Vertebrate Tetrapods:
Amphibians
Exercise 19
Goals for today
• Learn to recognized the different orders of
amphibians
• Learn the main ‘diagnostic’ characteristics of
the group.
• Learn about some species biology
Tetrapoda
Hallmark characteristics of tetrapods:
1. 4 walking limbs with toes
2. Specialized atlas, 2 occipital condyles
3. Hyoid apparatus for tongue muscles
4. Middle ear with tympanum, stapes
5. Eyelids
Lissamphibia (extant amphibians)
Class Amphibians
Hallmark characteristics of
amphibians:
1. Glandular skin
2. Cutaneous gas exchange
3. Short ribs
4. Hands with 4 digits
5. Reduced or absent dermal armor
6. Typically with aquatic larval stage
Class Amphibia
Order Caudata- Salamanders, newts
Order Anura-frogs and toads
Order Gymnophiona-cecilians
Order Caudata-Salamanders
Order Caudata-Salamanders
Characteristics
• Generalized, ancestral body plan
• Elongate body, 4 walking limbs,
and long tail
• Larvae differ from adults: Have
tail fins, external gills, and
lateral line
Northwestern Salamander, Ambystoma gracile,
larva; WA
Lesser Siren, Siren intermedia, an aquatic
salamander (note external gills) that lacks hind
limbs
Order Caudata
– Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
• Class Amphibia
• Order Caudata
There is a skeleton in one of the
tables, take a look at the position of
the legs. Examine the following
bones:
Salamander Skeleton
Task today see a preserve salamander and its skeleton in
one of the tables study its anatomy
Order Anura-Frogs and Toads
Order Anura-Frogs and Toads
Characteristics
• Characteristics
• Body plan specialized for leaping
or swimming
• Vertebral column shortened,
forms urostyle
• Hind legs greatly elongated
• Fusion of tibia-fibula, ulnaradius
• Loss of tail
• Larvae ("tadpoles"): have tails,
lack legs; internal gills, have
beak or denticles; lateral line
present
Anurans of Puerto Rico
http://www.proyectocoqui.org/home.html
Do you want to hear frogs calling in
real time?
http://arbimon.net/
Vertebrados de Puerto Rico
Total de
especies
Endémicas
Exóticas
Anfibios
25
19
6
Reptiles
56*
47
4
Aves
300 +
16
> 35
Mamíferos
22**
N/A***
7
*Esta cífra incluye 5 tortugas marinas, 1 jicotea endémica y una exótica.
**Esta cífra incluye 13 murciélagos nativos al caribe, delfines, y manatíes.
***Hubo mamíferos terrestres posiblemente endémicos ( oso perezoso, jutía),
pero éstas están extinctas.
Area de la
isla (km2 )
8,990
Especies más comunes
Coquí Churí
Coquí común
Highland
Lowland
Fotos por Carlos Andres Rodriguez
Coquí Pitito
Ranita de Labio Blanco
Fotos por Carlos Andres Rodriguez
Especies amenazadas
Coquí de la Montaña
Coquí Caoba
Fotos por Carlos Andres Rodriguez
Amenazas
• Destrucción de
hábitat
• Cambio climático
• Especies exóticas
• Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis
(Bd).
Today’s Dissection: External Anatomy
Today’s Dissection: External Anatomy
Today’s Disection
Today’s Disection
Female frog anatomy
Female frog anatomy
Male Frog anatomy
Frog Skeleton
Frog Skeleton
Frog Skin
Links with dissections
• http://jb004.k12.sd.us/MY%20WEBSITE%20INFO
/BIOLOGY%202/ANIMAL%20KINGDOM/FROG%2
0DISSECTION/FROG%20ANATOMY%20HOMEPAG
E.htm
• http://www.kstate.edu/organismic/amphibians.htm
• http://animal.discovery.com/tv/vanishingfrogs/anatomy/anatomy.html