72
A . R. M A I N
Crinia signifera from eastern Australia crowed to C. tasmniensis
males produced haploid embryos, some of which hatched but none
survived (Moore, 1954: 72).
2. Species formerly included in C. signifera ( C . imsignifera, C. pseudinsiynifera, C. parin,signifera, G. subirwignifera, C . slonnei Littlejohn,
C. tinwuba and C . riparia Littlejohn and Martin).
(i) Criain i?&giiifwtz. ‘rhe analyses reviewed above led me to believe
that Crinia signifera did not occur in Western Australia and that this
species ww represented there by C. glauerti. However, when this had
been done there still remained three so-called “call-types” which had
been regarded as “races” and identified by reference to their calls, soil
preference, and geographic range (Main, 1957: 33). Moore (1954) published his results showing that a Crinia collected by him from Attadale
near Perth was not C. signifera. This species was named C. insignifera.
I equated this species with the formerly unnamed “coastal harsh voice”
(Chv) race (Main, 1957). Field collecting had established that the call
characteristic of typical C‘. insignifera changes in some localities
abruptly and in others in a more gradual manner, into the typical
“cheeps” of the “clay” (Cc) race. These call changes indicate that there
is gene flow between the typical Chv and Cc races and that there are
two races of one polytypic species which is C. insignifera (Main,
1967: 33). Littlejohn (1959: 459) compared calls of C. insignifera from
the whole of its geographical range after they had been corrected to a
common water temperature of 14°C and could find no differences.
When C. insignifera is crossed to C . gewgiuna embryos do not develop
beyond blastula.
When C. insignifera males are crossed to C. glauerti females development is abnormal. In five crosses totalling 217 eggs many died at
blastula, 144 failed to include yolk, and 25 oedematous larvae hatched
but failed to survive (Main, 1957). When C. insignifera females were
crossed to three C. glauerti males in three crosses involving 241 eggs,
69 hatched, but 29 were oedematous with small heads, bent tails,
straight gut, and failed to survive (Main, 1957). These results indicate
that C. issignifera is genetically distinct from C. glauerti.
C. insignifera was crossed once to C. signifern from eastern Australia;
43 eggs produced only 3 embryos, which were not normal (Main, 1957).
These results agree with those of Moore (1954) and support his interpretation that C. insignifera is not conspecific with C. signifera.
(ii) Crinia peeudinsignifeera. A t the time of Moore’s (1954) description
of C. insignifera a further call race of Crinia had been recognised as
occurrir,g on the Darling Plateau to the east of Perth. This had been
called Pleteau harsh voice (Phv) by Main (1957). This race has a very
distinctive four-pulsed bleating call which does not intergrade with
A . R. M A I N
Crinia signifera from eastern Australia crowed to C. tasmniensis
males produced haploid embryos, some of which hatched but none
survived (Moore, 1954: 72).
2. Species formerly included in C. signifera ( C . imsignifera, C. pseudinsiynifera, C. parin,signifera, G. subirwignifera, C . slonnei Littlejohn,
C. tinwuba and C . riparia Littlejohn and Martin).
(i) Criain i?&giiifwtz. ‘rhe analyses reviewed above led me to believe
that Crinia signifera did not occur in Western Australia and that this
species ww represented there by C. glauerti. However, when this had
been done there still remained three so-called “call-types” which had
been regarded as “races” and identified by reference to their calls, soil
preference, and geographic range (Main, 1957: 33). Moore (1954) published his results showing that a Crinia collected by him from Attadale
near Perth was not C. signifera. This species was named C. insignifera.
I equated this species with the formerly unnamed “coastal harsh voice”
(Chv) race (Main, 1957). Field collecting had established that the call
characteristic of typical C‘. insignifera changes in some localities
abruptly and in others in a more gradual manner, into the typical
“cheeps” of the “clay” (Cc) race. These call changes indicate that there
is gene flow between the typical Chv and Cc races and that there are
two races of one polytypic species which is C. insignifera (Main,
1967: 33). Littlejohn (1959: 459) compared calls of C. insignifera from
the whole of its geographical range after they had been corrected to a
common water temperature of 14°C and could find no differences.
When C. insignifera is crossed to C . gewgiuna embryos do not develop
beyond blastula.
When C. insignifera males are crossed to C. glauerti females development is abnormal. In five crosses totalling 217 eggs many died at
blastula, 144 failed to include yolk, and 25 oedematous larvae hatched
but failed to survive (Main, 1957). When C. insignifera females were
crossed to three C. glauerti males in three crosses involving 241 eggs,
69 hatched, but 29 were oedematous with small heads, bent tails,
straight gut, and failed to survive (Main, 1957). These results indicate
that C. issignifera is genetically distinct from C. glauerti.
C. insignifera was crossed once to C. signifern from eastern Australia;
43 eggs produced only 3 embryos, which were not normal (Main, 1957).
These results agree with those of Moore (1954) and support his interpretation that C. insignifera is not conspecific with C. signifera.
(ii) Crinia peeudinsignifeera. A t the time of Moore’s (1954) description
of C. insignifera a further call race of Crinia had been recognised as
occurrir,g on the Darling Plateau to the east of Perth. This had been
called Pleteau harsh voice (Phv) by Main (1957). This race has a very
distinctive four-pulsed bleating call which does not intergrade with