Neotropical Frog Biogeography: Paradigms and Problems

SYNOPSIS. The distributions and relationships of exemplary speciesgroups of the Neotropical frog genera Cycloramphus and Leptodactylusare discussed in terms of current biogeographic models. Fromthis exercise, the following conclusions emerge: (1) frog biogeographyis and will remain primarily a correlative science; (2) bothmorphological and genetic data are required to choose amongalternate biogeographic models; (3) frog speciation events significantlypredate recent distributional events complicating the understandingof past and recent distributions; (4) both data and theory areinadequate to completely understand Neotropical frog biogeographyat present.