Midwife Toads and Painted Frogs: Discoglossidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Midwife Toad (alytes Obstetricans): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, PAINTED FROGS MIDWIFE TOADS AND PEOPLE

These frogs are mainly European, living in both central and southern Europe. Some also live in northwestern Africa and Israel. Their diets may include beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, flies, and other insects, as well as other types of invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), which are animals without backbones. These invertebrates may include spiders, pillbugs, and snails. Although their tongu…

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Olms and Mudpuppies: Proteidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Olm (proteus Anguinus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, MUDPUPPIES OLMS AND PEOPLE

Torrent Salamanders: Rhyacotritonidae - Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Cascade Torrent Salamander (rhyacotriton Cascadae): Species Account - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, TORRENT SALAMANDERS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Torrent salamanders are small, short-tailed, greenish yellow, large-eyed salamanders. They are 3 to 4.5 inches (8 to 11 centimeters) long with a stocky body, a broad head, eyes that stick out, and a short snout. The legs are small but sturdy. The tail is short, is flat from side to side, and has a small ridge along the top. These salamanders have lungs that do not function. Torrent salamander…

1 minute read

Mesoamerican Burrowing Toads: Rhinophrynidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Mesoamerican Burrowing Toads And People - CONSERVATION STATUS

This species is not considered to be at risk. It is quite common in parts of Mexico and Central America, but it is rare in the United States and only lives in a few scattered areas in Texas. For this reason, Texas Parks and Wildlife lists it as threatened. …

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Lungless Salamanders: Plethodontidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Dusky Salamander (desmognathus Fuscus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, LUNGLESS SALAMANDERS AND PEOPLE

Lungless salamanders live in southern Canada, much of the United States, and Mexico except the north-central parts of these countries. They also live in Central America and central South America. Most of the species live in the eastern and central parts of the United States. Six species live in the middle western Mediterranean region of Europe. Lungless salamanders live in forest, woodlands, …

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Clawed Frogs and Surinam Toads: Pipidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Clawed Frogs, Surinam Toads, And People - HABITAT

Amphiumas: Amphiumidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Amphiumas And People, Three-toed Amphiuma (amphiuma Tridactylum): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Amphiumas live in an area that extends from southeastern Virginia southward along the coastal plain and throughout Florida, westward along the coastal plain and from southwestern Alabama and all of Mississippi and Louisiana to the easternmost part of Texas and most southeastern part of Oklahoma northward to the extreme southeastern portion of Missouri. Amphiumas live in swamps, marshes, ditch…

1 minute read

Caecilians: Gymnophiona - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - HABITAT, CAECILIANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Some caecilians live in moist soil that is rich in decayed plant matter. They also live in leaf litter and sometimes even in the lower parts of plants. Other caecilians live in water all or most of the time. Caecilians eat insects that are harmful to people. The burrowing movements of land-dwelling caecilians turn soil and thus keep it in good condition. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) li…

1 minute read

Asian Toadfrogs: Megophryidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Asian Toadfrogs And People, Conservation Status, Bana Leaf Litter Frog (leptobrachium Banae): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET

Asian toadfrogs live in many areas of Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Although Asian toadfrogs live in many different habitats, most tend to prefer old, thick forests that have ground covered by layers of leaves. Most of them move into clean and clear streams, usually those with slow currents, to breed. Many Asian toadfrogs eat a wide variety of invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), or animals wit…

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American Tailed Caecilians: Rhinatrematidae - Physical Characteristics, Marbled Caecilian (epicrionops Marmoratus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, AMERICAN TAILED CAECILIANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

American tailed caecilians live in northern South America, including parts of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Surinam, and Venezuela. American tailed caecilians live in tropical rainforests in moist spots full of leaf litter, rotten logs, and burrows in the soil. The larvae live mainly in streams. Larvae (LAR-vee) are animals in an early stage that change body form in …

1 minute read

Spadefoot Toads: Pelobatidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Plains Spadefoot Toad (spea Bombifrons): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, SPADEFOOT TOADS AND PEOPLE

Four species live from Europe and western Asia to northwestern Africa. The remaining seven are North American species, found from southern Mexico through the United States and to southern Canada. Spadefoot toads are burrowing frogs that live in areas with loose, often sandy soil and usually dry weather. Some, like the Plains spadefoot toad, can live in almost desert-like conditions. They come…

1 minute read

Asian Tailed Caecilians: Ichthyophiidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Ceylon Caecilian (ichthyophis Glutinosus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, ASIAN TAILED CAECILIANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Asian tailed caecilians live in India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, southern China, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Malay Archipelago west of Wallace's line. Asian tailed caecilians live in leaf litter and soil in tropical rainforests. Many species do well, however, in areas that have been cleared of trees for farming. Little is known about the feeding habits of Asi…

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Parsley Frogs: Pelodytidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Parsley Frog (pelodytes Punctatus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, PARSLEY FROGS AND PEOPLE

All three species of this family live in Europe and/or western Asia. The species known simply as the parsley frog or common parsley frog is found in southwestern Europe. The Caucasus parsley frog lives in Turkey and other areas near the Caspian Sea. The Iberian parsley frog lives in the southern parts of Portugal and Spain. Parsley frogs live in various moist places, often near water. Some ma…

1 minute read

Kerala Caecilians: Uraeotyphylidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Red Caecilian (uraeotyphlus Oxyurus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, KERALA CAECILIANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Buried-Eyed Caecilians: Scolecomorphidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Kirk's Caecilian (scolecomorphus Kirkii): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BURIED-EYED CAECILIANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Buried-eyed caecilians live in Cameroon in the west of Africa and Malawi and Tanzania in the east of Africa. No caecilians of any kind have been found in central Africa. This distribution pattern is odd, because the vast region of the upper Congo seems ideally suited for caecilians. Caecilians probably live in central Africa but just have not been found. Buried-eyed caecilians live in tropica…

1 minute read

Ghost Frogs: Heleophrynidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Natal Ghost Frog (heleophryne Natalensis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, GHOST FROGS AND PEOPLE

Ghost frogs live in and around South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains, where some of the world's highest waterfalls are found. The ghost frogs may make their homes among the forests and sometimes grasslands of the Drakensberg mountain range, which are the highest mountains in South Africa. They can be found from sea level up the mountains' steep slopes to 9,843 feet (3,000 …

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Seychelles Frogs: Sooglossidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Seychelles Frog (sooglossus Sechellensis): Species Account - HABITAT, DIET, SEYCHELLES FROGS AND PEOPLE

Tailless Caecilians: Caeciliidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Mexican Caecilian (dermophis Mexicanus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, TAILLESS CAECILIANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Tailless caecilians live in Central and South America; the eastern and western parts of Africa, but not the Sahara; the Seychelles; India; Sri Lanka; the Philippines; and the region that extends from southern China through the Malay Peninsula. Tailless caecilians help to control damaging insects, such as termites. Because they actively burrow, rather than following root channels or other read…

1 minute read

Amphibians - Species List by Biome

Ailao moustache toad Annam broad-headed toad Bana leaf litter frog Brown frog Cascade torrent salamander Coastal giant salamander Eastern narrow-mouthed toad European fire salamander Fire-bellied toad Great crested newt Mandarin salamander Oriental fire-bellied toad Schmidt's lazy toad Smooth newt Two-lined salamander Yellow-bellied toad Arboreal salamander Asian horned frog Bell's s…

3 minute read

Species List by Geographic Range

Brown frog European fire salamander Great crested newt Smooth newt Painted frog European fire salamander Great crested newt Smooth newt Bubbling kassina Common plantanna (African clawed frog) Hairy frog Marbled snout-burrower Painted reed frog Tropical clawed frog Budgett's frog Darwin's frog Gray four-eyed frog Marine toad Patagonia frog Brown frog Eungella torrent frog Green treefr…

10 minute read

Australian Ground Frogs: Limnodynastidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Tusked Frog (adelotus Brevis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, AUSTRALIAN GROUND FROGS AND PEOPLE

Australian Toadlets and Water Frogs: Myobatrachidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Australian Toadlets, Water Frogs, And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Leptodactylid Frogs: Leptodactylidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Leptodactylid Frogs And People, Conservation Status - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Vocal Sac-Brooding Frogs: Rhinodermatidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Darwin's Frog (rhinoderma Darwinii): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, VOCAL SAC-BROODING FROGS AND PEOPLE

Three-Toed Toadlets: Brachycephalidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Pumpkin Toadlet (brachycephalus Ephippium): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, THREE-TOED TOADLETS AND PEOPLE

Harlequin Frogs True Toads and Relatives: Bufonidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, True Toads, Harlequin Frogs, Their Relatives, And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET

Poison Frogs: Dendrobatidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Poison Frogs And People, Conservation Status - HABITAT

Ruthven's Frog: Allophrynidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Ruthven's Frogs And People - DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Scientists have not studied this small frog in enough detail to learn what it eats. If it follows the pattern of the glass frogs and many other types of frogs, however, it eats small insects. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) does not consider Ruthven's frog to be at risk. It lives in an area that is seldom visited by humans, and the frog is quite common there. The frog has not …

1 minute read

Glass Frogs: Centrolenidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Glass Frogs And People, Conservation Status, Lynch's Cochran Frog (cochranella Ignota): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET

Amero-Australian Treefrogs: Hylidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Amero-australian Treefrogs And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

True Frogs: Ranidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Micro Frog (microbatrachella Capensis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, TRUE FROGS AND PEOPLE

True frogs live in much of the world, including most of North and Central America, the north end and parts of central South America, most of Europe and Asia, much of Africa, and Australia. Some members of the family are also found on islands in the ocean. Some populations, like those in much of Australia, were introduced to these areas by humans and previously did not live there. Many species…

1 minute read

Squeakers and Cricket Frogs: Arthroleptidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Common Squeaker (arthroleptis Stenodactylus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, CRICKET FROGS SQUEAKERS AND PEOPLE

The squeakers and cricket frogs are found throughout much of central to southern Africa, but not in the southwest portion of the continent. Some live in lowland forests and others in mountains up to 9,800 feet (3,000 meters) above sea level. The smaller frogs in this family eat invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), which are animals without backbones. In particular, they eat tiny insects, spider…

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Shovel-Nosed Frogs: Hemisotidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Marbled Snout-burrower (hemisus Sudanensis): Species Account - HABITAT, DIET, SHOVEL-NOSED FROGS AND PEOPLE

African Treefrogs: Hyperoliidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Bubbling Kassina (kassina Senegalensis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, AFRICAN TREEFROGS AND PEOPLE

Asian Treefrogs: Rhacophoridae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Kinugasa Flying Frog (rhacophorus Arboreus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, ASIAN TREEFROGS AND PEOPLE

Asian treefrogs live in southeastern Asia, the southern half of Africa, and Madagascar. In southeastern Asia, species live in southern India, Sri Lanka, central and southern China, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia. In Africa, they live in a stretch of land across the center of the continent from about the Ivory Coast in the west to Somalia in the east, and then…

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Narrow-Mouthed Frogs: Microhylidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Wilhelm Rainforest Frog (cophixalus Riparius): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, NARROW-MOUTHED FROGS AND PEOPLE

Depending on the species, narrow-mouthed frogs may live in southern North America, central and northern South America, Central America, southern Africa and Madagascar, southeast Asia including the Philippines and the East Indies, and/or northern Australia and New Guinea. Some native people in South America, New Guinea, and perhaps some other areas eat narrow-mouthed frogs, but they do not tak…

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Madagascaran Toadlets: Scaphiophrynidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Mocquard's Rain Frog (scaphiophryne Calcarata): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, MADAGASCARAN TOADLETS AND PEOPLE

Salamanders And Newts: Caudata - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Salamanders, Newts, And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Almost all salamanders live in the Northern Hemisphere. One species even lives north of the Arctic Circle. Only a few species of salamanders live south of the equator, and those live in North and South America as far south as Bolivia. Adult salamanders eat spiders, insects, worms, crustaceans such as crayfish, mollusks such as slugs and snails, fish and fish eggs, tadpoles, other salamanders,…

1 minute read

Sirens and Dwarf Sirens: Sirenidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Lesser Siren (siren Intermedia): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, DWARF SIRENS SIRENS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Amphibians: Pronunciation Guide for Scientific Names

Acanthixalus spinosus ay-kan-THICK-sal-us spy-NO-sus Adelotus brevis ay-deh-LO-tus BREH-vis Adenomus kandianus ay-deh-NO-mus kan-die-AY-nus Albericus siegfriedi al-BEAR-ih-kus SIG-freed-eye Alexteroon jynx ay-LEKS-tih-roh-on jinks Allophryne ruthveni ah-lo-FRYN rooth-VEN-eye Allophrynidae ah-lo-FRY-nih-dee Alytes obstetricans ah-LYE-tes ob-STET-trih-kanz Ambystoma tigrinum am-bih-STOH-ma tih-GRIH-…

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Getting to Know Amphibians

Three different types of amphibians (am-FIB-ee-uhns) live on Earth today: In all, the world holds at least 4,837 species of frogs and toads, 502 of salamanders, and 165 of caecilians. Scientists are still discovering new species, so those numbers grow larger and larger as the years pass. Although frogs, salamanders, and caecilians are usually not mistaken for one another, they still share several …

29 minute read

Asiatic Salamanders: Hynobiidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Hokkaido Salamander (hynobius Retardatus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, ASIATIC SALAMANDERS AND PEOPLE

Asiatic salamanders live only in Asia. Their range extends from Japan, Taiwan, and the mainland of China westward to Afghanistan, Iran, and Kazakhstan in central Asia. To the north, Asian salamanders live on the Kamchatka peninsula, the island of Sakhalin, and in Siberia and Mongolia westward beyond the Ural Mountains. Siberian salamanders are the only Asiatic salamanders that enter European …

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Asiatic Giant Salamanders and Hellbenders: Cryptobranchidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Hellbender (cryptobranchus Alleganiensis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, HELLBENDERS ASIATIC GIANT

Asiatic giant salamanders and hellbenders live in the eastern part of China, the southern part of Japan, and the eastern part of the United States. Asiatic giant salamanders and hellbenders live in cool streams and rivers with gravel- or rock-covered bottoms. Chinese giant salamanders live in mountain streams, usually at heights less than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level. Japanese gi…

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Frogs and Toads - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Frogs And People

Pacific Giant Salamanders: Dicamptodontidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Coastal Giant Salamander (dicamptodon Tenebrosus): Species Account - HABITAT, PACIFIC GIANT SALAMANDERS AND PEO

New Zealand Frogs: Leiopelmatidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, New Zealand Frogs And People, Conservation Status, Hamilton's Frog (leiopelma Hamiltoni): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET

Although they share New Zealand with a few other species of frogs, the members of this family are the only frogs that are actually native to New Zealand. Humans introduced, or brought in, the others, which include two species of bell frogs and a brown tree frog. New Zealand frogs live on North, Maud, Great Barrier, and Stephens Islands. Conservationists in 1997 introduced one of the four spec…

1 minute read

Mole Salamanders: Ambystomatidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Tiger Salamander (ambystoma Tigrinum): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, MOLE SALAMANDERS AND PEOPLE

Mole salamanders live in North America from southern Canada to just south of Mexico City, Mexico. Mole salamanders live in woodlands and grasslands, including partially dry pine and juniper woodland with vernal pools, ponds, or streams for breeding. A vernal (VUHR-nehl) pool is one that forms in the spring but then dries up for the rest of the year. Species that do not go through metamorphosi…

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Tailed Frogs: Ascaphidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog (ascaphus Montanus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, TAILED FROGS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Both species live in North America. The coastal tailed frog lives along the Pacific Ocean coastline from northern California in the United States into British Columbia in Canada, but not on Canada's Vancouver Island. The Rocky Mountain tailed frog makes its home in Idaho, western Montana, southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and the most southeastern portion of British Columbi…

1 minute read

Newts and European Salamanders: Salamandridae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Smooth Newt (triturus Vulgaris): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, EUROPEAN SALAMANDERS NEWTS AND PEOPLE

Newts and European salamanders live in scattered areas across the Northern Hemisphere, including western and eastern North America, Europe, Japan and other areas in Asia, and the northern part of Africa. Newts and European salamanders eat small invertebrate prey, including insects, earthworms, slugs, and snails. Invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts) are animals without backbones. In the water-dwe…

1 minute read

Fire-Bellied Toads and Barbourulas: Bombinatoridae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Fire-bellied Toads, Barbourulas, And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT