Portal:Amphibians
The Amphibian Portal
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Amphibians are ectothermic, tetrapod vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal or freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Thus amphibians typically start out as larvae living in water, but some species have developed behavioural adaptations to bypass this.
The young generally undergo metamorphosis from larva with gills to an adult air-breathing form with lungs. Amphibians use their skin as a secondary respiratory surface and some small terrestrial salamanders and frogs lack lungs and rely entirely on their skin. They are superficially similar to reptiles like lizards but, along with mammals and birds, reptiles are amniotes and do not require water bodies in which to breed. With their complex reproductive needs and permeable skins, amphibians are often ecological indicators; in recent decades there has been a dramatic decline in amphibian populations for many species around the globe.
The earliest amphibians evolved in the Devonian period from sarcopterygian fish with lungs and bony-limbed fins, features that were helpful in adapting to dry land. They diversified and became dominant during the Carboniferous and Permian periods, but were later displaced by reptiles and other vertebrates. The origin of modern amphibians belonging to Lissamphibia, which first appeared during the Early Triassic, around 250 million years ago, has long been contentious. However the emerging consensus is that they likely originated from temnospondyls, the most diverse group of prehistoric amphibians, during the Permian period. (Full article...)
Selected frog article
Selected salamander article
The Caudata are a group of amphibians containing the salamanders (Urodela) and all extinct species of salamander-like amphibians more closely related to salamanders than to frogs. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults.
Disagreement exists between different authorities as to the definition of the terms "Caudata" and "Urodela". Some maintain that Urodela should be restricted to the crown group, with Caudata being used for the total group. Others restrict the name Caudata to the crown group and use Urodela for the total group. The former approach seems to be most widely adopted and is used in this article. (Full article...)List of selected salamander articles
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Did you know? –
- ... that although it was first classified as a reptile, the extinct genus Batropetes (restoration pictured) is now known to be a microsaur amphibian?
- ... that golden frogs are often mistaken for bronzed frogs?
- ... that the largest amphibian in the world is the Chinese giant salamander (pictured)?
- ...that the Eastern Newt changes its skin colour from bright red to olive green when it becomes an adult, and is known as the red eft before adulthood?
- ... that the East Bay Vivarium is the oldest and largest retail vivarium in the United States?
Selected amphibian type
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Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands.
A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientific taxonomy, but is common in popular culture (folk taxonomy), in which toads are associated with drier, rougher skin and more terrestrial habitats.
In scientific taxonomy, toads include the true toad and various false toads including Ansonia malayana and Telmatobufo. (Full article...)List of selected amphibian type articles
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Photograph: Benny TrappThe Spanish painted frog (Discoglossus jeanneae) is a species of frog in the family Alytidae. Endemic to Spain, it mostly lives in open areas, pine groves and shrublands. It feeds mostly on insects and worms.
Photo credit: liquidGhoulNative to Australia, White's Tree Frog grows up to 10 centimetres in length and is a popular household pet. In captivity, they have an average lifespan of 16 years. Its skin secretions contain caerins, a group of peptides with antibacterial and antiviral properties. Other peptides have been found to destroy HIV without harming healthy T-cells.
Photograph: H. KrispThe phantasmal poison frog (Epipedobates tricolor) is a species of poison dart frog endemic to Ecuador. First described by George Albert Boulenger in 1899, this endangered species is found only in rainforests on the slopes of the Andes.
Photograph credit: Charles James SharpThe marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) is a species of amphibian native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is the largest type of frog in most of its range, growing to a snout-to-vent length of around 100 mm (4 in); tadpoles can reach up to 190 mm (7.5 in) in length, but this usually occurs in places with long winters where the tadpole has time to grow. Marsh frogs hibernate during the winter, either underwater or in burrows, and are able to use the Earth's magnetic field to locate breeding ponds. This marsh frog was photographed in Kampinos National Park, Poland.
Illustration credit: Ernst HaeckelA frog is an amphibian characterized by long hind legs, a short body, webbed digits, protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Frogs are most noticeable through their call, which can be widely heard during the mating season. It is estimated that up to 20% of amphibian species may care for their young in one way or another, and there is a great diversity of parental behaviours. For example, frogs in the Gastrotheca genus (upper left) carry their eggs in a pouch, and females of the Eleutherodactylus lineatus species (center left) carry their young on their back.
Photo: Benny TrappAn Italian tree frog (Hyla intermedia) with an inflated vocal sac. Vocal sacs, flexible membranes of skin possessed by most male frogs, are generally used to amplify mating or advertisement calls. However, some species in the family Rhinodermatidae may also use the sac to store or transport their tadpoles.
Photograph: Brian GratwickeThe Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is a rare species of toad endemic to Panama. First described by Emmett Reid Dunn in 1933, this species was found close to mountain streams on the eastern side of the Tabasará mountain range in Coclé and Panamá Provinces, but is now critically endangered and possibly extinct in the wild.
Photograph: Benny TrappThe Epirus water frog (Pelophylax epeiroticus) is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is found in western Greece, including Corfu, and the southern areas of Albania. The species is collected from the wild for human consumption.
Photo: LokionlyThe Common Indian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) is native to South Asia. It grows to about 20 cm (8 in) long and breeds during monsoon season. These toads are often seen at night under street lamps especially during times when winged termites swarm. They have been noted to feed on a wide range of invertebrates, including scorpions.
Photo credit: LiquidGhoulThe New England Tree Frog (Litoria subglandulosa) is a species of frog native to the streams of the New England Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia.
Photo: Richard BartzThe common frog (Rana temporaria) is found throughout much of Europe. Adults have a body length of 6 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 in) and vary in colour, with the ability to lighten and darken their skin to match their surroundings. They will feed on any invertebrate of a suitable size and, apart from the breeding season, live solitary lives.
Photo: QuartlDendrobates azureus, commonly known as the blue poison dart frog or okopipi, is a poison dart frog found in the forests surrounded by the Sipaliwini savannah in southern Suriname. Authorities have recently treated it as a variant of Dendrobates tinctorius rather than a distinct species as before.
Photograph: Brian GratwickeRabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog (Ecnomiohyla rabborum) is a large species of frog originally found in the forest canopies of central Panama. Only discovered in 2005, the species is thought to be extinct in the wild; only one specimen, a male at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, survives.
Photograph: Brian GratwickeA female limosa harlequin frog (Atelopus limosus) in Panama. This endangered species of toad in the family Bufonidae inhabits stream banks in tropical moist lowland forests and rivers of the Chagres watershed. It is found in two colour forms, one in lowlands and one in uplands.
The Eastern American Toad (Bufo americanus americanus) is a common subspecies of toad found throughout the eastern United States and Canada. It typically grows to 5–9 cm (2.0–3.5 in), with varying skin color and pattern depending on its environment. Its skin secretes bufotoxin, which is mildly poisonous to humans.
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Selected toad article
Selected caecilian article
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