A New Species of High-Crested Toad of the Bufo valliceps Group from North-Central Honduras

Abstract

A new species of the Bufo valliceps group is described from the Caribbean versant of north- central Honduras. The new species can be distinguished from the other members of the group by the following combination of characters: supraorbital and parietal crests strongly elevated, higher than postor- bital crest at confluence of these three crests; parietal crest higher than supraorbital crest, arched, gradually sloping downward posteriorly; parietal crest not expanded laterally; m. interhyoideus unpigmented, forming small unilobed vocal sac; tympana small (x = 43.0% of eye length in males and 45.4% of eye length in females); and shanks long (x = 46.1% of snout-vent length in males and 44.2% of snout-vent length in females). The new species is most often found in primary broadleaf forests, but can be found sympatrically with B. valliceps in late second growth broadleaf forest. The new form disappears when the primary forests are cleared and is replaced in these degraded habitats by B. valliceps. There is no evidence to indicate that