A NEW COLOR PATTERN VARIANT AND ITS INHERITANCE IN SOME MEMBERS OF THE SUPERSPECIES HYPEROLIUS VIRIDIFLAVUS (DUMÉRIL & BIBRON) (AMPHIBIA ANURA)

Abstract

SUMMARY A third color pattern variant, striped, is reported for H. v. ferniquei Mocquard, H. v. pantherinus (Steindachner) and H. v. ommatostictus Laurent (Amphibia Anura). These frogs can have the hourglass or striped pattern as juveniles. Adult females have a color pattern characteristic of the subspecies while adult males may be striped, hourglass or have the female color pattern. The striped pattern was rare in populations of H. v. ferniquei but was quite common in even small collections of H. v. pantherinus and H. v. ommatostictus. The striped gene appears to be allelic to hourglass and dominant to it. Heterozygotes for striped crossed with an hourglass mate segregate striped and hourglass in a 1:1 ratio in the progeny. The segregation continues in appropriate F2 crosses. These new data add to the complexity of an already complex polymorphic group and will ultimately contribute to a better understanding of the polymorphisms and their genetic bases.