Digital Microstructure in Ecologically Diverse Sympatric Microhylid Frogs, Genera Cophixalus and Sphenophryne (Amphibia, Anura), From Papua-New-Guinea

Abstract

The extent of development of digital adhesive toe-pads in sympatric species of microhylid frogs, Cophixalus and Sphenophryne, correlates with the degree of arboreality exhibited by the species. The same basic structures and cell types are found in the toe-pads of these microhylid frogs as are found in other arboreal and semi- arboreal frogs of many diverse evolutionary lineages. A variety of types of cell surface, with unknown functional significance but potential systematic use, are found on the feet of these frogs. Allometric increase in adhesive-pad area in larger species is by widening of the toe-pad, as opposed to acquisition of accessory pads as in some hylid tree frogs.