A review of the neotropical frogs of the Hyla bogotensis group

Abstract

By comparison with the highlands of Central America, which are inhabited by a diversity of stream-breeding hylid frogs, the Andes in northwestern South America are characterized by a paucity of stream-breeding hylids. Duellman (1970:327) pointed out that one stream-breeder, Hyla colijmba, in the highlands of Costa Rica and Panama seemed to be related to the Colombian Hyla bogotensis, and he tentatively referred specimens from Ecuador to Hyla colymba. Recent field work in northwestern South America has resulted in the accumulation of series of specimens from many localities, tadpoles, and recordings of mating calls. Thus, it is now possible to review systematically six species that seem to form a natural unit—the Hyla bogotensis group. The purposes of the present paper are to: 1) define the Hyla bogotensis group, 2) present the results of a multivariate analysis of characters, 3) diagnose the species, and 4) present the accumulated data on the biology of the species.