Abstract
IV.
HAVING now passed in review the greatest differences presented by the nearest allies of our common frog (the members namely of its own order), certain facts of interest present themselves respecting the geographical distribution of the group. These facts are interesting, because they point not only to the exceptional nature of the faunas of South America and of Australia, but also to a certain zoological affinity between those two regions of the earth, distinct as they are from one another. Thus, as has been mentioned, it is only in Australia and South America that the typical genus Rana is absolutely wanting. One genus of Tree-frogs, Pelodryas, is confined to Australia, but is closely resembled by another genus, Phyllo-medusa, which is restricted to South America, and differs from the former only by the absence of a web between the toes. It should be recollected that the primary subdivisions of a zoological order are termed families. One whole family, called Cystitpwthidce, is (with the exception of two species) confined to Australia and America.
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The Common Frog * . Nature 9, 28–30 (1873). https://doi.org/10.1038/009028a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/009028a0