Amphibians (Test Three)

Question 1

Amphibians are from a group that have ancestors that were the first vertebrates to colonize land, what is this group called?

Answer 1

Tetrapods

Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals also belong to it

Question 2

Why should humans care about amphibians?
(five reasons)

Answer 2

1. They are key indicators of changing environments
2. Other animals rely on them for food
3. Larval stage amphibians eat algae
4. Amphibians eat pests
5. Their skin chemicals have been used in medicine to combat drug resistant bacteria, heart problems and HIV, and more to come

Question 3

Generally describe the amphibian life cycle.

Answer 3

Egg laid in an aquatic environment, and develop into a larva stage, and develop more eventually moving to terrestrial land.

Question 4

What is so special about frog and toad skin?

Answer 4

They can “drink” water and “breath” oxygen through it

Question 5

Describe the Costa Rican Golden toad, and when it became extinct.

Answer 5

Native to Costa Rica, and once wildly abundant, but now last seen in 1989

Question 6

Describe the Gastric brooding frog and when it became extinct.

Answer 6

It was special because the females incubated tadpoles in their stomach and barfed them to give birth, native to Queensland Australia, and became extinct in the 1980s

Question 7

Describe the Panamanian Golden Frog and when it was last seen in the public.

Answer 7

Native to Panama, and last seen in the wild in 2009, still in zoos though

Question 8

Explain Habitat loss as a threat to amphibian survival.

Answer 8

When their habitats are modified, specifically fragmented they are at risk because they rely on water and land areas for survival, and populations become isolated.

Question 9

Explain Pollution as a threat to amphibian survival.

Answer 9

When pesticides run off from ag. systems they can absorb through the amphibians skin and the developing embryo.

The pesticides act as hormones which will lead to many problems with growth and reproduction

Question 10

Explain Diseases as a threat to the survival of amphibians.

Answer 10

1. Trematodes (parasitic flatworms) can cause malformities.
2. Bd or the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus, which is linked to 90 extinctions

Question 11

How should one describe these threats as a whole toward the survival of amphibians?
Acting singular or Acting together?

Answer 11

The threats work together to cause declines and extinctions

Question 12

Describe how Chytrid fungal disease works.

Answer 12

The fungus has a singular flagellum, and exists as zoospores, which invade the frog skin and start reproducing. After a while, this develops into a discharge papillae, which inevitably kills the frog and spreads more zoospores.

Question 13

Where is Chytrid Fungal disease native to?

Answer 13

Southern Asia

Question 14

Some frogs resistant to Bd, what are the possible reasons for this?

Answer 14

1. Symbiotic bacteria?
2. Anti microbial peptides in skin?

Question 15

Which is a bigger threat, Habitat loss or Disease?

Answer 15

Habitat loss

Question 16

How can WE prevent Amphibians from becoming extinct?

Answer 16

1. Don’t move them
2. Don’t release captive ones
3. Don’t buy or trade wildlife