Part 7

All specimens were found in February and March. Those from Chinaja were obtained from Xanthosoma and bromeliads; the individual from 10 kilometers north-northwest of Chinaja is an adult male that was calling from a puddle in a fallen tree on March 13. A juvenile having a snout-vent length of 34.7 mm. lacks the pale blue spots on the thighs; instead, the anterior and posterior surfaces of the thighs are bright red.

=Hypopachus cuneus nigroreticulatus= Taylor

Toocog, 1.

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)