Vertebrate Zoology - Practical Course - V. V. Kuibida - 2007

MODULE 2. Class Amphibia

IDENTIFICATION OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CLASS AMPHIBIA

Materials and Equipment

The following items are required for the work:

1. Aquatic hand nets, one per 5 students; small bags and containers for storing collected specimens.

2. One or two Representatives of the Class Amphibia from each genus.

3. A set of tools (hand lens, vernier caliper, ruler, forceps), one set per team.

4. Amphibian identification keys.

Lesson Plan

1. Learn to use the amphibian identification key proficiently. Familiarize students with the diagnostic morphological features of identified amphibian species using specific specimens.

2. Get acquainted with the families, genera, and individual representatives of amphibians. Identify the most characteristic amphibian species of the Pereiaslav region.

3. Learn and pass a test on the Latin names and Main characteristics of 10 amphibian species.

4. Explain 5 vernacular names of amphibians based on their body shape, size, habitat types where these species are found, etc.

Assignment Execution

1. Independently collect amphibians in various habitats. On land, they are caught by hand, and in Water, using a hand net. Amphibians are easily caught at night by dazzling them with a flashlight. Newts are searched for under fallen trees, tree stumps, stones, and piles of brushwood in humid habitats, as well as in spring forest puddles, small ponds, and ditches. It is advisable to use pitfall traps with cylinders or Glass jars installed at the bottom. Glass jars may catch specimens that were not encountered during field trips.

2. Examine the characteristic morphological features and coloration of the amphibians and determine their species.

3. Record the key diagnostic features characteristic of the identified amphibians in your lab notebook.

4. Sketch the key identification features used to recognize each amphibian species.

5. After Processing and verifying the accuracy of identification by the instructor, the animals must be released back into the wild at their capture sites!

Rating Assessment of Knowledge and Skills

The maximum score for the "Amphibia" module is 10, broken down as follows:

for The ability to identify amphibian species — 5 points; for Latin names and species characteristics — 4 points; for explaining vernacular names of amphibians — 1 point.

Identification key to the orders of Amphibia*.

* Due to the low species diversity of amphibians, the tables include all representatives found within the territory of Ukraine

Tail present.

The maximum body width fits into its length (excluding the tail) more than three times.

External gills are absent on the sides of the HEAD.

Order Caudata — tailed amphibians.

External gills are present on the head.

Order Caudata — tailed amphibians (larvae).

The maximum body width fits into its length (excluding the tail) less than three times.

Order Anura — tailless amphibians (larvae, tadpoles).

Tail absent in adults.

Anura — tailless amphibians.

Order Caudata — tailed amphibians.

The fauna of Ukraine is represented by a single family — Salamandridae.

Identification table for genera

The cross-section of the tail is more or less circular. Parotids are well-developed. Size is quite large, up to 28 cm (typically 20–22 cm). Coloration is glossy black with irregular bright yellow spots.

Genus Salamandra.

The fauna of Ukraine includes only a single species — the fire salamander, S. salamandra (L.), which inhabits exclusively the Carpathian Mountains and is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.

The cross-section of the tail is not circular, but more or less laterally compressed. Parotids are indistinct. Sizes are smaller. Coloration differs.

Genus Triturus (newts).

Identification table for species of the genus Triturus

Belly spotted (dark spots on a yellow or orange Background).

Dark stripes are present on the head, with the one passing through the eye being particularly distinct. In males, the dorsal crest merges directly into the caudal fin fold without forming a notch.

Smooth newt — T. vulgaris (L.).

Dark stripes on the head are absent. In males, the dorsal crest is separated from the caudal fin fold by a notch. Crested newt — T. cristatus (Laur.). Recently, two subspecies of the crested newt have been elevated to independent species: the Danube newt — T. dobrogicus, and Karelin's newt — T. karelinii. The former inhabits the Danube delta region (Odesa Oblast) and Zakarpattia Oblast. It differs from the crested newt by a significantly longer body. Karelin's newt inhabits exclusively the Crimean mountain region, where it is the sole representative of the entire genus Triturus, which greatly simplifies identification. Furthermore, unlike the first two species, it features a yellow (orange) throat with black spots rather than the reverse.

Belly unicolor, yellow or orange.

Grooves are absent on the dorsal surface of the head. The rows of vomerine Teeth diverge sharply at an angle. The male develops a crest in spring.

Alpine newt — T. alpestris (Laur.).

There are three grooves on the upper surface of the head. The rows of vomerine teeth diverge at an angle not immediately, but at a certain distance. In spring, the male lacks a crest. Carpathian newt — T. montandoni (Boul).

Order Anura — Tailless amphibians

Identification key to families and genera

Tips of the digits expanded into discs (Fig. 9). Genus Tree Frogs — Hylidae.

Fig. 9. Digit tips expanded into discs.

The fauna of Ukraine includes only one species — European tree frog — Hyla arborea (L.).

Tips of the digits not expanded into discs.

Teeth absent on the upper jaw (test with a fingernail). True toads — Bufonidae.

Genus Toad — Bufo.

Teeth present on the upper jaw.

Posterior margin of the Tongue deeply notched.

True frogs — Ranidae.

Genus Frog — Rana.

Posterior margin of the tongue without a notch.

Belly with large black and red (yellow, sometimes orange) blotches.

Disc-tongued frogs — Discoglossidae.

Genus Fire-bellied toad — Bombina.

Belly without large black and red (yellow, orange) blotches.

Spadefoot toads — Pelobatidae.

The fauna of Ukraine includes only one species — Common spadefoot — Pelobates fuscus (Laur.)

Identification key to species

Genus Toad — Bufo

On the ventral side of the third joint (from the tip) of the longest digit (4) of the hind limb, There is a single tubercle (Fig. 10).

Fig. 10. Hind FOOT with a double articular tubercle (1).

Green toad — B. viridis (Laur.).

On the underside of the third joint of the largest toe of the hind limb, There are two tubercles (Fig. 11).

Fig. 11. Hind foot with a double articular tubercle (2).

The inner margin of the tarsus lacks a well-defined longitudinal Skin fold.

Common toad — B. bufo (L.).

The inner margin of the tarsus features a well-defined longitudinal skin fold. Natterjack toad — B. calamita (Laur.). Genus Frog — Rana

Well-defined dark stripes run along the sides of the head.

The femorotibial articulation (when the hind limb is extended forward) reaches far beyond the snout tip.

Agile frog — R. dalmatina (Bonap.).

The femorotibial articulation (when the hind limb is extended forward) does not reach the snout tip.

Snout pointed; belly uniformly white.

Moor frog — R. arvalis (Nils.).

Snout blunt, rounded; belly mottled, occasionally unicolor.

Common frog — R. temporaria (L.).

Well-defined dark stripes are absent on the sides. Flank coloration is uniform.

The Tibia is shorter than half the body length. When the tibiae are positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the body, the tibiotarsal joints do not Touch each other (Fig. 12).

Fig. 12. Tibiotarsal JOINTS OF THE hind limbs do not touch.

Pool frog — R. esculenta (L.).

The tibia equals half the body length.

The tibiotarsal joints overlap each other, as shown in (Fig. 13).

Fig. 13. The ankle joints of the hind limbs overlap one another.

Lake frog — R. ridibunda (Pall).

Recently, the hybrid between the pool frog and the lake frog, the edible frog — Rana kl. esculenta (L.), has been classified as a distinct form, and its precise identification is possible only under laboratory conditions.

Genus Fire-bellied Toad — Bombina

The upper side of the fingertips is colored the same as the upper side of the entire limb.

European fire-bellied toad — B. bombina (L.).

The fingertips are differently colored; compared to the upper side of the limb, they are noticeably lighter.

Yellow-bellied toad — B. variegata (L.).

Identification key for adult amphibians (by O.B. Kistyakivsky and I.I. Mazepa (1967), modified and supplemented).

Tail absent.

Tail present.

Underside of the body bright yellow or red with black spots.

Underside of the body of a different color.

Underside of the body red or orange with black spots. The upper surface of the fingertips is almost no lighter than their base. European fire-bellied toad.

Underside of the body yellow with black spots. The upper surface of the fingertips is light. Yellow-bellied toad (Carpathian and Transcarpathian regions only).

Skin is tuberculate. Prominent parotoid glands are noticeable on the sides of the rear part of the head.

Skin is smooth. There are no prominent glands on the sides of the head.

A narrow light stripe runs along the middle of the back. Natterjack toad (Western and Lesser Polissya of Ukraine only).

Back without a longitudinal light stripe.

Green color is present in the coloration. European green toad.

Coloration is brown, without green color. Common toad.

Green color is present in the coloration.

Coloration without green color.

Fingertips are expanded into adhesive discs. Upper coloration is bright green with no or almost no spots. Tree frog.

Fingertips are not expanded. There are spots on the back.

The calcaneal tubercle of the hind limbs is low and trapezoidal. When the shanks are pressed against the thighs and the legs are positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the body, the tibiotarsal articulations touch or overlap each other. Vocal sacs are gray. Lake frog.

Fig. 14. Calcaneal tubercles of the lake and pool frogs.

The calcaneal tubercle of the hind limbs is high and semicircular. When the shanks are pressed against the thighs and the legs are positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the body, the tibiotarsal articulations do not touch each other. Vocal sacs are white. Pool frog (except for the southern steppe zone and Crimea).

The calcaneal tubercle of the hind limbs is intermediate in shape between those of the lake and pool frogs. Edible frog.

The pupil of the eye is vertical (the only one among other amphibians of Ukraine). A longitudinal bulge is noticeable on the forehead and crown. Common spadefoot.

The forehead between the eyes is not convex. The pupil is round or horizontal.

When the hind leg is extended forward, the tibiotarsal articulation extends well beyond the tip of the snout. Agile frog (only in the Carpathian Mountains and Transcarpathia).

When the hind leg is extended forward, the tibiotarsal articulation does not reach the tip of the snout.

The calcaneal tubercle of the hind limbs is high and semicircular. The belly is uniformly white. The snout is pointed. Moor frog (except for the Azov-Black Sea coast and Crimea).

The calcaneal tubercle of the hind limbs is low and trapezoidal (sometimes without spots). The belly is mottled. The snout is blunt or rounded. Common frog (only in Polissya and the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine).

The dorsal body coloration is black with large yellow spots. Fire salamander (only in the Carpathian Mountains).

Coloration is different.

The belly is yellow or orange with dark spots.

The belly is uniformly yellow or orange.

There are longitudinal dark stripes on the head; the stripe passing through the eye is particularly prominent. The back is light brown or greenish. Smooth newt.

There are no stripes on the head. The back is dark brown. Crested newt (except for the Crimean Mountains), Danube newt (Danube region and Transcarpathian Oblast), Karelin's newt (only the Crimean Mountains).

There are three longitudinal grooves on the dorsal surface of the head. Carpathian newt (only in the Carpathian Mountains).

There are no grooves on the dorsal surface of the head. Alpine newt (only in the Carpathian Mountains).