major synapomorphies
substantial gas exchange – skin has to be moist in order to exchange gas
- skin glands – keep skin moist – poision glands
– carnivery –> all exant adult amphibians are carniverous
salamanders
10 families of about 750 species
- almost entirely in NC
- gait of salamanders are very similar to that of the early tetrapod
- lot of axial bending, limbs not used for propelling
pedomorphoisism (salamanders)
all salamanders lack ribs
plethodontidae (salamanders) (lungless)
comes down to a conflict to feeding as an adult and feeding as a larvae
nasolabial groove
functions in chemoreception
- taking things up like pheremones left by neighbors
- if you put one salamandeer in a neighboors habitat - the homeowner expressed a lot of hostility
- they are extremely terrirorial
- if done a second time – not as aggressive
- use the nasolabial gooves and chemoreception to detect whwther or not they know the salamander
- attack is much less intense if the paper used in the experiment had the same scent again
DEER - enemy - pheeremone – neighboors treated less aggressively
autotomy
anurans
extant anurans
jumpers
hoppers v. jumpers
tree frogs
caecilian
amphibians
caecilians again
salamanders internal fertilization
clepogenesis
courtship of salamanders
pheremones
- wafting his odor near the female to get her to accept
- most of these behaviors involve communication of information via courtship
sexual dimporhism
physical differences between males and females ( can also have behavioral traits)
why do frogs vocalize
the more a male calls – the greater the volume of oxygen per gram per hour (VO2) –» tells us that calling is metabolically exertive
- a lot of their energy is spent on this behavior
frog sitting in chanber
what do female frogs prefer
mates who call the most
– exhibits their ability/stamina – physical prowness
- to pass the gene to their ofspring
good gene hypothesis
females show preferences for these traits becasue the continuous calling mean good genes and she wants them to be passed onto her offspring