A study of the amphibians and reptiles in the rainforests of southern El
Peten, Guatemala, reveals the presence of 78 species; an additional 13
species probably occur there. In this tropical area having a high amount
of rainfall most of the species of amphibians and reptiles have
extensive ranges in the wet forests on the Atlantic lowlands of southern
Mexico and northern Central America; some species that more frequently
are found in sub-humid forests also occur.
Ecologically the fauna is divided into five major habitats--aquatic,
aquatic margin, fossorial, terrestrial, and arboreal. Forty-two per cent
of the 78 species are wholly or partly arboreal. The fauna is most
closely related to that in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, but includes many
species that occur in the Tikal-Uaxactun area in northeastern Guatemala.
_Eleutherodactylus rostralis_ (Werner) and _E. rhodopis_ (Cope) are
redefined and their relationships are suggested. The color phases of
_Dryadophis melanolomus laevis_ and _D. m. alternatus_ are discussed;
_Dryadophis sanguiventris_ Taylor is synonymized with _Dryadophis
melanolomus alternatus_ (Bocourt).
The breeding habits, eggs, and tadpoles of the hylid frogs _Hyla
ebraccata_ and _Phyllomedusa callidryas taylori_ are described, as are
the eggs and juveniles of _Laemanctus deborrei_.