Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, José Luis Cartes, Rebecca Zarza and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
RANIDAE - NON-NATIVE BULL-FROGS
One introduced species recorded in Paraguay, native to North America. The Ranidae are the stereotypical frogs that most people from the northern hemisphere envision as "typical frogs". The species present in Paraguay is a huge semi-aquatic frog and the following applies to that species. Ranids exhibit 8 free procoelous, holochordal presacral vertebrae. The eighth vertebrae is amphicoelous with a biconvex sacrum (diplasiocoelous). Ribs are absent. The urostyle is free with two condyles and the pectoral girdle firmisternal. The sternum is bony with bony post-zonal elements. The clavicle does not overlie the scapular. Palatines are present. Teeth present on the maxilla and premaxilla. Astralagus and calcaneum are fused only at the ends. No intercalary phalanges and digits not expanded. The sartorius is a separate and distinct muscle. Pupil is horizontal. Larvae aquatic. 2n=26. Sperm with fusiform head, rounded acrosome deeply invading the nucleus and single tail filament.
REFERENCES
Cei JM 1980 - Amphibians of Argentina - Monitore Zoologico Italiano Monografia 2.
Fouquette MJ (undated) - Synopsis of Recent Amphibians to Genus - Arizona University.
Whitfield P Ed.1984 - Longman Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia - Guild Publishing, London.
