Los caracteres morfológicos del controvertido Neobatrachia arborícola Allophryne ruthveni Gaige, 1926

Abstract

Allophryne ruthveni is a neotropical arboreous frog assigned to a monotypical family. Although A. ruthveni's relationships remain poorly known, most of authors searched relationships with neotropical treefrogs in spite of the absence of teeth was an early evidence to relate it with bufonids. Herein, we presented a new analysis of osteological and some myological traits of A. ruthveni. Intercallary elements, related to the arboreal life style similar lo that present in neotropical treefrogs such as hylids, is very different in A. ruthveni; some cranial features of A. ruthveni represent traits shared with bufonids, and many morphological characters also are present among neobatracians. However, they can not be interpreted without a phylogenetic analysis. Finally, we considered two specific limb features of A. ruthveni.