Reconsideration on the Classification of Korean Anurans, Family Hylidae

한국산 청개구리과 (Family Hylidae)분류의 재검토

Two subspecies are known to Family Hylidae(Order Anura) in Korea : namely , Hylaarborea japonica GUENTHER and H.a.stepheni BOULENGER, and they have been hitherto distinguished as different subspecies from four characteristics : the rate of interorbital to incternasal length, the rate of diameter of tympanum to diameter of 3 rd finger disc, the rate of the length of inner metatarsal tubercle to diameter of 3 rd finger disc, and the rate of inner metatarsal tubercle to the length of lst toe. The author has compared the above to subspecies for the characteristics with 123 individuals collected from ten different localities in Korea and has found that their fluctation curves overlap each other. The author considers, therefore, that the four characteristics could not be assumed as keys for the classification of the two subspecies and has reached the conclusion that these two subspecies should be regarded as one subspecies and Hyla arborea japonica GUENTHER should be given to both of them as the subspecies name.