At 12:44 AM 7/10/2003 -0400, Walt wrote:
>We were using one of the catching pails to insure no loss. Thats a
>galvanized wide bucket/tub that I cut the bottom out of and hammered the
>edges down so they would not cut. Even so we had to be constantly alert.
>Their hops were not high enough to get out, but they would try and run
>up and out the sides. All the shots where they are not held were taken
>that way with the bucket on our front concrete walk.
>
>Even more fun would be the movie of the two frog catchers trying to keep
>up down there when we caught them.
>
>Walt
Congratulations, Walt! We are very pleased and impressed. I am sure
Martyn Stewart would have chimed in as well if he were not having ISP
server woes at the moment (likely what has been sending out his email two
days after he "sent" it).
I did take a moment to look the genus up in Wright and Wright. Of course
in 1949 the family was Brevicipididae and the genus was Microhyla. They
mention four species:
Microhyla areolata - SE Texas w. LA no photos; length males 24-28; females=
23-29 mm.
M. carolinensis - NB e to MD, s to TX and FL our familiar species; length
m:20-34, f:22-36
M. mazatlanensis - nw Mexico to Arizona; m:22-28, f:22-30
M. olivacea - w. Missouri & e. NB s. thru TX to Coahuila & Durango;
m:20-33, f:19-38.
As you have noted in past posts, only M. carolinensis, now Gastrophryne
carolinensis should be any where near Georgia.
Regarding your photos: My compliments! I spent five years photographing
small herpetological athletes for This Broken Archipelago and between the
squirms and the shiny skin it is a tough row to hoe. We kept the beasts in=
a refrigerator (never below 35 F.) overnight before photographing, and used=
flash, not sunlamps.
You also say:
"Note the Unknowns:
1. have less belly spotting. Under lights last night their bellies
appeared white. Not sure why the difference, they looked like they
photographed today.
2. are darker and less patterned on the top and sides.
3. seem to have rougher upper skin.
4. though these were calling males, the chin is not darkened
All three are represented in the photos. The light nose on one may be a
injury. He certainly took several hard leaps into the side of the
confinement pail before we could stop him. One of the reasons for all
the hand holding. Also note one has a regenerating toe, not from us, the
injury is older.
I only put photos of one of the regulars. They were virtually identical.
Walt"
On all your notes I concur with, after reading the W&W species
treatments. Also what about size? How do the lengths compare to the above=
ranges? Since your fingers in the photos look HUGE, I assume the size
range is within the listed ones.
Nor do your new guys look at all like M. olivacea pictures or descriptions.=
This Texas beast has an all-pale gray or white belly, and the back seems
paler and smooth.
congrats again!
Marty Michener
MIST Software Associates PO Box 269, Hollis, NH 03049
EnjoyBirds.com - Software that migrates with you. http://www.EnjoyBirds=
.com
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