Chondrocranium and ossification sequence of Hyla picta

Hyla picta is a small frog that inhabits wet, tropical Atlantic lowlands in Central America. Tadpoles of this species were examined using cleared and stained whole mounts to study the chondrocranium and ossification sequences. In addition, data for a computer-generated three-dimensional reconstruction of the chondrocranium was obtained by paraffin embedding and crossectioning . Hyla picta tadpoles were compared to Hyla lanciformis, the only other species of Hyla described in this way. Most of the chondrocranial structures are the same in both species except for the suprarostrals and cornua trabecularum, as a result of different feeding habits. A distinct otic process is present in H. picta, but is not found in H. lanciformis. There were also differences in the ossification sequences, particularly in the frontoparietal and the parasphenoid bones