Mexico Herpetology

Adult, 3,500′, Oaxaca, Mexico

Adult showing thigh coloration, 3,500′, Oaxaca, Mexico

MIAHUATLAN (PIPING) PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus syristes – Hoyt 1965

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
T. syristes is known to occur only on the Pacific slopes of the Sierra Miahuatlán and Sierra Mixteca Alta at moderate elevations.

HABITAT:

Cloud Forest of the Sierra Madre del Sur, 2,000′, Oaxaca, Mexico

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized [...]

Adult Male, 4,400′, Sinaloa, Mexico

PETER’S SHINY PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus petersi – Duellman 1954

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Tomodactylus petersi is found from the Sierra Madre Occidental of Sinaloa and Durango south to the Sierra de Coalcomán; it is found inland to the mountains of the state of Aguascalientes.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized with Eleutherodactylus; however, I believe that [...]

MARBLED PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus saxatilis – Webb 1962

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Tomodactylus saxatilis is known to occur in a small region of Sinaloa and Durango, centered around Hwy 40. This area is made up of extensive Barrancas with largely vertical topography. The range of this frog is surely more extensive than currently known. Elevational distribution from about 1700-1900 m.

HABITAT:

NATURAL [...]

RED PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus rufescens – Duellman & Dixon 1959

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is endemic to high elevation sites in the Sierra de Coalcomán of southern Michoacan. Elevational distribution from 1900-2300 m.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized with Eleutherodactylus; however, I believe that Tomodactylus should be retained to represent this distinctive group of frogs.

TYPE:
Described as Tomodactylus [...]

COLIMA PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus orarius – Dixon 1957

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
The Colima peeping frog is found throughout the state of Colima, from near the coast to the pine forests near the Jalisco border; it is also found in several mountain ranges in south-central Jalisco (the Sierra Manatlán; Volcan de Colima; Nevado de Colima and the Tapalpa region). This species [...]

BROWN PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus maurus – Hedges 1989

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Tomodactylus maurus is known from mid-high elevations in southeastern Mexico state and adjacent Morelos, Mexico.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized with Eleutherodactylus; however, I believe that Tomodactylus should be retained to represent this distinctive group of frogs.

TYPE:
Described as Tomodactylus fuscus by Davis and Dixon (1955). Holotype: TCWC [...]

GREAT PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus grandis – Dixon 1957

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Tomodactylus grandis is known recently only from a small preserve in the lava fields of the Xitle volcano, south of Mexico City. Historically it was found at a few sites around Mexico City, all in the immediate vicinity of the type locality.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized [...]

WHITE-LIPPED PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus dixoni – Lynch 1991

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
The White-lipped peeping frog has been reported from a single locality in central Guerrero: Agua del Obispo. This town is located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized with Eleutherodactylus; however, I believe that Tomodactylus should be retained to represent [...]

GUERRERO PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus dilatus – Davis & Dixon 1955

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Tomodactylus dilatus is found in the Sierra Madre del Sur of central Guerrero in the region of the city of Chilpancingo.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized with Eleutherodactylus; however, I believe that Tomodactylus should be retained to represent this distinctive group of frogs. This species [...]

PATZCUARO PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus angustidigitorum – Taylor 1939

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
The Patzcuaro peeping frog is found on the southern edge of the Mexico Plateau and Cordillera Volcanica of Michoacan, as well as on the Nevado de Colima in southeastern Jalisco. Frogs tentatively identified as this species are found around Tapalpa, Jalisco.

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:
The genus Tomodactylus was recently synonomized with [...]

Adult, 7,000′, Puebla, Mexico

Adult, 7,000′, Puebla, Mexico

Adult Male, 5,000′, Puebla, Mexico

SHINY PEEPING FROG
Tomodactylus nitidus – Peters 1869

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Tomodactylus nitidus is found in the upper Río Balsas drainage of the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Mexico state, and Morelos as well as the eastern edge of the Mexico Plateau in Puebla and adjacent Veracruz. It’s distribution in [...]