Texas amphibians : a field guide / Bob Tipton ... [et al.].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tipton, Bob L., Author.

Contributor:

Tipton, Bob L., 1948-

Series:

Texas natural history guides

Texas Natural History Guides

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Amphibians--Texas--Identification.

Amphibians.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (326 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

With a wide variety of habitats ranging from southeastern swamps to western deserts, Texas is home to numerous species of frogs, toads, and salamanders. Each area of Texas has a particular set of species that has evolved there over thousands of years. Indeed, most amphibians are not very mobile, and many live their entire lives within a few square meters. This makes them particularly vulnerable to environmental degradation and habitat destruction. Texas Amphibians is the only field guide focused exclusively on the state’s frogs, toads, and salamanders. It presents brief, general accounts of the two orders and fifteen families. Then it identifies each of the seventy-two species in detail, including size, description, voice (if applicable), similar species, distribution (with maps), natural history, reproduction, subspecies (if applicable), and comments and conservation information. Color photographs illustrate the species. The book also includes a general introduction to amphibian natural history, conservation, observation and collection, maintenance in captivity, museum and preserved specimens, and scientific and common names, as well as scientific keys to Texas salamanders and frogs and a generic key to amphibian larvae. This wealth of information, compiled by a team of experts who collectively have over a century of experience in field herpetology, will increase our appreciation for amphibians and the vital role they play as an early indicator of threats to the quality of the environment that we all share.

Contents:

""FOREWORD""; ""ACKNOWLEDGMENTS""; ""INTRODUCTION""; ""NATURAL HISTORY""; ""Seasonality""; ""Habitat""; ""Reproduction""; ""Loss and Regeneration of Body Parts""; ""Glands, Toxins, and Chemical Defenses""; ""CONSERVATION""; ""Habitat Destruction""; ""Pollution""; ""Introduced Species""; ""Collecting and Trade of Animals as a Cause of Decline""; ""Chytridiomycosis""; ""OBSERVING AND COLLECTING AMPHIBIANS""; ""Observing Amphibians""; ""Photographing Amphibians""; ""Collecting Amphibians""; ""Legal Aspects of Collecting Amphibians""; ""Permits and Collecting Amphibians in Texas""

""Threatened, Endangered, or Protected Nongame Species""""MAINTENANCE OF AMPHIBIANS""; ""Maintaining Amphibians in Captivity""; ""Creating a Natural Setting""; ""Handling Amphibians""; ""MUSEUM AND PRESERVED AMPHIBIAN SPECIMENS""; ""SCIENTIFIC AND COMMON NAMES""; ""KEYS""; ""KEY TO THE SALAMANDERS OF TEXAS""; ""KEY TO THE FROGS OF TEXAS""; ""GENERIC KEY TO AMPHIBIAN LARVAE""; ""SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNTS""; ""ORDER CAUDATA: SALAMANDERS""; ""FAMILY AMBYSTOMATIDAE: MOLE SALAMANDERS""; ""Spotted Salamander""; ""Barred Tiger Salamander""; ""Marbled Salamander""; ""Mole Salamander""

""Small-mouthed Salamander""""Eastern Tiger Salamander""; ""FAMILY AMPHIUMIDAE: AMPHIUMAS""; ""Three-toed Amphiuma""; ""FAMILY PLETHODONTIDAE: LUNGLESS SALAMANDERS""; ""Salado Salamander""; ""Cascade Caverns Salamander""; ""San Marcos Salamander""; ""Georgetown Salamander""; ""Texas Salamander""; ""Fern Bank Salamander""; ""Dwarf Salamander""; ""Texas Blind Salamander""; ""Blanco Blind Salamander""; ""Barton Springs Salamander""; ""Jollyville Plateau Salamander""; ""Comal Blind Salamander""; ""Valdina Farms Salamander""; ""Austin Blind Salamander""; ""Comal Springs Salamander""

""Pedernales River Springs Salamander""""Southern Dusky Salamander""; ""Western Slimy Salamander""; ""FAMILY PROTEIDAE: WATERDOGS, OR MUDPUPPIES""; ""Gulf Coast Waterdog""; ""FAMILY SALAMANDRIDAE: NEWTS""; ""Black-spotted Newt""; ""Eastern Newt""; ""FAMILY SIRENIDAE: SIRENS""; ""Lesser Siren""; ""Rio Grande Siren""; ""ORDER ANURA: FROGS""; ""FAMILY BUFONIDAE: TRUE TOADS""; ""American Toad""; ""Great Plains Toad""; ""Green Toad""; ""Fowler's Toad""; ""Houston Toad""; ""Red-spotted Toad""; ""Texas Toad""; ""Woodhouse's Toad""; ""Gulf Coast Toad""; ""Cane Toad""; ""FAMILY HYLIDAE: TREE FROGS""

""Northern Cricket Frog""""Canyon Treefrog""; ""Cope's Gray Treefrog""; ""Green Treefrog""; ""Squirrel Treefrog""; ""Gray Treefrog""; ""Spotted Chorus Frog""; ""Spring Peeper""; ""Upland Chorus Frog""; ""Strecker's Chorus Frog""; ""Mexican Treefrog""; ""FAMILY CRAUGASTORIDAE: NORTHERN RAIN FROGS""; ""Barking Frog""; ""FAMILY ELEUTHERODACTYLIDAE: ROBBER FROGS""; ""Rio Grande Chirping Frog""; ""Spotted Chirping Frog""; ""Cliff Chirping Frog""; ""FAMILY LEPTODACTYLIDAE: NEOTROPICAL GRASS FROGS""; ""Mexican White-lipped Frog""; ""FAMILY MICROHYLIDAE: NARROW-MOUTHED TOADS""

""Eastern Narrow-mouthedToad""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

0-292-73736-X

OCLC:

932314277