Contents
Foreword........................................... vii
How to use this book................................ ix
Advisory boards ..................................... xii
Contributing writers................................. xiv
Contributing illustrators ............................. xvi
Volume 6: Amphibians
What is an amphibian? .............................. 3
Early evolution and fossil history ..................... 7
Structure and function............................... 15
Reproduction ....................................... 28
Larvae.............................................. 39
Behavior............................................ 44
Amphibians and humans ............................. 51
Conservation ....................................... 56
Order ANURA
Frogs and toads ..................................... 61
Family: New Zealand frogs ...................... 69
Family: Tailed frogs ............................. 77
Family: Fire-bellied toads and barbourulas ........ 83
Family: Midwife toads and painted frogs .......... 89
Family: Mesoamerican burrowing toads ........... 95
Family: Clawed frogs and Surinam toads .......... 99
Family: Asian toadfrogs .......................... 109
Family: Spadefoot toads ......................... 119
Family: Parsley frogs ............................ 127
Family: Ghost frogs ............................. 131
Family: Seychelles frogs ......................... 135
Family: Australian ground frogs .................. 139
Family: Australian toadlets and water frogs ........ 147
Family: Leptodactylid frogs ...................... 155
Family: Vocal sac-brooding frogs ................. 173
Family: Three-toed toadlets...................... 179
Family: True toads, harlequin frogs, and relatives. . 183
Family: Poison frogs............................. 197
Family: Ruthven's frogs.......................... 211
Family: Glass frogs .............................. 215
Family: Amero-Australian treefrogs ............... 225
Family: True frogs .............................. 245
Family: Squeakers and cricket frogs............... 265
Family: Shovel-nosed frogs ...................... 273
Family: African treefrogs......................... 279
Family: Asian treefrogs .......................... 291
Family: Narrow-mouthed frogs................... 301
Family: Madagascaran toadlets ................... 317
Order CAUDATA
Salamanders and newts.............................. 323
Family: Sirens and dwarf sirens................... 327
Family: Asiatic salamanders ...................... 335
Family: Asiatic giant salamanders and hellbenders . 343
Family: Pacific giant salamanders ................. 349
Family: Mole salamanders........................ 355
Family: Newts and European salamanders......... 363
Family: Olms and mudpuppies ................... 377
Family: Torrent salamanders ..................... 385
Family: Lungless salamanders .................... 389
Family: Amphiumas ............................. 405
Order GYMNOPHIONA
Caecilians .......................................... 411
Family: American tailed caecilians ................ 415
Family: Asian tailed caecilians .................... 419
Family: Kerala caecilians ......................... 425
Family: Buried-eyed caecilians.................... 431
Family: Tailless caecilians........................ 435
For further reading.................................. 443
Organizations....................................... 446
Contributors to the first edition ...................... 447
Glossary............................................ 453
Amphibians species list .............................. 456
Geologic time scale ................................. 490
Index............................................... 491
