Vertebrate Natural History
Lissamphibia
"liss" is Latin for smooth in
smooth skin
Overview of Amphibians
Amphibians...an overview
:All carnivorous as adults --Wide diversity of foods; whatever can catch and swallow
Three extant lineages
Sympatric salamanders often with different-sized heads Why?
Salamanders
Frogs and toads
Hearing organs of inner ear
Caecilians
Lower frequencies;<1,000 Hz
Skin moist; scaleless --Significant O/CO exchange
Higher frequencies;>I,000 Hz
Degrces of toxicity -- Mucous glands
Radiated during Jurassic;ca.250 my