One of the little known species in the danger of extinction, gymophionan amphibians, are also known as caecilians or apoda. Gymnophiona contains 154 species belonging to 34 genera and 6 families. For many years, studies on the Gymnophiona were disparate and still only a few species have been deeply studied. Fortunately, in recent years, some new works have been published on their systematics, using both the classical methods as well as immunology and molecular biology. New data have also been obtained on the biology, life history, reproductive biology, endocrinology and embryonic development of several species. These fascinating aspects along with other important ones on gymnophionan studies are ably reviewed in this book.

This dictionary lists the English, German, French and Italian names of amphibians occurring in Europe, North America, Canada, Central and Southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the Indian Subcontinent, South East Asia, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the islands of the West Indies. It lists 5,367 scientific names of orders, families, genera, species and subspecies. The relevant order and family are shown for each term. The taxonomy is that used by the different authors of the sources.

This book provides a brief description of the ecology and natural history of sixteen amphibians, eight snakes and lizards and the Chelonia species found in the temperate climatic region of Europe (North-west Europe). The book commences with an introduction to the biology of amphibians and reptiles and describes the differences between the main groups. The main ecological adaptations are discussed and there is particular mention that it is erroneous to refer to amphibians and reptiles as cold blooded. There is also the suggestion that the colour of an amphibian or reptile may not necessarily mean anything in terms of the animal's thermal properties. For each species there is a brief account of the following: the etymology or origin of the name of the species, reference to early accounts of the species, taxonomy, protection, general description, distribution and habitat, seasonal movements and behaviour, vagility and population ecology, feeding ecology, thermal ecology, reproduction, growth and development, ge

This is the only comprehensive guide to the state's diverse herpetofauna.A hidden world of amphibians and reptiles awaits the outdoor adventurer in Georgia's streams, caves, forests, and wetlands. ""Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia"" makes accessible a wealth of information about 170 species of frogs, salamanders, crocodilians, lizards, snakes, and turtles. Throughout, the book stresses conservation, documenting declines in individual species as well as losses of local and regional populations.Color photographs are paired with detailed species accounts, which provide information about size, appearance, and other identifying characteristics of adults and young; taxonomy and nomenclature; habits; distribution and habitat; and reproduction and development. Typical specimens and various life stages are described, as well as significant variations in such attributes as color and pattern. Line drawings define each group's general features for easy field identification. Range maps show where each species occurs in Georgia county by county, as well as in the United States generally. State maps depict elevations, streams, annual precipitation, land use changes, physiographic provinces, and average temperatures.The book includes a checklist, a chart of the evolutionary relationships among amphibians and reptiles, a list of the top ten most reported species by major group, and a table summarizing the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in the state's five physiographic provinces. ""Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia"" is an authoritative reference for students, professional herpetologists, biologists, ecologists, conservationists, land managers, and amateur naturalists.It features nearly 500 color photographs. It contains 24 line drawings showing each group's defining features. It includes almost 200 range maps detailing county-by-county distribution. It contains detailed species accounts written by 54 regional experts, which provide information on size, appearance, and other identifying characteristics of adults and young; taxonomy and nomenclature; habits; distribution and habitat; and reproduction and development. It includes introductory sections, providing overviews of physiography, climate, and habitats of Georgia, the Georgia Herp Atlas Project, taxonomic issues, conservation, and herpetology as a science and a career.

This book focuses on the first vertebrates to conquer land and their long journey to become fully independent from the water. It traces the origin of tetrapod features and tries to explain how and why they transformed into organs that permit life on land. Although the major frame of the topic lies in the past 370 million years and necessarily deals with many fossils, it is far from restricted to paleontology. The aim is to achieve a comprehensive picture of amphibian evolution. It focuses on major questions in current paleobiology: how diverse were the early tetrapods? In which environments did they live, and how did they come to be preserved? What do we know about the soft body of extinct amphibians, and what does that tell us about the evolution of crucial organs during the transition to land? How did early amphibians develop and grow, and which were the major factors of their evolution? The Topics in Paleobiology Series is published in collaboration with the Palaeontological Association, and is edited by Professor Mike Benton, University of Bristol. Books in the series provide a summary of the current state of knowledge, a trusted route into the primary literature, and will act as pointers for future directions for research. As well as volumes on individual groups, the series will also deal with topics that have a cross-cutting relevance, such as the evolution of significant ecosystems, particular key times and events in the history of life, climate change, and the application of a new techniques such as molecular palaeontology. The books are written by leading international experts and will be pitched at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers in both the paleontological and biological sciences.

Frogs & Frogging in South Africa offers amateur froggers an accessible and practical introduction to frog identification.

This edition of the highly popular guide has been expertly revised and fully updated to reflect the latest advances in taxonomy and nomenclature.

It offers: all of the species in Africa south of latitude 22 °S; a section on frog biology and behaviour; how to photograph frogs and record their calls; how to attract frogs to your garden, and ideas for projects such as building a pond; the range of frog species to be found in different environmental niches; maps and colourful photographs with the updated accounts; a new key to the identification of tadpole genera; a CD with all 115 frog calls, which offer one of the best ways to find.

This handbook is the first complete guide to the herpetofauna of northeast Africa, covering seven countries - Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. It contains keys, comprehensive descriptions, maps of all species and photographs of virtually all species known from the region, including 114 species of amphibians and more than 460 species of reptiles. It is an essential tool for herpetologists and conservationists involved with any aspect of the African herpetofauna, and for museums and specialist libraries. Comprehensive and written by the world's leading experts in the field, this is the first book ever written on these animals.

This book covers the major aspects of phylogeny and reproductive biology of frogs in chapters written by major authorities. Topics treated are: anuran phylogeny, classification and reproductive modes; gross anatomy of the reproductive system; oogenesis; endocrinology of reproduction; spermatogenesis and the mature spermatozoon; breeding glands; internal fertilization and sperm storage, parental care; general development; and molecular development.

The fourth edition of the textbook "Herpetology" covers the basic biology of amphibians and reptiles, with updates in nearly every conceptual area. Not only does it serve as a solid foundation for modern herpetology courses, but it is also relevant to courses in ecology, behavior, evolution, systematics, and morphology.

Examples taken from amphibians and reptiles throughout the world make this book a useful herpetology textbook in several countries. Naturalists, amateur herpetologists, herpetoculturists, zoo professionals, and many others will find this book readable and full of relevant natural history and distributional information.

Amphibians and reptiles have assumed a central role in research because of the diversity of ecological, physiological, morphological, behavioral, and evolutionary patterns they exhibit. This fully revised edition brings the latest research to the reader, ranging over topics in evolution, reproduction, behavior and more, allowing students and professionals to keep current with a quickly moving field.
Heavily revised and updated with discussion of squamate (lizard and snake) taxonomy and new content reflected in current literature Includes increased focus on conservation biology in herpetology while retaining solid content on organismal biology of reptiles and amphibians Presents new photos included from authors' extensive library

This book gives a start-to-finish overview of the whole Fish4Knowledge project, in 18 short chapters, each describing one aspect of the project. The Fish4Knowledge project explored the possibilities of big video data, in this case from undersea video. Recording and analyzing 90 thousand hours of video from ten camera locations, the project gives a 3 year view of fish abundance in several tropical coral reefs off the coast of Taiwan. The research system built a remote recording network, over 100 Tb of storage, supercomputer processing, video target detection and tracking, fish species recognition and analysis, a large SQL database to record the results and an efficient retrieval mechanism. Novel user interface mechanisms were developed to provide easy access for marine ecologists, who wanted to explore the dataset. The book is a useful resource for system builders, as it gives an overview of the many new methods that were created to build the Fish4Knowledge system in a manner that also allows readers to see how all the components fit together.

"Evidence bases for conservation are becoming increasingly important to convince landowners and politicians of the need to take action in defence of species and habitats all around the world. A valuable feature of this book is its emphasis on collecting and analysing such essential information." Trevor Beebee, Phyllomedusa Amphibians are among the most globally endangered groups of vertebrates with more than one-third of species being assessed as declining or threatened. Often, amphibian declines can be attributed to a suite of interacting factors, many of which are human in origin, but further information is needed to elaborate the key causes and to discover ways of reversing declines. Robust surveys provide vital ecological and biological data on amphibian populations, and underpin the decisions made to protect species and reverse their declines. Ongoing monitoring informs land managers and decision makers about whether they are taking the right action. This book is designed to help you carry out amphibian surveying and monitoring so that the results of your surveys can be used effectively. Part 1 introduces amphibians: order Anura (frogs and toads); Caudata (newts and salamanders); and order Gymnophonia (caecilians). Part 2 is essential reading before you start surveying. It introduces the different types of survey and monitoring programmes and discusses survey aims and resources. It contains chapters on collecting and handling survey data; survey permissions and licencing; health and safety, and biosecurity; and handling amphibians. Part 3 discusses everything you need to know during your survey, and provides a detailed look at amphibian survey methods. Part 4 covers presenting and using your survey's data to best effect. A useful resources section is also provided, with example survey forms and details of additional information resources that will optimize the impacts of your surveys. Key amphibian survey techniques are discussed with reference to published examples of successful surveys - so you'll be able to choose what's right for your situation. Tips on optimizing your survey effort and handling amphibians in the field are also included. Whether carrying out a student expedition project or seeking information to support the management of a protected area, this book contains essential advice from an amphibian ecologist who has encountered the same sorts of decisions you'll face when planning your surveys.

This volume celebrates the contributions of Dr. Eugene Gaffney to the study of turtles, through a diverse and complementary collection of papers that showcases the latest research on one of the most intriguing groups of reptiles. A mix of focused and review papers deals with numerous aspects of the evolutionary history of turtles, including embryonic development, origins, early diversification, phylogenetic relationships, and biogeography. Moreover it includes reports on important but poorly understood fossil turtle assemblages, provides historical perspectives on turtle research, and documents disease and variation in turtles. With its broad scope, which includes descriptions of material and new taxa from Australia, Asia, and Europe, as well as North and South America, this work will be an essential resource for anyone interested in the morphology and evolution of turtles. "This volume's breadth of time, geography, and taxonomic coverage makes it a major contribution to the field and a 'must have' for all vertebrate paleontologists.", James F. Parham, California State University, CA, USA "A comprehensive and sweeping overview of turtle evolution by the top experts in the field that will interest everyone curious about these unique reptiles." Jason S. Anderson, University of Calgary, Canada "An invaluable addition to the literature that covers the full spectrum of approaches toward understanding the evolution of these noble creatures." Ann C. Burke, Wesleyan University, CT , USA "A truly comprehensive volume that both the student of fossil turtles, as well as the general reader interested in these enigmatic creatures, will find fascinating." Tyler Lyson, Yale University, CT, USA

This book has three primary themes: identification, natural history, and conservation. This is the first guide yet produced to the amphibians and reptiles of New York State, a large and heavily populated state that hosts a surprisingly diverse and interesting community of amphibians and reptiles. The book presents the results of the New York State Amphibian and Reptile Atlas for the first time (a compilation of ~60,000 distributional records collected 1990-1999); thus, the volume is a repository for detailed distributional data on the 69 species native to the state. The book presents in-depth species accounts based on the six authors' decades of collective experience as teachers, researchers and conservationists. Supporting chapters focus on the biology of amphibians and reptiles, New York's environment, finding and studying these creatures, and the rich folklore of New York State as it pertains to amphibians and reptiles, particularly rattlesnakes. A heavy emphasis on conservation biology of amphibians and reptiles sets the book apart from any comparable volume yet produced in the United States. To this end, chapters on threats, legal protections, habitat conservation guidelines, and conservation case studies are presented. An expanded color insert presents striking photographs contributed by over 30 photographers. The book is intended for use by natural history buffs generally interested in the vertebrate animals of New York and adjoining regions (Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, Quebec and Ontario), students in the many herpetology, vertebrate biology, and natural history courses offered at colleges and field stations in the northeast, public and college libraries, and natural resource professionals interested in learning more about approaches to conserving reptiles and amphibians.

"Evidence bases for conservation are becoming increasingly important to convince landowners and politicians of the need to take action in defence of species and habitats all around the world. A valuable feature of this book is its emphasis on collecting and analysing such essential information." Trevor Beebee, Phyllomedusa Amphibians are among the most globally endangered groups of vertebrates with more than one-third of species being assessed as declining or threatened. Often, amphibian declines can be attributed to a suite of interacting factors, many of which are human in origin, but further information is needed to elaborate the key causes and to discover ways of reversing declines. Robust surveys provide vital ecological and biological data on amphibian populations, and underpin the decisions made to protect species and reverse their declines. Ongoing monitoring informs land managers and decision makers about whether they are taking the right action. This book is designed to help you carry out amphibian surveying and monitoring so that the results of your surveys can be used effectively. Part 1 introduces amphibians: order Anura (frogs and toads); Caudata (newts and salamanders); and order Gymnophonia (caecilians). Part 2 is essential reading before you start surveying. It introduces the different types of survey and monitoring programmes and discusses survey aims and resources. It contains chapters on collecting and handling survey data; survey permissions and licencing; health and safety, and biosecurity; and handling amphibians. Part 3 discusses everything you need to know during your survey, and provides a detailed look at amphibian survey methods. Part 4 covers presenting and using your survey's data to best effect. A useful resources section is also provided, with example survey forms and details of additional information resources that will optimize the impacts of your surveys. Key amphibian survey techniques are discussed with reference to published examples of successful surveys - so you'll be able to choose what's right for your situation. Tips on optimizing your survey effort and handling amphibians in the field are also included. Whether carrying out a student expedition project or seeking information to support the management of a protected area, this book contains essential advice from an amphibian ecologist who has encountered the same sorts of decisions you'll face when planning your surveys.

Sasol Eerste Veldgids tot die Paddas van Suider-Afrika is ’n interessante gids tot die paddas van die streek. Volkleurfoto’s, verspreidingskaarte en verstaanbare teks sal nuwelinge en aspirantnatuurkenners help om die algemeenste paddaspesies in Suider-Afrika uit te ken, te ontdek waar hulle voorkom en te leer van hul unieke gedrag en buitengewone eienskappe.

Frogs from the genus Xenopus have long been used as model organisms in basic and biomedical research. These frogs have helped unlock key fundamental developmental and cellular processes that have led to important scientific breakthroughs and have had practical application in embryology, cancer research and regenerative medicine. Xenopus Development is a vital resource on the biology and development of these key model organisms, and will be a great tool to researchers using these frogs in various disciplines of biological science. Xenopus Development is divided into four sections, the first three highlight key processes in Xenopus development from embryo to metamophosis. These sections focus on the cellular processes, organogenesis and embryo development. The final section highlights novel techniques and approaches being used in Xenopus research. Providing thorough and detailed coverage, Xenopus Development, will be a timely and welcome volume for those working in cell and molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology and biomedical research. * Provides broad overview of the developmental biology of both Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis * Explores cellular to systems development in key biomedical model organisms * Timely synthesis of the field of Xenopus biology * Highlights key biomedical and basic biological findings unlocked by Xenopus

This friendly, practical guide includes everything you need to know to pick up a spade, put in a pond and help wildlife flourish right outside your back door. Ponds are vital oases for nature. They are nursery grounds, feeding stops and bathing spots. They are genetic superhighways and vibrant ecosystems each brimming with life, interactions and potential. And they are for everyone. In The Wildlife Pond Book, Jules Howard offers a fresh perspective on ponds and encourages gardeners to reach for a garden spade and do something positive to benefit our shared neighbourhood nature. As well as offering practical tips and advice on designing, planting up and maintaining your pond, Jules encourages readers to explore the wildlife that colonises it with a torch, a microscope or a good old-fashioned pond-dipping net. With a foreword by award-winning wildlife-gardening author, Kate Bradbury, this helpful new guide includes a section outlining the hundreds of organisms that may turn up in your pond and is packed with creative ideas that have been tried and tested by author Jules Howard, an avid pond-builder, prolific pond-dipper and passionate voice for freshwater conservation for more than fifteen years. So, no matter how big your outdoor space is, The Wildlife Pond Book is the guide you need to create your very own haven for nature.

This is a lightweight and portable guide, partly adapted from the popular and highly acclaimed A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa by the same authors. Covering the most prominent 150 reptiles and 80 amphibians found in the region (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi), with concise text, photograph and map for each, this is a convenient and attractive pocket guide for a diverse and often conspicuous and attractive group of animals.

"Life in Cold Blood" offers a rare glimpse into the peculiar world of amphibians and reptiles, the first vertebrate creatures to venture forth from the primeval waters millions of years ago, yet which today include species that are the most at risk of extinction. Join acclaimed naturalist Sir David Attenborough as he travels to the far corners of the Earth to tell the epic story of these animals in this companion to the television series. Discover the secrets of their astounding success--and the profound implications of their uncertain future.

Amphibians and reptiles once ruled the planet, and their descendants exhibit some of the most colorful variety and astounding behavior known to the animal kingdom. What are the origins of these creatures? How have they transformed themselves into the beautiful and bizarre forms found today? In this gorgeously illustrated book, Attenborough gets up close and personal with the living descendants of the first vertebrates ever to colonize the land, and through them traces the fascinating history of their pioneering ancestors. He explains the ways amphibians and reptiles have changed little from their prehistoric forebears while also demonstrating how they have adapted and evolved into diverse new forms, some of them beyond our wildest imaginings. And Attenborough raises awareness of the threats global warming and other man-made environmental changes pose to many of these creatures. "Life in Cold Blood" inspires a genuine sense of wonder about amphibians and reptiles and the marvels of the natural world around us.