Ohio's Amphibians
 Compared with game animals, fish, and birds, amphibians are a largely
ignored form of
wildlife. When they are noticed, they are often regarded as slimy, ugly
creatures of no
consequence, with the possible exception of their use as fish bait. But
many of these typically
shy, secretive animals are surprisingly colorful and interesting. Although
a few amphibians are
relatively large and unblessed with good looks, most are small, delicately
attractive, and
brightly colored. The fact that some of these more vulnerable species
survive at all is cause for
wonder.
About 360 million years ago amphibians were the first creatures to emerge
from the seas to
begin life on land. The term amphibian comes from the Greek amphi, which
means dual, and
bios, meaning life. Many amphibians do live a double life-spending part of
their lives in water
and the rest on land-but some never go into the water and others never
leave it.
All amphibians are cold-blooded animals with a moist glandular skin which
is capable of
absorbing oxygen into the body. Unlike reptiles, their skin is not scaly
and they do not have
claws on their toes. Most amphibians prefer to come out at night.
The young undergo metamorphosis; that is, they pass through a larval,
usually aquatic stage
before drastically changing form and becoming adults.
Ohio is fortunate in having many species of amphibians. Although generally
inconspicuous most
of the year, during the breeding season-especially following a warm, early
spring rain-
amphibians appear in great numbers, seemingly from out of nowhere. Those
that migrate in
large groups to the breeding grounds are often killed by the thousands
while crossing highways.
Fortunately, however, nature has endowed most of these little animals with
the ability to
reproduce in great numbers.
Amphibian eggs must remain moist to hatch. The eggs do not have a shell but
rather are covered
with a jelly-like substance. Amphibians lay eggs singly, in masses, or in
strings in the water
or in some other moist place.
As with most Ohio wildlife, the only real threat to their continued existence is habitat destruction. Only by protecting suitable habitat today will we enable future generations to study and enjoy Ohio's amphibians.
Recommended Reading
The Frog Book, by Mary C. Dickerson. Dover Publications, Inc., 1969.
Thorough descriptions of
species of frogs and toads and their characteristics. Includes some color
plates.
Reptiles and Amphibians, by Hobart M. Smith and Herbert S. Zim. Golden
Books, 1987. A Golden
Guide that includes color illustrations of each species, a brief
description of its distinguishing
characteristics, and a map showing its distribution.
Salamanders of Ohio, edited by Ralph A. Pfingsten and Floyd L. Downs. Ohio
Biological Survey
Bulletin, Volume 7, Number 2, 1989. Includes color plates of species and
habitats. An
excellent, thorough treatment of the life history and distribution of all
Ohio salamanders.
A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North
America, by Roger
Conant. Houghton Muffin Co., 1975. Includes color plates of species,
distribution maps, and
brief text about each species. The Audubon Society Field Guide to American Reptiles & Amphibians, by J.L. Behler and F. Wayne King. Alfred A. Knopf, 1979. Another excellent field guide.
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