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Diversity of Life 2 > Amphibians > Flashcards

Amphibians Flashcards

1
Q

When did amphibians emerge?

A

Devonian.

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2
Q

What are the three main lineages of amphibia?

A
  • Anura (frogs and toads).
  • Urodeles (salamanders).
  • Gymnophionans (caecilians).
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3
Q

What happens during frog metamorphosis?

A
  • Small mouth for algal feeding replaced with large mouth for catching prey.
  • Herbivorous gut replaced with short gut for carnivorous feeding.
  • Legs developed.
  • Lungs developed.
  • Gills degenerated.
  • Tail degenerated.
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4
Q

What are the three periods of metamorphosis?

A
  • Pre-metamorphosis: tadpole gets larger and changes shape a little bit.
  • Pro-metamorphosis: hind legs appear and growth slows.
  • Climax - forelegs emerge and tail degenerates, very quick process. Vulnerable at this stage as not adapted to aquatic or terrestrial life fully.
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5
Q

What gland is important for metamorphosis?

A

The thyroid.

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6
Q

What are shared amphibian characteristics?

A
  • Smooth, moist skin.
  • Multiple methods of respiration.
  • Pedicellate teeth.
  • Green vision rods.
  • Operculum - columella for hearing.
  • Levator bulbi muscle.
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7
Q

How do amphibians prevent desiccation?

A
  • Mucus glands on skin.
  • Modifying behaviour.
  • Highly vascularised ventral skin absorbs water (pelvic patch).
  • Permeable bladder to store dilute urine.
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8
Q

What are the poison glands of some amphibians called?

A

Parotid gland.

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9
Q

What is cutaneous respiration?

A

Gas exchange across skin.

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10
Q

What is buccopharyngeal respiration?

A

Gas exchange in buccal cavity and pharynx.

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11
Q

Explain pulmonary respiration in amphibians.

A

Amphibian lungs too small for all gas exchange.

  • Lack intercostal muscles so cannot expand ribcage.
  • Lack diaphragm.
  • Use buccal pump which forces air into lungs.
  • Air drawn into cavity with glottis closed, nares close and glottis opens, floor of mouth is raised and air is forced into lungs.
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12
Q

What amphibians retain gills?

A
  • Neonetics such as axolotl.
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13
Q

What are advantages of pedicellate teeth?

A

Flexible to handle prey.

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14
Q

What are green rods?

A

A photoreceptor unique to amphibians. Not in caecilians as they’re blind.

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15
Q

What is the columella complex?

A
  • Two bones in middle ear which transmit sound to inner ear.
  • Dual frequency system: high frequency sounds vibrate columella alone. Low = vibration of operculum-columella unit.
  • Used in predator and prey detection.
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16
Q

What is the levator bulbi muscle?

A

Muscle beneath eye, bulges eye to increase buccal cavity volume. Used in breathing and swallowing.

17
Q

What is amphibian circulation like?

A
  • Heart has 3 chambers.
  • 2 atria and 1 ventricle.
  • Right atrium has deoxygenated and left has oxygenated.
  • Ventricle divided into two narrow chambers to prevent too much mixing.
18
Q

What is the amphibian nervous system like?

A
  • 3 brain sections: fore, mid and hindbrain.

- Sensory receptors on skin.

19
Q

Give characteristics of the Gymnophionans.

A
  • Caecilians - caecilidae largest family.
  • Legless.
  • Annulated body.
  • Very short or no tail.
  • Regressed eyes.
  • Very solid skull.
  • Dermal scales.
  • No operculum.
  • Curved, relatively long teeth.
  • Offspring may be oviparous or viviparous.
  • 25% oviparous, 75% vivi.
  • Live young are matrotrophic, getting their nutrition from vitellus, then uterine milk.
  • Breathe via fetal gills.
20
Q

Give characteristics of the Urodeles.

A
  • Salamanders and newts.
  • Plethodontidae largest family.
  • Superficial segmentation.
  • 4 equal limbs.
  • Male spermatophore = gelatinous base that tapers towards top and support apical sperm mass.
  • Male deposits sperm in front of female and female aligns her vent above it and removes the apical mass.
  • Some undergo neoteny (larvae become sexually mature before metamorphosis).
  • Axolotl is an obligate neonate.
21
Q

Give characteristics of the Anura.

A
  • Frogs and toads.
  • Hind limbs and muscle form lever system, catapulting them forward, fused fibia and tibia.
  • Posterior vertebrae becomes urostyle.
  • Vocalisation to attract female, fright calls before jumping in water or distress calls if grabbed by wrong sex.
  • Amplexus- copulatory embrace where male fertilises eggs that are released by female - external fertilisation.
  • Eggs can be developed in or over water, or in a foam or bromeliad nest.
  • Parents either carry their eggs, brood them in their mouth or viviparously.
  • Suriname toads keep their eggs under their back skin before they erupt through it when ready.
22
Q

What are threats to amphibia worldwide?

A
  • Habitat loss.
  • Climate change.
  • Environmental pollution.
  • Pathogens and disease. - e.g. chytridiomysis (suffocating fungus)
  • Commercial harvest. - mountain chicken.
  • Ecological indicators due to their sensitivity to environmental changes.
23
Q

Give some examples of amphibian families.

A
  • Ranidae - true frogs.
  • Bufonidae - true toads (have Bidder’s organ in males).
  • Alytidae - midwife toads. (male parental care).

Diversity of Life 2 (16 decks)

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