Four Eyed Frogs

Pleurodema borellii—brachyops—bufonina

There are two pairs of small, non-abutting, infralabial papillae (Figure 54). There are four lingual papillae. The general buccal floor and roof papillation is of medium to low density (Figure 56c). The ventral velum has a gently curved semicircular edge with asymmetrical papillation medially. There are two filter cavities per side in dorsal view (Figure 56c). The prenarial arena has a horizontal ridge or row of pustulations. The internal nares are relatively transverse. The postnarial arena is large and open with one obvious pair of larger papillae. The lateral-ridge papillae are small and not too complex. The pressure cushions are large and globose.

Overall these larvae are morphologically more similar to Alsodes, Batrachyla, and Physalaemus than to the other two groups of Pleurodema.

With the exception of having but two filter cavities per side, the larval structures are those found in typical pond tadpoles. All three species are found in temporary ponds, but the eggs of bufonina are laid in strings, while those of borellii and brachyops are placed in a foam nest (Cei, 1980; Duellman and Veloso, 1977).

Pleurodema is a genus of leptodactylid frogs from South America. They are sometimes known under the common name four-eyed frogs, although this name can also refer to a particular species, Pleurodema bibroni. The common name is a reference to two inguinal poison glands that resemble eyes. When threatened, the frog lowers its head and raises its rear. When the frog adopts this posture, the poison glands are also raised toward the predator. The predator may also confuse the frog's raised posterior for the head of a larger animal.