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Photo credits:
Newts, Bullfrog:
Melissa Moritis
Spotted Salamander:
Roger Riley
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Connecticut Amphibian Facts
Like desert creatures Eastern Spadefoot Toads are adapted to live in dry conditions. They spend much of their time underground and can even create a water-tight chamber in their burrow by secreting a fluid that hardens around them. They only reproduce sporadically in temporary pools created in years featuring heavy rains.
The Slimy Salamander derives its name from its slimy skin secretion that feels like glue and is difficult to remove from ones hands.
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The Red-spotted Newt is an aquatic salamander that possesses an extra terrestrial stage in its life cycle called an eft. The eft transforms from an aquatic larvae that hatches out of an egg deposited in the pond. The eft spends from 2-4 years on land before returning to the pond to spend the remainder of its life as an aquatic adult. These bright orange efts are commonly seen crawling on the forest floor after rain.
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The Mudpuppy is a completely aquatic salamander which breathes through large, pink, bushy gills and grows to a length of 18 inches. In Connecticut, the Mudpuppy has only been recorded from the Connecticut River.
Northeastern populations of Jefferson and Blue-spotted Salamanders have a unique reproductive ecology among vertebrates and throughout most of Connecticut their hybrids form genetically diverse populations. Studies of these salamanders are aiding scientists in understanding evolutionary processes.
The Redback, Dusky, Two-lined, Spring
and Slimy Salamanders are all members of a family of salamanders that lack lungs (Plethodontids). They breathe entirely through their skin and the the lining of their mouth.
The egg masses of Spotted Salamanders are often colonized by an algae which some scientists believe helps provide oxygen to the growing embryos, as well as camouflage for the eggs. The algae in turn gains nutrients from the egg mass.
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The warts on a Toad contain a toxin called "bufonin" that acts as a taste repellant to would be predators.
The tadpoles of Toads and Wood Frogs are dark black and can often be observed gathering in large masses at the shallow edges of pools. This behavior allows them to more efficiently warm themselves by creating a large dark surface area to absorb the suns rays.
The Wood Frog is able to survive extremely cold temperatures during hibernation, even having up to 35% of its body frozen. This is because the frogs body fluids contain glycerol (a natural antifreeze) during the winter.
Spring Peepers are small frogs that breed in wetlands throughout the state. Each spring the males gather and call to the females in large choruses. Some males, however, save their energy and silently wait near a calling male until a female nears. They then intercept the female before she reaches the calling male or in other cases take-over the previous males successful calling perch. These enterprising individuals are termed "satellite males."
Gray Treefrogs have large adhesive discs on their toes which enable them to easily climb trees and shrubs. These frogs are sometimes found inside bird houses where they have sought shelter.
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Bullfrogs are voracious predators and have been known to feed on bats, small turtles, snakes, birds, mice, other frogs and just about anything else they can swallow.
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A typical athlete expends approximately 10 times more energy when active than at rest. A male Spring Peeper expends approximately 25 times more energy calling than at rest. A single peeper may call up to 4,500 times in a night averaging 120-130 calls per minute.
Redback Salamanders can occur in large populations that may play an important role in the food chain of a forest. For example, one study conducted in a New Hampshire forest found that the biomass of redback salamanders was twice that of the breeding bird population and equal to the small mammal population.
Upon arriving at their breeding pool, male Spotted Salamanders often congregate in large swirling groups presumably to attract the females which typically arrive later. These groups of males are called "congresses."
If you listen carefully to a chorus of Spring Peepers you can distinguish several different calls that will provide you with clues to different breeding behaviors. The typical high pitched "peep" is an advertisement call to females, and the males call together in a chorus to amplify the effect and attract females from a distance. Individual males establish a small territory in which to call from. A loud "trill" indicates the presence of a trespasser. However, if a female approaches the males territory, this can be detected by the sound of
an "elongated peep."
The majority of female Wood Frogs deposit their eggs in one or two communal masses in a pool. Studies have indicated that this may be an adaptation to insure that at least some eggs hatch in the unstable temporary pools where the frog breeds. If the water level drops exposing the egg masses, those in the center remain moist. If the pool freezes, those in the center are protected. The Center masses are also warmer than the surrounding masses speeding up their time to hatching.
The sex of some species of frogs and toads can be distinguished by the size of the ear (tympanum) or the color of the throat. For example, male Toads or Gray Treefrogs have a charcoal gray colored throat while females have a white throat. Male Green or Bullfrogs have a tympanum that is larger than their eye, while the female's are smaller than their eye.
Gray Treefrogs are colored like the greenish-gray lichens common on trees (newly metamorphosed treefrogs however, are lime green to blend in with vegetation). However, underneath their hind legs they are brightly colored yellow-orange. This is known as a "flash patch" and serves to startle predators when they leap away.
Spotted Salamander egg masses can either be clear or milky white. Studies indicate that the opaque masses may be more protected against predators because they are firmer and more difficult to penetrate. Thus the opaque masses may be more prevalent in pools where predator populations are high.
If grabbed around the waist Bullfrogs will often emit a loud scream designed to frighten predators. Many other frogs including the Wood Frog have developed a similar "release call" as a means of repelling confused males that latch on to them during the frenzy of spring breeding.
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Web
Page designed by
Ingrid Davis
Great Hill volunteer
For
questions or comments on this website,
please contact Twan
Leenders
June 2004
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Project Coordinator
Hank Gruner
Science Center of Connecticut
950 Trout Brook Drive
West Hartford, CT 06119
Telephone:
860.231.2830 ext.28
e-mail:
hgruner@sciencecenterct.org
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