Systematics and Distribution of the Mexican and Central American Rainfrogs of the Eleutherodactylus gollmeri Group (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae) Abstract The Eleutherodactylus gollmeri species group consists of three southern Central American forms {E. gollmeri, E. mimus, and E. noblei), two species (E. chac, new species, and E. rostralis) restricted to the Atlantic versant of upper Central America, and two forms (E. laticeps and E. lineatus) that occur in southern Mexico and northern Central America. To evaluate the intrageneric relation-ships of the E. gollmeri group, a review of jaw musculature and osteological, external morpho-logical, and karyotypic features was undertaken. On the basis of this review, it is clear that the genus Eleutherodactylus is paraphyletic. Diflerences in jaw musculature suggest that two major branches (I being Central American and II, South American-Antillean) may be recognized. The Central American stock contains two distinct lin-eages (1-2) in addition to the nominal genus Hy-lactophryne. The other major branch consists of four distinct lineages (3-6) of Eleutherodactylus and a number of allied genera. Previous attempts to cluster Eleutherodactylus species into mono-phyletic groups are shown to be based on unstable and homoplasious features of external morphol-ogy and osteology. The Eleutherodactylus gollmeri group belongs to lineage 1 within the Central American stock and appears to be most closely allied to the E. fitzingeri group as redefined. A cladistic analysis of relationships among the members of the E. goll-meri group indicates that E. noblei is the most primitive extant species, while E. chac and E. ros-tralis are the most derived. Conversion of the cladogram of characters into an area cladogram suggests that the origin of northern and southern stocks within the group involved a vicariance event (a marine barrier across Honduras), fragmenting the initial wide-ranging ancestral stock. Additional vicariance events associated with marine inva-sions and mountain building in the region appear to have led to the origins of modem sjjecies. After the removal of isolating barriers, some north-south (and south-north) dispersals contributed to estab-lishing current distribution patterns. Introduction Among the most beautiful and active denizens of the ground level stratum of the humid, ever-green forests of tropical Mexico and Central Amer-ica are a series of medium-to large-sized frogs allied to Eleutherodactylus gollmeri (W. Peters). These animals are often diurnal and characteris-tically bound through the forest in a zigzag pattern of long leaps when disturbed, using surprise, speed, and evasive action to escape danger. Be-cause of their cryptic coloration, these frogs may pass unnoticed by an observer until they seemingly explode out of the leaf litter directly underfoot and disappear with graceful, arching leaps into the un-derbrush. In common with most other members of the genus (one species out of the approximately 400 valid forms is known to be viviparous), these frogs lay large, encapsulated eggs out of water which undergo direct development into small frogs with-out a larval (tadpole) stage. Unlike most of their congeners, males of the E. gollmeri group appar-ently lack the ability to produce vocalizations that in others are utilized for spacing or to attract fe-males in the breeding season. As a result, the stock's SAVAGE: ELEUTHERODACTYLUS GOLLMERI
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