Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala Part 4

An adult male having a snout-vent length of 41.7 mm. was found at night on the forest floor at the edge of a temporary pond. In life the dorsum was dark brown with chocolate brown markings; the stripe on the side of the head was white; the middorsal stripe was pale orange; the belly was black and white, and the iris was a bronze color.

Characteristically this species inhabits savannas and open forest; thus, its occurrence in the rainforest at Toocog is surprising. This is the southernmost record for the species in El Peten; to the south in the highlands it is replaced by the smaller _Hypopachus inguinalis_, having rounded, instead of compressed, metatarsal tubercles.

=Rana palmipes= Spix

Chinaja, 11; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1.

With the exception of one recently metamorphosed juvenile having a snout-vent length of 30.7 mm. that was found on the forest floor by day on June 24, and one that was found beside a pool in a cave, all individuals were found at temporary woodland pools or along sluggish streams at night. The largest specimen is a female having a snout-vent length of 107 mm.

=Rana pipiens= Schreber

Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1; Rio San Roman, 1; Toocog, 1.

All specimens were found near water at night. The largest individual is a female having a snout-vent length of 112.5 mm.

=Crocodylus moreleti= Dumeril and Dumeril

Chinaja, 1; Rio San Roman, 1.

One specimen was obtained from a quiet pool in the Rio San Roman at night; another was found in a small sluggish stream at Chinaja. Two large individuals were seen in tributaries to the Rio San Roman. On the savannas at Toocog two small individuals were obtained in the dry season, at which time the crocodiles apparently were migrating to water.

The local name for this species is _lagarto_.

=Chelydra rossignoni= (Bocourt)

Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1.

The paucity of specimens of _Chelydra_ from Central America has resulted in rather inadequate diagnoses of various populations. The present specimens have carapace lengths of 250 and 238 mm. and plastral lengths of 185 and 176 mm. The length of carapace/bridge ratio is 6.0 and 6.1 per cent. Each individual has four barbels, the median pair of which are extremely long. In KU 55977 the lateral pair of barbels is forked at the base. The relative length of the plastral bridge in these specimens compares favorable with the ratio (.06-.08) given by Schmidt (1946:4) for five specimens from Honduras. _Chelydra serpentina_, which may occur sympatrically with _C. rossignoni_ in some parts of Central America, has a narrower plastral bridge and only two barbels beneath the chin.

Furthermore, _C. rossignoni_ and _C. osceola_ in Florida have long, flat tubercles on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the neck, whereas _C.

serpentina_ has short, round tubercles.

The specimen from Chinaja was found in a small sluggish stream; the other individual was in a muddy pool in the forest. The local name is _sambodanga_.

=Claudius angustatus= Cope

20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 1.

One specimen was unearthed from the bank of a small muddy stream by a bulldozer. This individual represents the second record for the species in Guatemala; the first was provided by specimens, likewise found in muddy waters, at Tikal (Stuart, 1958:19). The local name is _caiman_.

=Kinosternon acutum= Gray

20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 4; 30 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2.

These turtles were found on the forest floor, in small sluggish streams, and in pools in the forest. One adult male had, in life, the top of the head yellow with black spots; the stripes on the head and neck were red.

Specimens were obtained both in the dry and rainy seasons. The local name for both species of _Kinosternon_ is _pochitoque_.

=Kinosternon leucostomum= Dumeril and Bibron

Chinaja, 3; 15 km. NW of Chinaja, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinaja, 2.

Individuals of this turtle were found on the forest floor and in small sluggish streams. In life most specimens had a tan or pale brown head with pinkish tan stripes on the head and neck. All individuals were obtained in February and March. No ecological differences between this species and _K. acutum_ were evident.

=Staurotypus triporcatus= (Wiegmann)

Paso Subin, 1.

This species is represented in the collection by one complete sh.e.l.l found on the bank of the Rio Subin. The carapace has a length of 292 mm.

The local name is _Guao_. Natives stated that this turtle was not uncommon in clear rivers and lakes, a habitat suggested for the species by Stuart (1958:19).

=Dermatemys mawi= Gray

Chinaja, 1; Rio San Roman, 4.

The record from Chinaja is based on a carapace found in a chiclero camp, where the turtle evidently had been brought for food. The four specimens from the Rio San Roman were obtained from edges of deep pools in clear water. In adult males the top of the head was reddish orange in life.

One of the specimens from the Rio San Roman currently is living in the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens. The local name for this turtle is _tortuga blanca_; it is sought for its meat.

=Geoemyda areolata= (Dumeril and Bibron)

Chinaja, 2.

Two specimens were obtained from dense forest at Chinaja. The local name is _mojina_.

=Pseudemys scripta ornata= (Gray)

Paso Subin, 1.

One subadult was obtained from clear water in the Rio Subin. The stripes on the head and neck were yellow; there was no red "ear" on the side of the head. The stripes on the forelimbs were orange, and the ocelli on the carapace were red. The local name is _jicotea_.

=Coleonyx elegans elegans= Gray

Toocog, 1.

One adult male having a snout-vent length of 89 mm. was found beneath a log in the forest. Locally this gecko is known as _escorpion_; the natives believe it to be deadly poisonous. The use of the name _escorpion_ seems to be restricted to lizards thought to be venomous.

Nearly everywhere in Mexico and Central America some species of lizard carries this appellation. In El Peten I heard the name used only for _Coleonyx elegans_ and _Thecadactylus rapicaudus_; in the lowlands of Guerrero, Mexico, the name is applied to geckos of the genus _Phyllodactylus_. The venomous lizards of the genus _Heloderma_ in the lowlands of western Mexico are called _escorpiones_. In the mountains of southern Mexico various skinks of the genus _Eumeces_, as well as lizards of the genus _Xenosaurus_, carry the same appellation. _Abronia_ in the mountains of Mexico and _Gerrhonontus_ throughout Mexico and Central America likewise are called _escorpiones_. Although many people in various parts of Middle America consider most lizards poisonous, there is a unanimity of opinion concerning the venomous qualities of the various kinds of _escorpiones_. I know of only two other lizards in Middle America that are so uniformly regarded in native beliefs; these are _Enyaliosaurus clarki_ in the Tepalcatepec Valley in Michoacan, called _nopiche_, and _Phrynosoma asio_ in western Mexico, called _cameleon_.

=Sphaerodactylus lineolatus= Lichtenstein