CHONDROCRANIAL MORPHOLOGY OF LEPTODACTYLUS LARVAE (LEPTODACTYLIDAE, LEPTODACTYLINAE) - ITS UTILITY IN PHYLOGENETIC RECONSTRUCTION

Chondrocranial morphology of leptodactylid frogs is scarcely known and has not been completely described for any species of leptodactylus. W e describe the diversity of chondrocranial morphology in the genus Lep todactylus based on the analysis of 22 species, representing the four species groups: the fuscus Group, ocellatus Group, melanonotus Group, and pentadactylus Group. Furthermore, 26 characters are identified and used in a phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic analysis using Phys alaemus, Crossodactylus, and Hylodes as outgroups suggests two monophy letic clades within Leptodactylus: the melanonotus-ocellatus clade and the pentadacfylus-fuscus clade. However, it does not support the mono phyly of the species groups as currently recognized and it suggests a paraphyletic Leptodactylus. Enforcing the monophyly of the ingroup, i. e., Leptodactylus, results in the same major two clades of Leptodactyl us. Leptodactylus riveroi, a taxon previously unassigned to any specie s group, appears most closely related to the melanonotus-ocellatus cla de based on chondrocranial characteristics. J. Morphol. 238:287-305; 1 998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.