Neotropical frog biogeography: Paradigms and problems

Abstract

SYNOPSIS. The distributions and relationships of exemplary species groups of the Neotropical frog genera Cycloramphus and Leptodactylus are discussed in terms of current biogeographic models. From this exercise, the following conclusions emerge: (1) frog biogeography is and will remain primarily a correlative science; (2) both morphological and genetic data are required to choose among alternate biogeographic models; (3) frog speciation events significantly predate recent distributional events complicating the understanding of past and recent distributions; (4) both data and theory are inadequate to completely understand Neotropical frog biogeography at present. © 1982 by the American Society of Zoologists.