Amphibian Diversity
A bit about their evolution…………
First amphibians evolved from Sarcopterygian fish (360 MYA)
– Devonian
Coelacanths In 1938, a fisherman pulled a
strange catch from the waters
of the Indian Ocean. The
iridescent blue animal had odd
fleshy fins that looked
something like limbs. Earlier
seen in fossils.
Tiktaalik – The first group that left
the water, but yet a fish
Ichthyostegalians The early amphibians
• Now an amphibian, though yet carrying features of
fish - Lateral line (sensory organ to detect vibrations
and movement underwater)
Amphibian features: Breathes through their skin
- Eggs were laid in the water (like fish) and tadpoles
emerged -> Metamorphosis occurred
-> Developed limbs
Lissamphibians - in Greek
Liss - smooth (referring to the skin) & Amphibia - double
life (metamorphosis)
Coming out of the water provided a great
opportunity to diversify!
Many niches that were NOT used on land until
that time, were now available to them
• Although amphibians appear to be simple and
were the first vertebrate group to come to
land, a wide range of survival strategies
allowed them to occupy many different types
of terrestrial habitats
New Challenges …………………………
(i) Land to water necessitated preventing water loss /
maintaining moisture and conserving water
1) Mucous glands (prevent desiccation / slippery / disease-free)
2) Are active at night
3) Occupied cool habitats
4) Special modifications in some
Pelvic Patch: Highly vascularized skin;
absorbs water
Puertorican frog
Permeable Bladder: Store water in urine
(dilute urine)
(ii) What of gas exchange on land?
• Cutaneous respiration –
Smooth, moist skin: Loss of scales (exception =
caecilians)
•Buccopharyngeal – Gas exchange occurs in
buccal cavity / pharynx
•Pulmonary – Paired lungs (too small for all gas
exchange)
•Gills – In aquatic forms & tadpoles
Paedomorphosis - External gills retained
Retention of juvenile traits in adults
Laterally compressed tail / flattened head
functional lateral line system
Axolotl known as the Mexican salamander
(Ambystoma mexicanum)
(iii) Defense is more difficult?
•Poison glands
concentrated on
dorsal
surface
Dart-poison frogs
Lipid-soluble Alkaloid
(Blocks Ach receptors)
(iv) Unique hearing
adaptations for prey
detection / Vocalization
Dual system
• High frequency (> 1000 Hz vibration of columella
alone (air)
• Low frequency (< 1000 Hz vibration of operculum-
columella unit (ground) Vibration via leg bones /
scapula
Operculum – Columella complex
Two bones in middle ear that transmit sound to inner ear
Frogs need vocal sacs for
amplification
Vocal sacs are open to
the mouth cavity of the
frog.
Paired vocal sacs
When calling the frog
inflates its lungs and
shuts its nose and mouth
and expels air from the
lungs, through the larynx
into the vocal sac.
Single vocal sac
Amphibian
radiation
Extant species
Figure 6.1 – Vertebrate Biology
Order : Apoda (Caecilians)
(worldwide 6 families; 80 sp)
• Long, slender body; small dermal scales
• Legless; no post-anal tail
• Most blind as adults
• Specialized sensory tentacles
• All have lungs except for the lungless
Atretochoana eiselti
• Fossorial (burrowing) & slithering
• Feeds on small insects / earthworms
• Internal fertilization (via intromittent
organ (Phallodeum) which is used for
copulation
• 75 % viviparous (live young)
• Initial nutrition = yolk
• Subsequent nutrition “uterine milk”
• Breath via fetal gills
•25% oviparous (may brood)
In Sri Lanka
➢ Ichthyophidae
➢ Ground dwelling/burrowing, under stones, rotting vegetation
➢ In moist forests in central and southern parts of the island
➢ One genus and four species - all endemic
E.g. Ichthyophis glutanosus
Order : Caudata (Salamanders)
In the Neotropics
145 sp in a single family -
Plethodontidae
• Presence of tail in both larvae and
adults Order: Caudata (“Tailed Ones”)
• 4 equally-sized limbs (extend at
right angle from body)
•Size ranges from 3 cm to >1 m
• Locomotion - Walking-trot or
swim - anguilliform
Respiration varies –
Aquatic = primarily gills ; Terrestrial = lungs (50%) / cutaneous
(50%); Plethodontidae = lungless, cutaneous (10%) &
buccopharynx (90%)
Chinese Giant Salamander
• Generalist carnivores feeding
primarily on invertebrates
•Aquatic - Suction pulls prey into
oral cavity; tongue is broad & flat,
but immobile
•Terrestrial - Thick, sticky
tongue grabs prey
Order : Anura (Frogs and Toads) – Largest group
• Long limbs/short stout bodies Families in Sri Lanka
• Hopping/swimming Bufonidae
• No tail Microhylidae
Ranidae
Total Density
(spp.1,000 km-2) Dicroglossidae
Brazil 516 0.06 Nyctibatrachidae
Rhacophoridae
India 182 0.06
➢ Amphibian fauna
Zaire 216 0.09 comprises around 125
Indonesia 270 0.13 identified species. But it
is suspected that we
Ecuador 358 1.3 have around 250
Costa Rica 140 2.75 species.
➢ Representing about 2
Sri Lanka 250 3.9** % of the world’s
known frog species.
Family :
Bufonidae
Genera 3 (Adenomus, Duttaphrynus, Bufo)
Species 8
Endemics 3
➢ Mostly terrestrial, semi-aquatic
➢ Stocky body; more upright
➢ Relatively rough and dry skin usually with warts
Family : Rhacophoridae
Species 37 Most endemic
➢ Tree frogs – arboreal
➢Discs on toes - large rounded provides
suction)
➢Males have vocal sacs – specific calls
Family : Microhylidae – Small mouth
Genera 4; Species 10; Endemics 5
➢Most in wet zone some in dry
zone (e.g. Microhyla rubra)
➢Generally ground dwelling;
Uperodon systoma
burrowing; in tree holes
➢Four Genera: Kaloula,
Uperodon, Ramanella,
Microhyla
Ichthyophis pseudangularis
Family : Ranidae
Genera 2
Species 3
Endemics 1
Hylarana aurantiaca
➢ Almost entirely aquatic
➢ Hind feet long with well developed webbing
➢ Slimy skin
Ichthyophis pseudangularis
Euphlyctis
cyanophylctis
Family : Dicroglossidae
Nannophrys marmorata
Knuckles rock frog
Species 13; Endemics 6 Point endemic/Endemic genus
➢ Aquatic / Semi aquatic
➢ Partial webbing
➢ Slimy skin
Family : Nyctibatrichidae
Endemic genus
Lankanectes corrugatus
➢ Aquatic
➢ Well developed webbing in hind feet
➢ Slimy skin
➢ Identifiable by the lateral skin folds
Ichthyophis pseudangularis
Diversity in calls
• In some species both males and females call
• Different species have different calls
Diversity of reproductive modes in anurans
• 39 reproductive modes have been recognized in
anurans
• Greater reproductive diversity than any other
group of tetrapod vertebrates
• Diversity in a combination of traits that includes
✓ Oviposition site
✓ Clutch size and characteristics
✓ Duration of development
✓ Stage and size at hatchling
✓ Type of parental care
Jelly
nesters
Foam
nesters
Tadpoles
drop down
to a puddle
of water
• Eggs laid in rows held by
a gelatinous strand
• Or surrounded by
gelatinous capsule Terrestrial breeders;
Soft shell- like structure
surrounds egg
The foam nesters (Polypedates)
• Eggs are on wet surfaces
Larvae aquatic
• Fall into the water below Or
on land just near water
Semi terrestrial
tadpoles and eggs
Nannophrys
marmorata
Philautus alto - Direct development on land;
These frogs are remarkable in that they
emerge directly from the eggs, bypassing the
aquatic tadpole stage.
Amplexus – positions in water and on land differ
Philautus femoralis – nests on underside
of leaf
Parental Care
Direct
Development
(egg protection) Bromeliad Nest
(egg protection)
(tadpole protection)
Carry Eggs / tadpoles Internal Brooding
(Surinam Toad → ♀) (♀ → Gastric Brooders)
Carry Eggs
(Mid-wife Toad → ♂)
