OF THE BATRACHTIA. 107 Spelerpes occurs in Italy. The Asiatic Subregion is characterized by the presence of two outposts of the Indian genus Rhacophorus ; no Pelobatide have as yet been found within its boundaries; and’ the Discoglosside are represented by the European Bombinator igneus only. The Caudata belong mostly to the Amblystomatine, the Salamandrine being represented by only 4 species (against 19 in the European Subregion), one of which is widely distributed in Europe. We must also notice the occurrence of Megalobatrachus, closely allied to the North-American Cryptobranchus. The following table will show the proportions of the known genera and species in the two subregions. The European Subregion appears at present richer both as regards genera and species ; but we may expect this fact to be reversed when the fauna of Central Asia is bettcr known.
ECAUDATA.
FIrMIsTFERNIA.
European Subregion.
Asiatic Subregion, Both Subregions.
a 25= . » or bo Rhacophorus ..................6. ARCIFERA.
Ww Pelobatide.
Pelobates*® axe. caeeevamey sacar eas 2 Pelodytes* 21.0.0... cece eee e eee 1 Discoglosside Discoglossus* ......... edasecens eteueeee 1 Bombinator® ......... 000 see eeees “2 ha 1 CAUDATA.
Salamandride.
Salamandrine.
Salamandra* 12... .. 0. cee e eee eee 3 Chioglossa* ............ subie ua lena 1 Molee; 40:63 caassswnnsswns eeenaey 14 to Pachytriton® ........ cece eee eee Amblystomatine.
Hynobius* ... 0... ccc eee eee Salamandrella¥®¥ ..............000% Onychodactylus*t ........... eae Ranidens* 4. ai:3's. see deanna exes Batrachyperus® ...........-....66 Plethodontine.
Spelerpes sia cs averse varerews vente 1 Proteide.
Proteus sine ss ceeggit oon swan de vets 1 Amphiumide.
Megalobatrachus* ..............-. ae 1 Those groups marked with an asterisk (*) are peculiar to the Region. mee hc oH
108 GEOGRAPHICAL DIpTRIBULION Thus we have 9 genera and 3+ species peculiar to the European, and 8 genera and 20 species to the Asiatic Subregion; whilst 5 genera and 7 species are spread over both.
It is also interesting to observe the gradual transition of the European Caudata into the North-American fauna, as is shown in the following table :— NumberofSpeciesinthe European Asiatic N.-American Subregion. Subregion. Region.
Salamandrinze ............ 20 4 2 Amblystomatine .......... i 8 17 Amphiumide............5. at 1 3 whilst, on the other hand, we must notice the presence of Pelobatide in Europe and North America, they being absent in the intermediate Asiatic Subregion; also the presence in Europe of a species of Spelerpes, a genus abundantly represented in North America and not in Asia; and, finally, the affinity which exists between the European Proteus and the North-American Necturus. No species is known to be common to the Europo-Asiatic and North-American Regions, but some, such as Rana temporaria, Bufo calamita, &c., and their North-American representatives, are extremely closely related, and to be distinguished with difficulty only. If we except the very widely distributed genera Runa, Bufo, and Hyla, we have only two genera which are common to both regions, viz. Molge and Spelerpes.
2. Tus Norru-American Rueion.
It is difficult to draw a boundary line between the North-American and the Tropical-American Regions; a large territory, extending from the Rio Grande del Norte to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, has a North-American fauna in its elevated parts, whilst a tropical flourishes in its low country ; besides, as in all intermediate districts, a gradual mixing of the two faun obtains. We adopt the boundaryline drawn by Wallace.
The North-American Region is particularly characterized by the great abundance of Caudata, viz. 55 species (that is, more than half of those actually known) occurring within its boundary. It has one family peculiar to it, the Sirenide. The Salamandroid subfamilies Desmognathine and Plethodontine are also characteristic of this region, although the latter has one representative occurring in Europe ond a few in the Tropical-American Region. The family Amphiumide may also be considered characteristic of the North-American Region, as it possesses three out of four species and two out of three genera. The Hcaudata are chiefly Rana and Hylide: of Bufo there are relatively few species; the Pelobatide are represented by the genus Scaphiopus. In the South two outposts occur from the Tropical-American Region, viz. Engystoma and Hylodes, both represented by a single species.
OF THE BATRACHIA. 109 The two Subregions into which this Region is frequently divided do not present the same marked distinctive features as the corresponding Subregions of the Eastern Hemisphere; but we may notice that the small groups Sirenide, Proteide, Amphiumida, and Desmognathine are restricted to the Eastern Subregion, whilst all other groups are distributed also in the Western. With one or two exceptions the species are different. ECAUDATA. FIrMISTERNIA, Number of Species. Ranide. PRAMS (eh cote easscnune ie Fes: aaa weal ete 16 Engystomatide. Hogystoma ns co esse yee een vee neaem neem 1 ARCIFERA. Cystignathide. Hylodes: scscs nena tenis det ear wakeeeeees 1 Bufonide. PUTOssaotuencenace!deeeeseueebiaeaweesausa7 Hylidae. GROPOPHUNUS! acts weno weir nconnces 7 ACriS#. ca suseg enoesten eas. Gora a 1 EUy a 5 seers routs evasacece PMs we Ruauninceue ince avin eh 13 Pelobatide. Scaphiopus® s .25wesiewevrsveaweds eseiees 8 CAUDATA. Salamandride. Salamandrine. Mio] 86) enc te accra tottus cession als Saw we AES 2 Amblystomatine. Dicamptodon® ..cccvess se genrasaeveces 1 Amblystoma ....... cece cece cece seer eee 16 Plethodontine. Anaides® ccc nrancace doar siewsdoneweds 2 BUG thod On oo ccsosi dieses cite nakiaoncewaeeicon dese 6 BatiaGhoseps®6.ceswasevercinaserenesiaaeooieret4 Spelerpes. sc cidaw daca sown meereune ve 12 ACH IS Hi ain ceos un Gc Beers dwscaittigeteacane auacsiichanals 2 Desmognathine.* Desmognathus*......6.. ce see e ee ceen eee 3 PE OPTUS casa secdduats, Qs asus mp dp ibekacenelee? ala doruebe 1 Amphiumide. Cryptobranchus® ....... 0c. cc eee cece ees 1 AMPHIUMA®icieidecesnesareduneasedinaveawee2 Proteide. F NeCturis ® o.0. ce essin.sstci eceatiecinc BRIER 1 Sirenide *. Siren *i wes nsawesiwsay eens exw eee mee 1
110 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 8. Tur Arrican Rucion.
This Region, which comprises the whole of Africa (with the exception of the Northern part), Southern Arabia, Madagascar, the Seychelle and Mascarene Islands, is characterized by an almost entirely Firmisternian Frog-fauna, the Arcifera belonging to two genera only, viz. Nectophryne, which occurs in the Indian Region with three species and here with one, and the nearly cosmopolitan Bufo. This character is still moremarked inthe Madegasse Subregion, whose numerous Frogs are exclusively Firmisternia. A striking feature of the African continent is the development of an Aglossous family, Dactylethride. The Caudata are totally absent. The Apoda represented by few species, 3 in West Africa, 1 in East Africa, and 1 in the Seychelles; they have not been found either in South Africa or in Madagascar. These five species of Apoda belong to three genera, of which one is peculiar to the Region, the two others occurring also either in the Indian or Tropical-American Region, Of the 20 genera of Eeaudata Firmisternia, 17 are peculiar to Africa, amongst which Rappia deserves special notice, as representing the Indian Jxalus.
Two well-marked Subregions may be distinguished—the Continental and the Madegasse. The former is characterized by the Dactylethride, the presence of Bufonide, and the genera Chiromantis, Phrynobatrachus, Cassina, Hylambates, Phrynomantis, Breviceps, and probably Hemisus*. One Indian species, the widely distributed Rana cyanophlyctis, occurs in Arabia (R. ehrenbergit, Ptrs.); and the West-Atrican [ana occipitalis is so elosely allied to the Oriental FR. tigrina that it is extremely difficult to distinguish them.
The Madegasse Subregion is of high interest, presenting an assemblage of African, Indian, and Tropical-American forms. The first, however, greatly predominate, whilst Indian types are represented by numerous species of Rhacophorus and one species of Calophrynus. We must also mention the small family Dyscophide, of which six species inhabit Madagascar and one the Indian Region. The genus Mantella, which is peculiar to Madagascar, forms with the closely allied South-American Dendrobates the family Dendrobatide. As mentioned already, we do not know yet one single representative of the Arcifera; therefore no two parts of the world are more different in their Batrachian fauna than Madagascar and Australia, the former being composed solely of Firmisternia, the latter solely of Arcifera. They, however, agree in some negative characters, being the only two parts of the world which entirely lack the ‘genus Bufo and have neither Caudata nor Apoda. * It is doubtful whether Grandidier’s Hemisus obscurus has been referred to the proper genus.
OF THE BATRACHIA. 111 NumberofSpecies. ECAUDATA. PHANEROGLOSSA. Both ‘© | Subregions. FirMIsTERNIA. Ranide.
Rand... ieee cece eee ee cee Rhacophorus Chiromantis*® ........0ee eee eee Phrynobatrachus* Arthroleptis * Rappia*® ..... cc cece eee eee ee Megalixalus* Cassina * oo... i cece teens Hylambates# ....... eee eee eee Dendrobatide. S Mantella® ...... ccc ceee ee eee - 4 Engystomatide. Calophrynus ........eeeeeeeeee v4 1 Scaphiophryne * 1 Phrynomantis BrevicepS* .......eeeee eee eeees 3 Rhombophryne *..,......+.05--5 oe 1 Hemisus*....... 0.00 ccc e eee eee 2 1 Dyscophide. Dyscophus*.........eeee ee ee eee bea 2 3 1 1 - Continental Subregion. Madegasse eo © | Subregion. + bo + 0 ee a COND > OI Soe rr Plethodontohyla * Bee lee # Cophyla*........ cece eee eee ee ARCIFERA. Bufonide. Nectophryne..........eee eee eees 1 Bufo AGLOSSA.
° Dactylethride *. Kenopus*....... eee sees ee eeeee 3 APODA.
Ceciliide. Uraeotyphlus Hypogeophis* Dermophis — rr rary eye 4, Tue Invian Reeron. As previously observed, 30° N. lat. may be taken as the northern ‘ poundary of this Region, which is limited westwards by the Persian Gulf; its eastern boundaries are in the islands of the Molucca and Banda seas, where the fauna commences to pass into that of Australia. In its general character this Region bears a strong resemblance to Tropical Africa, whilst it is most distinct from Australia. It exceeds the African fauna as regards the number
112 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION of species (167: 189), the number of genera being about the same (27:26). There is no family peculiar to it. The Firmisternian families Ranide and Engystomatide: are represented by numerous genera and species, and the Dyscophida by one; the Arcifera by Bufonide, Pelobatide, and Hylide ; the latter, however, occur in the northern parts only, in two species very closely related to the Europo-Asiatic Hyla arborea. Two forms of Caudata occur, viz. Tylototriton, in Yunnan and the Himalayas, and a species of the otherwise entirely North-American genus <Amblystoma, which has been found in the mountains of Laos. These forms, however, cannot be considered to be characteristic of the Indian Region, but should be regarded as immigrants from the Northern Zone’; and, in fact, they seem to be limited to such altitudes as compensate the difference of latitude. Another Europo-Asiatic immigrant in the northern parts is the widely distributed Bufo viridis. Five species of Apoda occur belonging to three genera, two of which are peculiar to the Region, the other being represented by a species in West Africa.
ECAUDATA.
FIRMISTERNIA. Number of Species. Ranide.
Oxyelossus™ jee sccsccaadsssvad de acew ees 3 FRANA)eisigenkaiph.weRsdabFaneganBeeES48 Rhacophorus .... 0.06. ee sees ee eens 23 Lxalus® -sy0y sah om oe oe S45 Wes veg SE TDS 27 Cornufer sco iigucae ak aaa cn oon ake GUO USS 2 Nyctibatrachus® ............. eee eee 2 Nannobatrachus* ......... 00. eeeee eee 1 Nyctixalus® 23 isi. ccsse eens nee ee nedis 1 Nannophrys*....... cece ee ence eee nee 2 Engystomatide.
Melanobatrachus*,.......... 0.0. eee ees 1 Calophrynus isos aces dian, ofa gant ware nee 2 Microhyla®. sviwayes awe vasa wen yap casey 5 Callta)a55.5aasacaueraseqnsanaGacigeePoaieawOS7 CaCOpls® 6s ccad coteme epee taunts ta 2 Glyphoglossus*......... 0.0.0 ee eee eee 1 : Dyscophide.
Callttell a osu giecirs actos eater ees 1 ARCIFERA.
Bufonide.
Nectophryne 6.0.0... cece cece eee eens 8 WLO:. is dies Pawan tea SHR E ERA EE eee 8 22 INC GEES 25 sic, Pe -s ivacavens:aierpenncasayaxecsyeqet teaSeante 1 Hylide.
Fyla: ei cai senaulewleas miule es sites os aioe 2 Pelobatide.
Leptobrachium*® ............ ce ee eee 2 Kenophrys* siisvecescwrerseaveceveacs 1
OF THE BATRACHTA. 113 CAUDATA.
Salamandride. Number of Species.
Salamandrine.
Tylotatritons.sex-eicisielsipsinnin's9diginababes1 Amblystomatine.
Amblystoma ......... 0... c eee eee 1 APODA.
Cecilide.
Ichthyophis*....... 0... esse eee eee aes 2 Uraeotyphlus 2.0... eee eae 2 Gegeneophis* ......... cc cece eee eee 1 5. Taz Trorrcat-AmMerican Reeion.
The Tropical-American Region comprises the whole of South America, Central America to the limits of the North-American Region, and the West Indies. It exceeds every other Region with regard to the number of families, genera, and species, the total number of the latter being about four ninths of all those actually known.
The Ecaudata are represented by :—very numerous Cystignathide and Hylide, these two families alone equalling in number all the rest ; numerous Bufonide and Engystomatide ; few Ramde, a few of which only belong to the genus Rana; the Dendrobutide, the second genus of which inhabits Madagascar ; the Dendrophryniscide, Amphignathodontide, and Hemiphractide, three small families confined to this region ; and, finally, the Pipide, which, with the African Dactylethride, constitute the suborder Aglossa. A small number of Caudata, belonging to the genus Spelerpes, inhabit Central America—two species, favoured by altitude, extending southwards to Colombia, and a third reaching a few degrees south of the equator. A species of the same genus has also been recently described from the West Indies. But the most extraordinary instance of geographical distribution, if it be confirmed, will be the presence in the valley of the Plate river of a species of Plethodon extremely closely allied to the Californian forms. The Apoda are represented by 6 genera and 21 species. Out of these 6 genera, 5 are peculiar to the region; the other, curiously enough, it has in common with West Africa.
The striking character of this region is the great proportion (224 : 38) of Arcifera, and especially of Cystignathide and Hylide, it in this respect resembling the Australian region. _ Its affinities with the Indian and African regions are shown by the development of Engystomatide, and with the latter region particularly by the presence of Aglossa, Dendrobatide, and the Apodal genus Dermophis. As to its affinities with the North-American region, it is well known that one fauna passes gradually into the other; but if we compare the fauna of the United States with that of South America, the difference between them is as great as between those of any other two Regions, Africa and Australia excepted. My x
114 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION ECAUDATA.
PHANEROGLOSSA.
FmMisTERNIA. Number of Species. Ranide.
RADB: gee as caudics oooh eee wee tee: s 5 Hylizalus#... 0.0.0... ccc eee eee eee 2 Prostherapis* ....... ee eee eee ees 2 Phyllodromus*............-00 0s eee 1 Colostethus* ......... 0.0.0 eee eee 1 Dendrobatide.
Dendrobates*. 2... ccc cece ee eee 7 Engystomatide.
eetneeAcanbiatedcdcaterahsSoacaninhoae,Bsci Nryniscus*® <cissdade vss ue scawetes Tuckyes halus* ......... Renae sd 1 Stereocyclops* 10... .. cece ee eee eee ee 1 Hypopachus* .........ceeeeeeeeeeee 2 Engystoma.... 0. cece cece eee eeeenee 4 ARCIFERA, Cystignathide.
Psendig®s inci saxiiiree dee pastes eae ee 4 Centrolene® 22. csisieosss ewer ieenesaas 1 Cyclorhamphus* ...........-.0eeeeee 1 Calyptocephalus* ........... 0000 eee 2 Telmatobius*,........ ce cece sete renee 6 BORA occ asp deb decsiee Mane TEES Ks 3 Phyllobates* ..... 6... cece cece eee 8 Bylodes: iiss canes cia saw ees wes as 0 45 Ceratophrys*..... 0... cece cence ees 11 Hdalorhina*® ....... 0... cece cece ee eee 2 Paludicola®: 3s sive as ws bey aloes ser aes 17 Leptodactylus* 10... 0... cece cree neces 19 Plectromantis* ........... ec cece eee 2 Limnomedusa* ..... 0... cece eee eee 1 Hylorhina* ..issacissaievss yaa se toe 1 Borborocostes*® ........ ccc eee eee ees ll ZACHONUS 8s: sisi ese vied Fae Hae eg eeny 1 Dendrophryniscide*.
Batrachophrynus*.......6. cess ee ee eee 2 Dendrophryniscus* .........:.. eee ues 1 Bufonide.
Engystomops* ........... cscs eevee 3 Bae ee 36 Rhinophrynus* ...........ceceee ees 1 Hylide.
PHOPOPA*iisaishaeacdsyeielaadsaeeeeFea1 Chorophilus ......... ss eeeeee eee heist ak Hyla ...... wie ea vee saa EA aA eae Walk .. 87 Nototrema* 1.0... . cece ec cece eee eee 5 PTVOM:iaisiois:asieigartegwaenipsBwaywreia4 Pternohyla*® .........c ccc cee eeeeees 1 Nyctimantis*,........ 0... cc cuec eens 1 Agalychnis* ........... sipieiees sanees 2