Herpetology: the Biology of Tetrapods BIOEE 470 and 472

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Herpetology the Biology of Tetrapods (BIOEE 470
and 472)
Caecilian is from Latin caecus for blind (as in
caecum, a blind out-pouching of the intestine),
and thus the blind ones or some-such for
certain amphibians (thanks to Kitt Hollister)
Please bring your field guide to lab!
Hyla hylax (Brasil, photoH.W.Greene)
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Phylogenetic classification of the Amphibia (50
taxa to learn for the midterm)
Anura Archaeobatrachia Ascaphus
Leiopelma Bombina
Alytes Pipanura Mesobatrachia
Pelobatidae Pipidae
Rhinophrynidae Neobatrachia
Ranidae Hylidae
Bufonidae Rhacophoridae
Leptodactylidae
Centrolenidae Dendrobatidae
Hemisotidae Microhylidae
Brachycephalidae
Mantellidae
Amphibia Gymnophiona
Ichthyophiidae Caeciliidae
Typhlonectidae Batrachia Urodela
Sirenidae
Cryptobranchoidea
Cryptobranchidae Hynobiidae
Salamandrodea
Ambystomatidae Amphiumidae
Dicamptodontidae
Plethodontidae
Proteiidae Rhyacotritonidae
Salamandridae Anura
Osteichthyes Actinopterygii
Sarcopterygii Latimeria
Choanata Dipnoi
Tetrapoda Amniota
Amphibia
Can you classify a neobatrachian in terms of
successively more basal sister taxa?
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Frog feeding biology
Almost all transformed frogs are carnivores,
usually consuming exclusively arthropods (at
least one Brazilian treefrog eats plant parts)
Archaeobatrachians use a simple tongue to
apprehend prey Neobatrachians have repeatedly
evolved tongue flipping, using the genioglossus
and submentalis Specialized burrowers have
independently evolved hydrostatically protrusible
tongues
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A simplified phylogenetic classification
Left, Ascaphus truei (California,
photoH.W.Greene) below, Hyla triangulum (Peru,
photoD.Roberts)
Anura Archaeobatrachia Ascaphus
Alytes Pipanura
Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia
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Archaeobatrachian diversity Ascaphus
Sister taxon of all other anuranslast shared
genes with other extant frogs in the Jurassic!
Endemic to Pacific Northwest of U.S. and
Canada Males eversible cloacal tail used
for internal fertilization in torrential stream
currents, inguinal amplexus More conservation
significance than the Spotted Owlwhy would I say
that?
(California, lower photoH.Welch, upper
photoH.W.Greene)
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Archaeobatrachbian diversity Alytes
(Discoglossidae)
Endemic Old World group Male midwife toad
(A. obstetricans) carries eggs until hatching
Arthur Kammerer and The Strange Case of the
Midwife Toad
(Spain, photoS.D.Busack)
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A simplified phylogenetic classification
Anura Archaeobatrachia Pipanura
Mesobatrachia Pelobatidae
Pipidae Rhinophrynidae
Neobatrachia
Left, Ascaphus truei (California,
photoH.W.Greene) below, Hyla triangulum (Peru,
photoD.Roberts)
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Mesobatrachian diversity Scaphiopus couchii
(Pelobatidae)
Couchs Spadefoot Toad Breeding evoked by
the sound of raindrops (how do we know that?)
A few nights of feeding on termites suffices for
a year Extremely rapid egg and larval
development
(Arizona, photoH.W.Greene)
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Mesobatrachian diversity Pipa pipa (Pipidae)
Surinam Toad Adapted for a highly aquatic
lifestyle Somersaulting amplexus
Development in capsules on females back, from
which fully developed froglets emerge
(Peru, photoD.Fenolio)
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Mesobatrachian diversity Rhinophrynus dorsalus
(Rhinophrynidae)
Mexican Burrowing Frog Subterranean termite
feeder Endemic to tropical dry forest from W.
Mexico to Costa Rica Explosive breeder, sounds
like a drunk throwing up! Super-protrusible
tongue
(Mexico, photoH.W.Greene)
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More simplified phylogenetic classification
Anura Archaeobatrachia Pipanura
Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia
Ranidae Hylidae Bufonidae
Rhacophoridae Leptodactylidae Centrolenidae
Dendrobatidae Hemisotidae
Microhylidae Brachycephalidae
Mantellidae
Rana maosonensis (Vietnam, photoH.W.Greene)
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Neobatrachian diversity Bufonidae
Toads, cosmopolitan distribution Widespread
Bufo plus various unusual genera One species
in Tompkins County (B. americanus) Axillary
amplexus, eggs often in long strings
(upper left, giant Bufo (Brazil,
photoH.W.Green) upper right, B. periglenes
(Costa Rica, photoM.Fogden) lower, B. boreas
(California, photoH.W.Greene)
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Neobatrachian diversity Bufonidae
All bufonids seemingly have toxic skin
secretions Numerous smaller, geographically
localized genera Some are aposematically
colored
Upper left, harlequin frogs (Atelopus varius,
Costa Rica) upper right and bottom, black
toadlet (Melanophryniscus stelzneri, Argentina)
photosH.W.Greene
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Neobatrachian diversity Bufonidae
Brazilian Black Toadlets (Melanophryniscus
moreirae, photosH.W.Greene)
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Neobatrachian diversity Brachephalidae
Pumpkin Toadlets Among the worlds smallest
vertebrates Endemic to the Atlantic
rainforests of southeastern Brazil Combo of
inguinal and axillary amplexus
Brachycephalus (Brazil, left photosH.W.Greene
right photoC.F.B.Haddad)