The Antillean Eleutherodactylus of the Auriculatus group

DUNN (1926) first proposed that the multiplicity of Cuban species of Eleutherodactylus be separated into four groups. One of these, the auriculatus group, was characterized by him as having a granular belly, short (= patch-like) vomerine series, well developed digital discs, and an external vocal sac in the males. Such a diagnosis has proved increasingly valuable in arranging Cuban Eleutherodactylus, and has resulted (SCHWARTZ, 1965a) in a dendrogram showing the proposed relationships of the members of this assemblage in Cuba. As knowledge of the habits and calls of West Indian frogs has increased, it has become evident that the auriculatus group is widespread throughout both the Greater and Lesser Antilles; in addition to the structural features noted by DUNN, certain characteristics of habitat, habits, and voice show that there is a striking uniformity in these patterns as well. The purpose of the present paper is to summarize the current knowledge of the auriculatus group members in the West Indies. Much of my work in Cuba was under the sponsorship of two National Science Foundation grants (G-3865 and G-6252), and for this financial assistance I am very grateful. Some of the details of calls and calling sites have been reported by my associates in the field: I wish to express my sincere gratitude for their assistance to Miss PATRICIA A. HEINLEIN and Messrs. RONALD F. KLINIKOWSKI, DAVID C. LEBER, and RICHARD THOMAS. Of the 37 species under discussion, I have heard calling and handled all but three in the field; such intimate association is invaluable with these frogs.