of east-central Sonora we found a breeding chorus in a cement road drain; they were calling with Hyla arenicolor and Bufo mazatlanensis. This was an interesting sighting in that the surrounding area was a steep, rocky hillside with no sandy or loamy soil present. This species may range more widely in eastern Sonora in habitats previously thought to be unsuitable.

CONSERVATION STATUS:
IUCN Red List status is currently “Least Concern” due to this species’ wide geographic distribution, tolerance for a variety of habitats (including those altered by human activity), as well as it’s large and seemingly stable worldwide population.

REFERENCES:
Faivovich, J., C. F. B. Haddad, P. C. A. Garcia, D. R. Frost, J. A. Campbell, and W. C. Wheeler. 2005. Systematic review of the frog family Hylidae, with special reference to Hylinae: phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 294:1-240.

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION: Smilisca dentata is found only in a small arid plateau region in southeastern Aguascalientes and extreme northwestern Jalisco. Elevational distribution is 1800-1900 m.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY: Recently, the genus Pternohyla was synonomized with Smilisca.

TYPE: Described as Pternohyla dentata by Smith (1957). Holotype: UIMNH 40551. Type locality: “8 mi. NE Lagos de [...]]]> UPLAND BURROWING TREEFROG
Smilisca dentata – Smith 1957

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Smilisca dentata is found only in a small arid plateau region in southeastern Aguascalientes and extreme northwestern Jalisco. Elevational distribution is 1800-1900 m.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
Recently, the genus Pternohyla was synonomized with Smilisca.

TYPE:
Described as Pternohyla dentata by Smith (1957). Holotype: UIMNH 40551. Type locality: “8 mi. NE Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico”.

PERSONAL NOTES:
I have never looked for this species.

CONSERVATION STATUS:
IUCN Red List status for P. dentata is currently “Endangered” due to it’s small historic distribution, highly fragmented extant populations, and increasingly deteriorating habitat due to agricultural practices and pollution. The Mexican government has listed P. dentata as “Threatened”.

REFERENCES:

COMMON MEXICAN TREEFROG Smilisca baudinii – Dumeril & Bibron 1841

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:

HABITAT: Cloud Forest Clearing Habitat, 4,700′, Tamaulipas, Mexico Cloud Forest Habitat, 2,500′, San Luis Potosi, Mexico Banana Grove Habitat, 200′, Veracruz, Mexico Pond Habitat, 300′, Tamaulipas, Mexico Flooded Field Habitat, 50′, Veracruz, Mexico Pacific Lowland [...]]]>
Adult Male, 800′, Colima, Mexico

Adult Male, 2,500′, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Juvenile, Veracruz, Mexico

Adult Female, in situ, 1000′, Tamaulipas, Mexico

COMMON MEXICAN TREEFROG
Smilisca baudinii – Dumeril & Bibron 1841

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:

HABITAT:

Cloud Forest Clearing Habitat, 4,700′, Tamaulipas, Mexico

Cloud Forest Habitat, 2,500′, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Banana Grove Habitat, 200′, Veracruz, Mexico

Pond Habitat, 300′, Tamaulipas, Mexico

Flooded Field Habitat, 50′, Veracruz, Mexico

Pacific Lowland Habitat, 100′, Guerrero, Mexico

Habitat, 250′, Sinaloa, Mexico

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:

TYPE:

PERSONAL NOTES:

CONSERVATION STATUS:

REFERENCES:
Faivovich, J., C. F. B. Haddad, P. C. A. Garcia, D. R. Frost, J. A. Campbell, and W. C. Wheeler. 2005. Systematic review of the frog family Hylidae, with special reference to Hylinae: phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 294:1-240.