Salientia Anura

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Salientia (Anura)

• Extant Frogs

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Characteristics of Anura

• Skulls are extremely reduced compared to
  ancestral frogs.
• Teeth are absent except in one species.
• Tails are absent and caudal vertebrae are fused
  into a rod (urostyle)
• Greatly elongated hind limbs and feet.
• Fused radius and ulna (forelimb) fused tibia and
  fibula (hind limb)
• Tongue is attached to front of mouth with free
  posterior edge in most species.

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Anura continued.

• Most larvae have internal gills.
• Larvae are very different from adults and may be
  filter feeders, herbivores, detritivores,
  carnivores.
• Metamorphosis results in profound changes.
• Reproductive diversity is extremely varied.
• Mucus and granular (poison) glands of skin.
• Mucus glands secrete cocoons.
• Breeding glands produce nuptial pads. Include
  mental, femoral, ventrolateral glands.

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Nuptial Pad

• Appear during mating season in response to
  androgens in male frogs. Often keratinized.
  Helps males to embrace females during amplexus.

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Skeletal Characteristics
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Frog Granular Glands

• Produce defensive secretions as amines, peptides,
  proteins, steroids, alkaloids.
• Some have antibiotic properties.
• Parotoid glands

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Parotid Glands
Parotoid gland
Warts
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Amplexus

• Clasp of male on top of female so that cloacas
  are brought close together.
• Fertilization then takes place.

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Pelobatidae(Eastern Spadefoot Toad)

• Have well-developed keratinous, spade-like
  metatarsal tubercle on hind feet. Used in
  burrowing.
• Many species have glandular, tuberculate skin in
  addition to parotoid glands.
• Mainly fossorial.
• Use ephemeral ponds for explosive breeding.

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E. Spadefoot Toad(Scaphiopus holbrooki)
Small toad 2 3 long. Distinct tympanum, small
round parotoid gland. Small tubercles scattered
over skin. Note light bands on dorsum and sides.
Throat, chest white. Large protruding eye has
vertical pupil. Spadelike black horny projection
on inner border of foot.
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Scaphiopus holbrooki
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Pipidae

• Xenopus (African clawed frog) is most widely
  known species.
• Very aquatic, never out of water.
• Dorsoventrally compressed bodies.
• Distinct keratinous clawlike tips on toes.

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Bufonidae

• Prominent cutaneous glands such as conspicuous
  paratoid glands on posterio- dorsal portion of
  head.
• Most species are terrestrial.
• Usually produce strings of eggs.

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Bufo terrestris(Southern Toad)

• 1.75 4 long.
• Prominent ridges and clublike knobs on head.
  Small bony ridge separates parotoid gland from
  postocular ridge.
• Dorsum coloration is usually brown.
• Dorsal dark spots usually contain one, 2, or more
  warts.
• Venter is grayish and chest is spotted.
• Found in eastern half of state.

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Southern Toad
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Southern Toad
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Bufo Woodhousei(Fowlers Toad)

• Brown, olive, or gray dorsum with middorsal light
  stripe.
• Each dark dorsal spot contains 3 or more warts.
• Cranial crests are small and contiguous with
  paratoid glands.
• Whitish venter usually with dark spot on chest.
  Males have black throats.
• May hybridize with American or Southern toads.
• Abundant most locations.

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Bufo woodhousei (Fowlers Toad)
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Fowlers Toad
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Bufo americanus(American Toad)

• 2 4.25 long.
• Large with short broad body and broadly circular
  snout.
• Brown, gray or red dorsum with 1 or 2 warts in
  each dorsal spot.
• Well developed cranial crests separated from
  oblong parotoid glands by short longitudinal
  ridge.
• Large spiny warts on dorsal surface of hind legs.
• Inhabit northwestern area of SC.

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American Toad
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Acris crepitans(Northern Cricket Frog)

• Have moist warty skin with long legs, webs
  between toes.
• Dark triangle between the eyes
• Median stripe of Y-figure on back which can be
  green, russet, yellow, brown, gray.
• Pair of prominent subanal white tubercles.
• Found in the piedmont, margins of ponds, ditches,
  marshes.

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Northern Cricket Frog
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Range of N. Cricket Frog