Post on 15-Jan-2016
Amphibians of Amphibians of FloridaFlorida
AmphibiansAmphibians• Moist glandular skin (NO SCALES!)Moist glandular skin (NO SCALES!)• Pass (aquatic) larval stage as youngPass (aquatic) larval stage as young
– Amphibios – From the Greek meaning Amphibios – From the Greek meaning “living a double life”“living a double life”
• Toes without clawsToes without claws• Made up of three Orders: Made up of three Orders:
– Anura Anura (frogs & toads)(frogs & toads)
– Caudata Caudata (salamanders)(salamanders)
– Gymnophiona Gymnophiona (caecilians)(caecilians)
Order AnuraOrder Anura• FROGS!!!!FROGS!!!!• Thick head and body with long, strong Thick head and body with long, strong
legslegs• Often advertise presence (especially Often advertise presence (especially
during the breeding season) with a during the breeding season) with a wide range of callswide range of calls
Family BufonidaeFamily Bufonidae
• Toads!Toads!• Have dry, glandular (warty) skinHave dry, glandular (warty) skin• HopHop
Bufo marinusBufo marinus
• EXOTIC! EXOTIC! (South (South America)America)
• Huge sizeHuge size• Skin gland Skin gland
secretions can be secretions can be highly toxichighly toxic
•Marine Toad / Giant Toad / Cane Marine Toad / Giant Toad / Cane ToadToad
Bufo quercicusBufo quercicus
• Tiny sizeTiny size• Conspicuous, Conspicuous,
light middorsal light middorsal stripestripe
• Oak ToadOak Toad
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Bufo terrestrisBufo terrestris
• Large knobs & Large knobs & high cranial crestshigh cranial crests
• Extremely Extremely abundantabundant
• Southern ToadSouthern Toad
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden
Family HylidaeFamily Hylidae
• Cricket Frogs, Treefrogs & Chorus Cricket Frogs, Treefrogs & Chorus Frogs!Frogs!
AcrisAcris Hyla Hyla PseudacrisPseudacris
• Many species have enlarged, round Many species have enlarged, round toepadstoepads
• Mostly relatively small-sizedMostly relatively small-sized• Known for their wide variety of Known for their wide variety of
vocalizationsvocalizations
Acris gryllusAcris gryllus• Small size with Small size with
slightly warty skinslightly warty skin• Often bright green Often bright green
Y between eyes Y between eyes extends down the extends down the backback
• In Florida, back of In Florida, back of thigh has two dark thigh has two dark stripesstripes
• Southern Cricket FrogSouthern Cricket Frog
Photo By: W. KnappPhoto By: W. Knapp
Hyla avivocaHyla avivoca
• Greyish overall Greyish overall coloration with coloration with white spot under white spot under eyeeye
• Inner sides of thigh Inner sides of thigh with greenish-with greenish-yellowish washyellowish wash
• Similar to but Similar to but smaller than Hyla smaller than Hyla chrysoscelischrysoscelis
• Bird-voiced TreefrogBird-voiced Treefrog
Photos By: W. KnappPhotos By: W. Knapp
Hyla chrysoscelisHyla chrysoscelis
• Greyish overall Greyish overall coloration with coloration with white spot under white spot under the eyethe eye
• Inner thighs with Inner thighs with orange – yellow orange – yellow washwash
• Similar to but Similar to but larger than Hyla larger than Hyla avivocaavivoca
• Cope’s Gray TreefrogCope’s Gray Treefrog
Photo By: W. KnappPhoto By: W. Knapp
Hyla cineriaHyla cineria
• Long body shapeLong body shape• Well defined light lateral lineWell defined light lateral line• Many have tiny golden spots on their backsMany have tiny golden spots on their backs
Green TreefrogGreen Treefrog
Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden Photo By: T. Photo By: T.
BlundenBlunden
Hyla femoralisHyla femoralis
• Very variable Very variable overall coloration overall coloration (grey, green, brown, (grey, green, brown, patterned, uniform patterned, uniform etc)etc)
• Pine Woods TreefrogPine Woods TreefrogPhotos By: W. KappPhotos By: W. Kapp
•Bright yellow-Bright yellow-orange spots on orange spots on inside of thigh inside of thigh (femoralis….)(femoralis….)
Photo By: W. KnappPhoto By: W. Knapp
Hyla gratiosaHyla gratiosa
• Large round spots on Large round spots on backback
• Rugose skinRugose skin• Large sizeLarge size• Large toepadsLarge toepads• Dependent on Dependent on
fishless, ephemeral fishless, ephemeral ponds for breedingponds for breeding
• Barking TreefrogBarking Treefrog Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden
Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden
Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden
Hyla squirrelaHyla squirrela
• Rule out other frogs Rule out other frogs first!first!
• Extremely variable Extremely variable overall colorationoverall coloration
• No strong inner thigh No strong inner thigh markingsmarkings
• Extremely common, Extremely common, even in residential even in residential areasareas
• Squirrel TreefrogSquirrel Treefrog
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Osteopilus septentrionalisOsteopilus septentrionalis
• Introduced speciesIntroduced species• Large!!Large!!• Forehead skin fused to Forehead skin fused to
bonebone• Usually a yellow wash Usually a yellow wash
near groinnear groin• Often found in Often found in
urban/suburban urban/suburban environments, but can environments, but can also invades natural also invades natural areasareas
• Range is still expanding Range is still expanding northward.northward.
• CubanTreefrogCubanTreefrog
Pseudacris cruciferPseudacris crucifer
• Dark imperfect Dark imperfect “X” marking on “X” marking on backback
• Pinkish, Pinkish, yellowish, brown yellowish, brown or grey or grey background colorbackground color
• Early winter Early winter breederbreeder
• Spring PeeperSpring Peeper
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Pseudacris nigritaPseudacris nigrita
• Three dorsal stripes Three dorsal stripes (tend to break up near (tend to break up near groin)groin)
• Prominent white lip Prominent white lip lineline
• Southern Chorus FrogSouthern Chorus FrogPhoto By: W. KappPhoto By: W. Kapp
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
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Pseudacris ocularisPseudacris ocularis
• Smallest Frog in North Smallest Frog in North AmericaAmerica
• Prominent dark line Prominent dark line through eye through eye (ocularis...)(ocularis...)
• Usually found in small Usually found in small grassy wetlandsgrassy wetlands
• Little Grass FrogLittle Grass Frog
Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden
Pseudacris ornataPseudacris ornata
• Black mask-like Black mask-like stripe through stripe through eyeeye
• Ornate Chorus FrogOrnate Chorus Frog
•Dark spots on sides Dark spots on sides & near groin& near groin
Photo By: A. DayPhoto By: A. Day
Family LeptodactylidaeFamily Leptodactylidae
• 1,110 species including 700 in the 1,110 species including 700 in the genus Eleutherodactylus (largest genus Eleutherodactylus (largest vertebrate genus)vertebrate genus)
• Usually smallUsually small
• Mostly TropicalMostly Tropical
Eleutherodactylus Eleutherodactylus planirostrusplanirostrus
• Introduced speciesIntroduced species• Small terrestrial frogSmall terrestrial frog• Call is very insect Call is very insect
likelike• Undergoes Undergoes
metamorphosis in metamorphosis in the egg (there is no the egg (there is no free swimming free swimming larvae)larvae)• • Greenhouse Greenhouse
FrogFrogPhoto By: T. Photo By: T.
BlundenBlunden
Family MicrohylidaeFamily Microhylidae
• Narrow-mouthed frogsNarrow-mouthed frogs
(Also known as Sheepfrogs)(Also known as Sheepfrogs)• Characterized by skin fold across back Characterized by skin fold across back
of headof head• Specialize on beetles, ants & ant lionsSpecialize on beetles, ants & ant lions
Gastrophryne carolinensisGastrophryne carolinensis
• Tiny, pointy head, Tiny, pointy head, fat round bodyfat round body
• Skin fold on back of Skin fold on back of headhead
• Eastern Narrowmouth ToadEastern Narrowmouth Toad
Photo By: W. KappPhoto By: W. Kapp
Family PelobatidaeFamily Pelobatidae
• American SpadefootsAmerican Spadefoots• Use single, bladelike spade on Use single, bladelike spade on
back feet to burrow rapidly down back feet to burrow rapidly down in loose soilin loose soil
• Explosive breeders after heavy Explosive breeders after heavy rainsrains
Scaphiophus holbrookiiScaphiophus holbrookii
• Horny black Horny black spade on hind spade on hind footfoot
• Vertical pupilVertical pupil• Pale lyre / Pale lyre /
hourglass shape hourglass shape on dark backon dark back
• Eastern Spadefoot ToadEastern Spadefoot Toad
Photo By: W. KappPhoto By: W. Kapp
Photo By: A. DayPhoto By: A. Day
Photo By: W. Photo By: W. KnappKnapp
Family RanidaeFamily Ranidae
• True frogs!True frogs!• Typical frogs with long legs, Typical frogs with long legs,
narrow waists and smooth, moist narrow waists and smooth, moist skinskin
• Many have dorsolateral foldsMany have dorsolateral folds• LeapLeap• Found on all continents except Found on all continents except
AntarticaAntartica• Source of culinary frog legsSource of culinary frog legs
Rana capitoRana capito
• Short body, pointy Short body, pointy snoutsnout
• Light background color Light background color with large dark spotswith large dark spots
• Found in xeric uplandsFound in xeric uplands• Usually uses Gopher Usually uses Gopher
Tortoise burrows as Tortoise burrows as refugiarefugia
• Gopher FrogGopher Frog
Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden
Rana Rana catesbianacatesbiana
• Mostly plain green Mostly plain green or brown aboveor brown above
• No dorsolateral No dorsolateral ridgesridges
• Some mottling Some mottling belowbelow
• Webbing on 4Webbing on 4thth hind hind toes does not fully toes does not fully extend to tipextend to tip
• Bull FrogBull Frog
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Photo by T. BlundenPhoto by T. Blunden
Rana clamitansRana clamitans
• Plain brown/bronzy Plain brown/bronzy backback
• Incomplete Incomplete dorsolateral ridgesdorsolateral ridges
• Center of tympanum Center of tympanum elevatedelevated
• Green / Bronze FrogGreen / Bronze Frog
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Rana grylioRana grylio
• Large, plain frog, Large, plain frog, very sim. to R. very sim. to R. catesbianacatesbiana
• Webbing on 4Webbing on 4thth hind toes extends hind toes extends fully to tipfully to tip
• No dorsolateral No dorsolateral ridgesridges
• Pig FrogPig Frog
Photo By: T. LambPhoto By: T. Lamb
Rana heckscheriRana heckscheri
• Large, greenish Large, greenish black frog with light black frog with light spots on the lipsspots on the lips
• No dorsolateral No dorsolateral ridgesridges
• Dark below with Dark below with light markingslight markings
• River FrogRiver Frog
Photo By: A. DayPhoto By: A. Day
Rana sphenocephalaRana sphenocephala• Green or brown frog Green or brown frog
with darker spotswith darker spots• Strong dorsolateral Strong dorsolateral
ridges, often light ridges, often light coloredcolored
• Light spot in center Light spot in center of tympanumof tympanum
• Southern / Florida Leopard Southern / Florida Leopard FrogFrog
• Called Rana utricularia in Called Rana utricularia in Peterson’s Field GuidePeterson’s Field Guide
Photo By: D. StevensonPhoto By: D. Stevenson
Order CaudataOrder Caudata• SALAMANDERS!!!!SALAMANDERS!!!!• The Americas have more The Americas have more
salamanders than the rest of the salamanders than the rest of the world combined, and the world combined, and the southeastern US has more southeastern US has more salamanders than anywhere else salamanders than anywhere else in North America.in North America.
Family AmbystomatidaeFamily Ambystomatidae
• Mole salamanders!Mole salamanders!• FossorialFossorial• Tend to be stout with large headsTend to be stout with large heads
Ambystoma cingulatumAmbystoma cingulatum• Medium background Medium background
color with lighter, netlike color with lighter, netlike patternpattern
• Rare speciesRare species• Inhabitant of longleaf Inhabitant of longleaf
pine-wiregrass flatwoods pine-wiregrass flatwoods with cypress headswith cypress heads
• Dependent on fishless Dependent on fishless ponds to breedponds to breed
• Flatwoods SalamanderFlatwoods Salamander
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Ambystoma talpoidiumAmbystoma talpoidium
• Chunky body with large Chunky body with large headhead
• Dark overall coloration Dark overall coloration with bluish-grey fleckswith bluish-grey flecks
• Mole SalamanderMole SalamanderPhotos By: J. JensenPhotos By: J. Jensen
Family AmphiumidaeFamily Amphiumidae
• Eel-likeEel-like• Tiny front AND back legsTiny front AND back legs• No external gillsNo external gills
Amphiuma meansAmphiuma means•Eel-like, LARGEEel-like, LARGE•Four tiny legs with Four tiny legs with two toes eachtwo toes each•Almost completely Almost completely aquatic, but may aquatic, but may move overland on move overland on extremely wet extremely wet nights in flooded nights in flooded areasareas
•Two-toed Amphiuma, congo Two-toed Amphiuma, congo eel, conger eel, lamper eel, eel, conger eel, lamper eel, ditch eelditch eel
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Photo By: K. SorensonPhoto By: K. Sorenson
Family PlethodontidaeFamily Plethodontidae
• Lungless salamanders!Lungless salamanders!• Respire through the skinRespire through the skin• Tend to be slender with long tailsTend to be slender with long tails• Have a nasolabial grooveHave a nasolabial groove• Found most commonly in areas Found most commonly in areas
with some kind of running water with some kind of running water (streams, seeps, springs & (streams, seeps, springs & waterfalls)waterfalls)
Desmognathus Desmognathus apalachicolaapalachicola
• 10-14 pairs of light, 10-14 pairs of light, often coalescing often coalescing dorsal spots w/ dorsal spots w/ black fringesblack fringes
• Belly pure whiteBelly pure white
• Apalachicola Dusky Apalachicola Dusky SalamanderSalamander
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Desmognathus auriculatusDesmognathus auriculatus
• Dark overallDark overall• Series of Series of
“portholes” along “portholes” along sides of body and sides of body and tailtail
• Associated with Associated with cypress ponds and cypress ponds and stagnant poolsstagnant pools
• Southern Dusky Southern Dusky SalamanderSalamander
Photo by: B. MeansPhoto by: B. Means
Eurycea cirrigeraEurycea cirrigera
• Two dark lines Two dark lines bordering yellowish bordering yellowish middorsal stripemiddorsal stripe
• Tail longer than bodyTail longer than body• Five toes on hind feetFive toes on hind feet
• Southern Two-lined SalamanderSouthern Two-lined Salamander
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Eurycea longicaudaEurycea longicauda
• Three dark stripes Three dark stripes on yellow on yellow backgroundbackground
• Tail longer than Tail longer than bodybody
• Five toes on hind Five toes on hind feetfeet
• Three-lined Salamander Three-lined Salamander
(listed as Eurycea longicauda (listed as Eurycea longicauda guttolineatta in Peterson’s)guttolineatta in Peterson’s)
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Eurycea quadridigittataEurycea quadridigittata
• Very tiny sizeVery tiny size• Four toes on hind Four toes on hind
feetfeet• Three dark stripes Three dark stripes
on lighter on lighter backgroundbackground
• Dwarf SalamanderDwarf Salamander
Photo By: D. StevensonPhoto By: D. Stevenson
Plethodon grobmaniPlethodon grobmani
• Long, skinny, mostly Long, skinny, mostly black salamander black salamander with light fleckswith light flecks
• Distinct costal Distinct costal groovesgrooves
• Southeastern Slimy Southeastern Slimy Salamander (part of Salamander (part of P.glutinosus complex)P.glutinosus complex)
Pseudotriton montanusPseudotriton montanus
• Plain rusty brown color Plain rusty brown color aboveabove
• Pale venter with sparse Pale venter with sparse dark specklesdark speckles
• Eastern / Rusty Mud Salamander Eastern / Rusty Mud Salamander (listed as P. m. (listed as P. m. floridanus in guide)floridanus in guide)
Photo By: W. Van Photo By: W. Van DevenderDevender
Pseudotriton ruberPseudotriton ruber
• Reddish orange Reddish orange above with white above with white flecking, esp. flecking, esp. concentrated on headconcentrated on head
• Belly pale with many Belly pale with many small black specklessmall black speckles
• Red Salamander Red Salamander
(ours listed as P. r. vioscai in (ours listed as P. r. vioscai in guide)guide)
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Family SalamandridaeFamily Salamandridae
• Newts!Newts!• Terrestrial stage with rough, glandular Terrestrial stage with rough, glandular
skinskin• Some species may have complicated Some species may have complicated
life cycles:life cycles:
Egg Egg Larva Larva Eft Eft AdultAdult
AQUATIC AQUATIC AQUATIC TERRESTRIAL AQUATIC AQUATIC TERRESTRIAL AQUATIC
Notopthalmus perstriatusNotopthalmus perstriatus• Small with rough skinSmall with rough skin• Light colored with dark Light colored with dark
spotsspots• Red dorsolateral stripes Red dorsolateral stripes
(faint on specimen – look hard!)(faint on specimen – look hard!)
• Dependent on fishless Dependent on fishless ponds to breed – RAREponds to breed – RARE
• Striped NewtStriped Newt Photos By: J. JensenPhotos By: J. Jensen
Notopthamus viridiscensNotopthamus viridiscens
• Small with rough skinSmall with rough skin• Dusky colored with Dusky colored with
lighter orange, yellow, lighter orange, yellow, or red spotsor red spots
• Pale belly with many Pale belly with many dark flecksdark flecks
• Eastern Newt Eastern Newt
Photo By: R. BirkheadPhoto By: R. Birkhead
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Family SirenidaeFamily Sirenidae
• Highly aquaticHighly aquatic• Eel-like, but with substantial front Eel-like, but with substantial front
legs legs • No hind legsNo hind legs• External, bushy gillsExternal, bushy gills
Siren intermediaSiren intermedia
• NO HIND LIMBS NO HIND LIMBS • Eel-like with bushy Eel-like with bushy
gillsgills• Large front limbsLarge front limbs• MediumMedium size size• Highly aquaticHighly aquatic
• Lesser SirenLesser Siren
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Siren lacertinaSiren lacertina
• Eel-like with Eel-like with bushy bushy gillsgills
• NO HIND LEGSNO HIND LEGS• Large, well Large, well
developed front developed front limbslimbs
• LargeLarge size size• Highly aquaticHighly aquatic
• Greater SirenGreater Siren
Photo By: J. JensenPhoto By: J. Jensen
Questions?Questions?
Photo By: T. Photo By: T. BlundenBlunden