Herpetology Lab Quiz 1 (Part 2- Salamanders)

Salamanders and Caecilians

Ambystomatidae

• costal grooves

• digit loss

• blunt broad head with rounded mouth

• some paedomorphic (axolotl)

CO genera = Ambystoma

Dicamptodontidae

• large head, triangular snout

• paddeled tail

• digit loss

• some paedomorphic

Plethodontidae

• largest family, some paedormorphic

• nasolabial grooves

• prominent costal grooves

• small, thin body with rounded tail

Salamandridae

• rough skin

• digit loss

• aposematic colors

• biphasic or triphasic

Rhyacotritonidae

• prominent eyes

• short tail and small body

• costal grooves

• biphasic - specialized for torrent streams

Hynobiidae

• some have square upper mouth

• costal grooves

• slightly keeled tail

• some paedomorphic

Cryptobranchidae

• paedomorphic, fully aquatic

• very large body size

• gill slits, paddled tail

Sirenidae

• paedomorphic, fully aquatic

• only has 2 forelimbs

• elongated body

Amphiumidae

• paedomorphic, fully aquatic

• gill slits

• 4 vestigial limbs

Proteidae

• paedomorphic, fully aquatic

• external gills

• elongated snout

Order Gymnophiona (Caecilians)

• limbless

• vestigal eyes

• annuli

• sensory tentacles

Caecilian distribution

Along the equator - South America, Centeral America, and parts of Africa and Asia

Salamander distribution

Hot spot = Appalachia

North America, Europe, Asia, parts of South America