Range Expansion of Scarthyla vigilans (Anura: Hylidae) in Trinidad, West Indies Renoir J. Auguste and Mike G. Rutherford Auguste, R. J., and Rutherford, M. G. 2015. Range Expansion of Scarthyla vigilans (Anura: Hylidae) in Trinidad, West Indies. Living World, Journal of The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club , 2015, 43-43. /LVW RI $PSKLELDQV DQG 5HSWLOHV RI WKH $ULSR 6DYDQQDV 6FLHQWL¿F 5HVHUYH 7ULQLGDG 43 NATURE NOTE Range Expansion of Scarthyla vigilans Anura +ylidae in 7rinidad, West Indies Scarthyla vigilans is a small frog in the family Hylidae 6RODQR ,W LQKDELWV PDUVK\ DUHDV DV ZHOO DV FKDQQHOV and ditches (Barrio-Amorós et al. 2006). Males have been known to call from relatively high perches on grasses RU IURP RQ ÀRDWLQJ YHJHWDWLRQ VXFK DV ZDWHU K\DFLQWKV whereas females typically perch on the lower parts of plants (Barrio-Amorós et al. 2006). This species was previously only known from mainland 6RXWK$PHULFD DQG RQO\ UHODWLYHO\ UHFHQWO\ IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH recorded in the southwestern peninsula of Trinidad (Smith et al. 2011). Based on our subsequent observations, we herein report a range expansion for the species on Trinidad. Scarthyla vigilans ZHUH REVHUYHG LQ 7XFNHU 9DOOH\ &K- DJXDUDPDV LQ WKH QRUWKZHVW RI 7ULQLGDG RQ 1RYHPEHU Fig. 1. Scarthyla vigilans. Photo: J. Murphy. GXULQJ WKH 7XFNHU 9DOOH\ %LREOLW] HYHQW 5$ and other members of the herpetology group saw and heard fante, E. and Chacón, A. 2006. Hyla vigilans 6RODQR several specimens calling from grasses adjacent to streams a second species for the genus Scarthyla, redescription and LQ 7XFNHU 9DOOH\ EHWZHHQ DQG K GLVWULEXWLRQ LQ 9HQH]XHOD DQG &RORPELD Zootaxa Scarthyla vigilans were also observed in Nariva Swamp Solano, H. 8QD QXHYD HVSHFLH GHO JpQHUR +\OD $PSKLE- LQ WKH HDVW RI 7ULQLGDG RQ 2FWREHU GXULQJ WKH LD $QXUD GH 9HQH]XHOD Acta Biologica Venezuelica, Nariva Swamp Bioblitz 2014 event. R.A. saw and heard several frogs calling from grasses on the side of a road Smith, J.M., Downie, J.R., Dye, R.F., Ogilvy, V., Thornham, LQ SUR[LPLW\ WR D ZDWHU ¿OOHG GLWFK LQ .HUQDKDP EHWZHHQ D.G., Rutherford, M.G., Charles, S.P. and Murphy, J.C. DQG K Scarthyla vigilans were also observed 2011. Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae, Scarthyla vigilans (Solano LQ WKH $ULSR /LYHVWRFN 6WDWLRQ $/6 :DOOHU¿HOG LQ WKH 5DQJH H[WHQVLRQ DQG QHZ FRXQWU\ UHFRUG IRU 7ULQLGDG QRUWKHDVW RI 7ULQLGDG RQ 1RYHPEHU 5$ VDZ DQG West Indies, with notes on tadpoles, habitat, behavior and bio- heard several individuals calling from grasses next to water JHRJUDSKLFDO VLJQL¿FDQFH Check List ¿OHG GLWFK DW $/6 EHWZHHQ WKH KRXUV RI DQG K It is possible, given the numbers seen, that the species has Renoir J. Auguste1 and Mike G. Rutherford2 been present at these locales without prior detection for 1. Department of Life Sciences, some time and it appears that populations are more wide- The University of the West Indies, spread across Trinidad than originally thought. St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. [email protected] REFERENCES Barrio-Amorós, C.L., Diaz, A., Mueses-Cisneros, J.J., In- 2. [email protected].