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The Morphology of the Bufonid Head.
Author(s) -
Ramaswami L. S.
Publication year - 1936
Publication title -
proceedings of the zoological society of london
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0370-2774
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1936.tb06305.x
Subject(s) - anatomy , bufo , biology , toad , ecology
Summary. A study of the cranial anatomy of the entire head of Bufo melanostictus, Bufo parietalis , and Nectophryne misera , and the anterior region of the head of Bufo hololius and Bufo beddomii , reveals the following interesting facts:—1 The anterior extension of the gl. nasalis medialis through the fenestra nasobasalis into the anterior region of the cranium, to occupy a position in between the gl. intermaxillaris, is noticed in B. melanostictus. The gl. nasalis medians do not penetrate through the fenestra naso‐basalis in B. parietalis, B. hólólius, B. beddomii , and N. misera.2 The septomaxillary sends a limb into the plica in the region of the anterior nares in the Bufonid examples studied; the limb of the bone appears in the plica posterior to the anterior narial opening in N. misera.3 The eminentia olfactoria is elevated in all the species of Bufo studied; the eminentia is not elevated in N. misera.4 The sphenethmoid is bony in B. melanostictus, B. beddomii , and N. misera ; in B. hololius it is cartilaginous, and in B. parietalis the bony sphenethmoid possesses cartilaginous areas. 5 The palatine is present in all the species of Bufo examined, while in N. misera it is absent. 6 The processus basalis is small in all the forms examined. It is merely a lateral extension of the oticus cartilage, and posterior to the oticus connection of the crista; the basal process also unites with the otic capsule to form a “pseudobasal” connection. 7 The frontoparietals have united mesially in N. misera ; in the examined species of Bufo and in N. misera the fronto‐parietals unite with the prootic bone. Posteriorly the prootic is indistinguishable from the exoccipital. 8 Of the plectral apparatus a large pars externa, a bony pars media, and a large pars interna are seen. A pars ascendens plectri—a commissural cartilage between pars externa and crista parotica—is noticed in all. 9 The operculum is sickle‐shaped and depends from the otic capsule. 10 In N. misera the quadrate cartilage is feebly invaded by the quadrato‐ maxillary. 11 The complete absence of the “bursa angularis oris” of Fuchs (1931) (the “Mundwinkeldrüse” of de Villiers) is noteworthy.