Herpetology Lab Practical 1: Michigan Species

Ambystoma macilatum, Spotted salamander

Ambystoma opacum, Marbled Salamander

Ambystoma latarale, Blue-spotted Salamander

Ambystoma texanum, Small-mouthed Salamander

Ambystoma jeffersonianum, Jefferson Salamander

Hemidactylium scutatum, Four-toed Salamander

Plethodon cinereus, red-backed salamander

Notophthalmus viridescens, Eastern Newt

Necturus maculosus, Mudpuppy

Siren intermedia, Lesser Siren

Desmognathus fuscus, Northern Dusky Salamander

Eurycea bislineata, Northern two-lined Salamander

Lithobates clamitans, Green Frog

Lithobates catesbeiana, American Bullfrog

Lithobates pipiens, Northern Leopard Frog

Lithobates palustris, Pickerel Frog

Lithobates septenrionalis, Mink Frog

Anaxyrus fowleri, Fowler’s Toad

Anaxyus americanus, American Toad

Hyla veriscolor/ chrysoscelis, Cope’s/Gray Treefrog

Pseudacrus crucifer, Spring Peeper

Pseudacris tristeriata/ maculate, Western/Boreal Chorus Frog

Acris crepitans blanchardi, Blanchard’s Cricket Frog

siren intermedia netting diet, habitat, reproduction,

small inverts, slow moving water, breed in winter or spring and lay eggs in summer

plethodon cinereus diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, forest, mate in fall, lay eggs in spring/summer

salamander family, all have nasolabial groove

plethodontidae

hemidactylium scutatum diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, wetlands and forests, mate in late summer and fall, courtship ritual, eggs laid late spring and summer

necturus maculosus diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, permanent water, breed in fall, lay eggs in spring, neotenic

notophthalmus viridescens diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, forest types near small water body, eft terrestrial phase, return to water to be sexually actice, very toxic

ambystomatidae habits

pond breeders, several neotenic, chunky bodies with costal ridges

ambystoma maculatum diet, habitat, reroduction

small inverts, forest lowlands near water, migrate to breeding ponds at snowmelt,

ambystoma laterale diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, forest, breed in early spring and lay eggs, algae infilrrate eggs in symbiotic development, rely on vernal pond

salamander hybrid complex

laterale, polyploid hybrids, extra copies of DNA from jeffersonium, taxanum, tigrinum, involved (barbouri in mDNA)

ambystoma texanum diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, wet floodplains, soil mating, lay eggs december through april

ambystoma opacum diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, woodlands, breed and lay eggs in fall

ambystoma tigrinum diet, habitat, reproduction

largest terrestrial salamander, small inverts, terrestrial, breeding ponds in late winter early spring, lay eggs day after, neotanic

male bullfrog vs female

male has larger tympanum, larger than eye

anaxyrus poison gland name

parotoid gland

anaxyrus americanus diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, widspread with access to ponds, breeding march/april, spiral tubes of jelly eggs, one or two warts per dorsal spot

anaxyrus fowleri diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, widespread habitat, reproduce late april/mid may, many warts per dorsal spot

hyla versicolor, chrysoscelis diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, forest, late april early may,

first species to call in spring

pseudacris triseriata

acris crepitans clanchardi diet, habitat, reproduction

small inverts, riparian areas, breed in dummer, males dig underground nests

lithobates catesbian diet, habitat, reproduction

opportunistic, permanent water, summer breeding, multiple years to complete metamorphosis, invading westward, NO dorsolateral folds

lithobates clamitans diet, habitat, reproduction

opportunistic, permanent water, summer breeding, multiple years to complete metamorphosis, dorsolateral folds

lithobates palustrus diet, habitat, reproduction

inverts, freshwater, overwinter in permanent water mud, spring, dorsalteral folds

lithobates pipiens diet, habitat, reproduction

inverts, marsh, spring, white dorsolateral folds

lithobates septentrionalis diet, habitat, reproduction

inverts, mostly aquatic, very later summer breeder, musky smell, NO dorsolateral fold

lithobates sylvaticus diet, habitat, reproduction

inverts, forest near ponds, reproduce first among ranids, early spring, freeze tolerance with glucose, very northern species

MI anurans that live in permanent water

green frog, bullfrog

amplexus

anuran external fertilization, male climbs onto back of female and grips to align for external fertilization

plethodon courtship

tail straddling, female walks forward whil straddling the base of the males tail, rests chin on the base on his tail

ambystoma courtship

waltz, rhythmic courtship, male and female nudge each other, male hula and waves body, female follows if interested

summer breeding anurans

gray tree frogs, green frog, bullfrog, fowlers toad (slightly later than american toad), blanchards cricket frog, mink frog (latest)

ambystoma tigrinum, eastern tiger salamander