Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca

"Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca" by William Edward Duellman, the writer focuses on the Central American frog genus Smilisca, explaining their natural history, bodies, and how they are classified. This scientific work gives a complete look at the different types of Smilisca frogs, studying how they have changed to fit their environments and how they are related to each other. The book starts by introducing the Hylidae family and where Smilisca frogs fit in, outlining the geographic areas they live in and how important they are to their ecosystems. The author presents the challenges in categorizing hylid groups because of the many different species and shares the thorough research done through observations and body studies. This beginning part prepares the reader to learn about the specific species, their physical traits, how they breed, and what role they have in where they live. Using historical information, acknowledgments, and research methods, the writer shows the importance of understanding this frog group in the bigger picture of amphibian study.