Order: Gymnophiona ( Apoda) Caecilians 

Pantropical in distribution, tropical forest forms (worldwide)

majority burrow in soft, deep soil

Tail greatly reduced/absent

No limbs or limb girdles

No ear openings but has the collumena bone

Fold on skin- annuli 

Paired sensory tentacles on head - eyes are greatly reduced

Dermal scales may be present 

Internal fertilizaton, male phallodeum

Oviparous and viviparous, direct and indirect development

Early Jurassic- first fossils 

Order: Gymnophiona( Apoda) Caecilians 

Family: Typhlonectidae-viviparous  

(recent terms)

Family: Sirenidae Sirens      SE USA

Permanently aquatic larvae (paedomorphosis); eel-like 

Forelimbs only 

Lungs and gills present 

Interventricular septum in heart     ( almost a 4 chambered heart)

Burrow into mud of ditches and ponds ( aestivation) escape dry climate

Siren, Pseudobranchus

Tail well developed 

Majority are four limbed

Largest genomes of any tetrapods

External and internal fertilization

Male: majority produce a spermatophore femal take into claudical 

Oviparous and viviparous; direct and indirect development 

Middle Jurassic 

Family: Cryptobranchidae- hellbenders and giant salamanders  USA and JAPAN

largest extant salamanders

Four fingers and five toes 

Lung present 

Folded skin, cutaneous respiration (important for respiration, highly vascularize)

Aquatic

External fertilization ( few groups that does this)

Males guard nest ( paternal) 

Cryptobranchus 

Family: Hynobiiidae - Asiatic land salamanders                                    ASIA

Lungs reduced or absent 

External fertilization 

Hynobius 

Family:Aphiumidae-Congo eels- like SE USA

Stagnant water and swamps 

Small arms and legs

Parental care; female guard eggs 

Paedomorphic ( sexual mature, but retain larvae characteristics) 

Amphiuma

Family: Plethodonidae

 Tropical America and Northern Italy 

Very large, diverse group

Aquatic, terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal 

Lungless

Eggs oviposited in water or on land 

Parental care, brooding 

Plenthodon, Desmognathus, Pseudotriton, Eurycea, Typhlomolge (cave living blind Texas) 

Family: Rhyacotritonidae            NW USA

One genus 

Rhyacotriton

Family: Proteidae -  N. America, Italy, "Yugoslavia"

Aquatic salamanders

Permanent larvae, paedomorphic

Internal fertilization

Gills and lungs

Two genera

Necturus, Proteus

Family: Salamandridae- Salamanders and newts  N. America, Europe, N. Africa, Asia 

Very widespread

Lungs

Internal fertilization

Oviparous and viviparous

Elaborate courtships - can goes for days

Notophthalmus (larva, eft, adult), Taricha, Salamandra

red eft drive H2O to land to H2O once mated 

Family: Ambystomatidae- North American salamanders                           N. America

Have lungs

Eggs usually oviposited in water

Costal grooves rib region

Some paedomorphic; obligatory and facultative neoteny

Some hybridization, produced triploid all female species (gynogenesis)

One genus 

Ambystoma tigrinum, A. texanum, A. mexicanum, A. mavortium 

Family: Dicamptodontidae some join this family with Ambystomatidae  W. NORTH AMERICA

Moist coastal forests 

Lengthy larval period ( 2 to 5 yrs)

One genus 

Dicamptodon

Order Salientia ( Anura)

No tail in extant adults tailess

Postsacral vertebrae fused to form urostyle 

No distinct neck

Hind limbs for jumping ( elongated ilia)

Large eyes, movable eyelids

Large tympanum (ear drum)

Short trunk

Larynx usually present 

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Archeobatrachia

Family: Ascaphidae - Tailed frog     NW North America 

 Mountain streams

Nine presacral vertebrae

Two "tail wagging" muscle

Internal fertilization ( male has copulatory organ) tail like structure to transfer sperm 

Sperm viable in oviduct for 10 months (Sept. to July) 

Nocturnal

Male voiceless

Inguinal amplexus ( both male clasping femal in groin )

Ascaphus truei

Family: Leiopelmatidae- Ribbed frogs  

                                       NEW Zealand

 Free ribs

Two " tail wagging" muscles

Nine presacral vertebrae ( in front of the head) 

Terrestrial eggs- direct development

male broods eggs

Closely related to two Jurassic genera from Argentina 

Nocturnal 

Inguinal Amplexus 

Leiopelma

Family: Bombinatoridae   EUROPE & ASIA

Aquatic to terrestrial 

Inquinal amplexus 

Bombina (Unkenreflex) 

Family: Discoglossidae -Alytidae

W. EUROPE TO MIDDLE EAST

Aquatic to terrestrial 

Free ribs 

Alytes ( male carries eggs)

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Mesobtrachia

Family : Pelobatidae - Archaic frogs

N. America, Europe, SE Asia, NW Africa

(Scaphiopodidae)

Explossive breeders

Fossorial, spade on hind feet

Sandy soils, dry habitat

1. Spea bombifrons ( Scaphiopus)

Family : Pelodytidae W. Europe & W. Asia

Terrestrial

Often placed as a subfamily with Pelobatidae

Pelodytes 

Family: Rhinophrynidae-Mexian Burrow frog

N. Central America 

Fossorial

Feeds on ants and termites 

Rhinophrynus

Family: Pipidae - Tongueless Frogs 

Tropical S. America, SubSahara Africa

No tongue

Three of the hind digits may have claws

Inguinal amplexus

All retain lateral line sensory system as adult, detect vibration 

Call underwater

Xenopus( Africa) Pipa ( S. America) 

Family:Allophrynidae Northern S. America

Very rare

Allophyrne 

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

(recent groups) 

 Family: Brachycephalidae- Shield frogs 

SE Brazil

Two finger, three toes 

Brachycephalus

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Bufonidae- True toads   Widespread

Breed in open waters

Long strings of eggs 

Parotoid glands 

Dry warty skin

Bidder's organ (rudimentary ovary in males) sometimes female gets testis 

Bufo woodhousii, Bufo americanus , Bufo cognatus 

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family:Centrolendidae- Glass frogs 

 Central and S. America 

Parental care 

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Hylidae- true frogs 

N,C, S. America, Australopapuan

Most arboreal to semiarboreal

Dilated digit tips

Some exhibit extrauterine viviparity  ( Gastrotheca)

Hyla chrysoscelis, Acris crepitans, Pseudacris triseriata, Cyclorana (estivate, epidermal cocoon)

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Leptodactylidae

S. USA, Central and S. America

Very diverse group

Many practice parental care

Eleutherodactylus , E. jasperi- young develop in uterus of female viviparous, Puerto Rico

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family:Myobatrachidae   Australia, Asia

Dominant frogs of Australia

Semiaquatic to terrestrial 

Egg brooding ( Inguinal patches in male: stomach) 

Rheobatrachus

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Pseudidae- Paradoxical Frogs

S. America 

Large tadpoles, metamorphose into relatively small frogs 

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family:Rhinodermatidae

Chile and Argentina

Parental care, male care of young 

Rhinoderma Darwinii ( young in vocal pouch )

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Sooglossidae

Seychelles Islands

Parental care

Sooglossus

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Dendrobatidae - Poison Frogs 

Central and S. America 

Parental care 

Bright colors (aposomatism)

Dendrobates, Phyllobates

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Hyperoliidae - Reed Frogs  

Africa

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Microhylidae - Burrow toads

Widespread

Fossorial to arboreal

Parental care common

Microcephalic

Gastrophyne olivacea (facultative commensal association with theraphosid spiders)

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Ranidae       Cosmopolitan

Very diverse group: habits, habitat, structure

Rana blairi, Rana pipiens, Rana catesbeiana

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Rhacophoridae- Old world tree frogs (gliding frogs)                 Africa, Asia

Most arboreal

Rhacophorus

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Hemisotidae             Africa

One genus

Order Salientia ( Anura)

Neobatrachia 

Family: Anthroleptidae- Hairy frogs    AFRICA

Subclass Anapsida

Order : Testudines 

(Testudinata, Chelonia ) 

Body enclosed, shell-carapace and plastron. Dermal bones covered with kertinized scutes 

Jaws lack teeth(edentulous); have kertainzed beak (rhamphotheca)

Skull has no temporal fossae (anapsid) 

Single nasal opening in the skull 

All taxa are oviparous 

Suborder: Pleurodira ( sidenecks) 

Head withdrawn into shell by bending the neck in a horizontal S-shape

Southern hemisphere distribution

Family: Chelidae - Australia New Guinea and South America 

Chelodina, Chelus (Matamata) -feed by suction

Family : Pelomedusidae- Sub-Saharan Africa adn Madagascar

Pelomedusa 

Family: Podocnemididae- South America and Madagascar

Podocnemis 

Suborder : Cryptodira - S-necks

When retractile, the head is withdrawn into the shell by bending the neck in a vertical S-shape. 

Subclass: Archosauria 

crocodilians, dinosaurs, and birds 

Order: Crocodylia

Muscular, laterally compressed tail

Digits 5 toes forelimbs, 4 toes hindlimbs

Nictitating membrane present (3rd eyelid)

No urinary bladder

Fixed tongue (not mobile) 

Gastralia present -abdonminal ribs (tuatara)

Diapsid skull

Teeth restricted to jaws - similar to early birds 

Egg caruncle - Egg tooth (common terms)

All oviparous- egg laying forms 

Subclass: Archosauria 

crocodilians, dinosaurs, and birds 

• True cerebral cortex - almost like mammals 
• Four-chambered heart 
• Secondary palate - opening to allow chewing and breathing at the same time 

Subclass: Archosauria 

crocodilians, dinosaurs, and birds 

Order: Crocodylia 

Family: Gavialidae

Long slender snout 

Fish eaters 

1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th mandibular teeth exposed 

Single species, Gavialis gangeticus. 

Family: Alligatoridae - Alligators and Caimans 

E. North America, C. and S. America, E. China 

Freshwater

Teeth adapted for seizing, not chewing

Bulls very vocal

Females construct elaborate nests

4th mandibular tooth not exposed 

Alligator, Caiman 

Family: Crocodylidae - Crocodiles and False gharials 

Pantropical 

Aquatic 

Teeth adapted for seizing not chewing 

All have lingual salt glands- base of tongue preadaptive for salt and freshwater

4th mandibular tooth exposed 

Crocodylus 

Subclass: Lepidosauria

Order: Sphenodontidae (Rhychocephalia) Family: Sphenodontidae

Family: Sphenodontidae- Tuatara

Sphenodon punctatus and S. guntheri 

Tuatara : Maori word meaning " peaks on the back"

Characteristic:

Diapsid temporal region - 2 openings

teeth are acrodont and present on the premaxilla, maxilla, dentary, vomer, and palantine bones 

dentition is monophyodont- one set of teeth 

Additonal characters: 

Amphicoelous verterbrae- shape as an hour glass

2 sacral vertebrae

complex system of abdominal ribs or gastralia 

uncinate process on the ribs

parietal foramen

parietal eye ( 3rd eyelid)

tail autotomy - breaks off like gecko

degenerate tympanic membrane,

no copulatory organ in the male,

egg caruncle 

Zoogeography:

plate tectonics

former world wide distribution of sphenodonitids

present day distribution 

about 30 offshore islands

Ecology: 

Habitat-habits association with sea birds (pretrels) -inquilism

Food- wetas, other insects, skinks, geckos

predation-Polynesian rat kiore 

Life History: 

courting and mating in summer ( January)

oviposition (8-15eggs) in spring- (Oct-Dec)

rookeries hatching 11-16months later in spring or early summer 

Temperature- dependent sex determination (TSD)

male increase with temp.

female decrease with temp.

Endangered species;

Absolute protection by New Zealand government 

punctitus - spotted (female)

Conservation:

Habitat restoration

predator eradication programs

captive breeding

incubation

head starting

reintroduction

translocation (N.Z. Department of Conservation, Wellington)