#868: Yonahlossee Salamander

The Yonahlossee Salamander is a large species of woodland salamander. He inhabits the southern Appalachian Mountains of North America. Here he favours deciduous woodland, and can be found at relatively high altitudes. During the day he takes cover in damp, shaded areas, becoming most active on humid or rainy nights, when he forages for insects and other invertebrates.  As the weather grows colder, he migrates underground.

#832: Whistling Tree Frog

In memory of Lazarus.

There are several species of frog commonly referred to as Whistling Frogs, but two species in particular come from Australia: Litoria ewingii and Litoria verreauxii. They are named for their call, although it does not much sound like a whistle. Neither species grows more than 45 mm in length and both lead a semi-arboreal existence, ascending to the trees once they have assumed their adult form. Ewingii has been introduced to New Zealand, where it is locally common.

Lazarus came to us in the mid-90s, taken from an abandoned bath tub on my uncle's farm, and making the journey in a large jar filled with water. The rest of his life was spent in a terranium, normally housed in the cool of our bathroom. In the early years, he would whistle when we showered, but eventually gave up when his songs went unanswered. His name came from an incident when, upon arriving home from school, I found him lying in his swimming tub, motionless. Even shaking his tub had no effect. I left a note for my mum (along the lines of "think frog might be dead?"), then went out with some friends. When I got home, my mother had left another note: "frog is fine, croak, croak" and he was. Lazarus never hibernated, and when the flies upon which we fed him disappeared with winter, I would feed him meal worms, warming him in my hands first (frogs, being ectotherms, become sluggish in the cold). I know now that you are not supposed to handle frogs due to chemicals, but Lazarus lived a full 15 years with us, gradually getting slower and less adept at hunting his living prey as he aged. I do feel a little sad for him, he spent his entire life in the terranium, never knew the love of a frog-woman, and his diet was fairly limited. I would not keep frogs inside again - now we have a pond in our garden. I released the tadpoles into it, saw some of them assume their adult forms and hope that they are still out there, somewhere, succesfully avoiding predation by cat, starling and hedgehog. At least Lazarus never had to worry about that.

#765: Tree Frog

There are numerous species of Tree Frog, a term given to any species that, as an adult frog, follows an aboreal lifestyle. Probably the most recognisable is this Red-eyed Tree Frog of Central America. These red eyes act as a deterrent to predation, for he opens them wide if danger nears, suprisingly any potential predator and giving the frog the opportunity to free.

#758: Tiger Salamander

The Tiger Salamander is one of the Mole Salamanders. He lives in North America. Whilst the larvae are aquatic, the adults are terrestrial and live in burrows. His diet consists predominantly of worms and small insects, but he is also known to eat baby mice and smaller amphibians. Juvenile Tiger Salamander resemble axolotls and if terrestrial conditions are not suitable, some may become sexually mature while still in the larval form. This is known as Neoteny. 

#712: Spadefoot Toad

The Spadefoot Toad of America is named for the ridge of keratin on his feet, which help him to dig. A similar Family live in Europe, bearing the same name, but are not closely related. He makes his home in arid environments, burrowing  beneath the soil to find moisture. He can remain underground for months. After the rains begin to fall, he surfaces to feed on insects such as ants and grasshoppers and to breed. Due to the ephemereal nature of the desert pools, tadpoles must develop swiftly if they are to survive and they can hatch, grow and metamorphose within 14 days. Remarkedly, some Spadefoot tadpoles follow the typical vegetarian diet, whereas others become carnivorous, even predating their siblings (although they prefer not to).

What is the difference between frogs and toads?
Generally speaking, frogs are more adapted for an aquatic or humid environment. They have longer legs, smoother skin and are slightly slimy due to the mucus they excrete. Toads are adapted to drier habitats. They have nobbly, thicker skin and stockier limbs. In fact, all toads are frogs, as they are members of the same Order, but not all frogs are toads.

#680: Salamander

The Salamanders are a group of lizard-like amphibians. Like all amphibians, his skin is permeable to water and acts as a respiratory membrane. Consequently, Salamander are generally found in moist habitats, near water. Some species, like this Fire Salamander, are capable of exuding a toxic secretion through their skin, which acts as a deterrant to predators. He follows a carnivorous diet, eating anything he can catch and swallow. Like frogs, he begins life as a tadpole, but as he attains his adult form, he retains his tail. If body parts are lost, he is capable of regenerating new ones.

#676: Poison Dart Frog

The Golden Poison Dart Frog is one of the most deadly animals in the world. Their alkaloid toxin is derived from their diet - consisting of insects, wiht the culprit potentially being a Melyridae beetle  - and becomes concentrated in the frog's skin. Contact with one of these bright little fellows will cause nerve failure that forces the muscles to remain in a contracted state, which can lead to heart failure. The only animals capable of eating a Golden Poison Dart Frog is the golden-bellied snakelet - and even they are not completely immune. In captivity, their diet will lead to them eventually becoming harmless but the toxins can remain for years in wild caught specimens.

 It is calculated that the toxins from one frog can kill up to 20 people.

Definition: An animal is considered Venomous if it delivers the toxin to the victim via active means, such as fangs or spines. Creatures are considered Poisonous if the toxin is delivered via consumption or other less deliberate means.

#660: Rocket Frog

There are several species of Rocket Frog, select members of the Litoria tree frog Genus, found in Australia  - this fellow is the Striped Rocket Frog. His range encompasses most of coastal northern Australia, from the top of Western Australia around to Sydney. Here he can be found in swamps, ponds and flooded grasslands. Ephemeral ponds are used for breeding. Rocket Frogs can be distinguished by their longer hind legs, which allow him to make leaps of around 2 m - about 35 times his own body length.

#621: Quarry Worm Salamander

The Quarry Worm Salamander is one of 29 species in the Oedipina Genus. They are lungless, elongated amphibians who use their skin and the inside of the mouth to breathe. The Quarry Worm Salamander is found in a restricted range in montane and semi-montane rainforests of Costa Rica. He makes his home in moss mats on the banks of streams and is semi-aquatic. Sometimes he can be found in road cuts and quarries as well. He is under threat from habitat destruction and classified as Endangered.

Creature Feature #576: Paradoxical Frog

The Paradoxical Frog is sometimes known as the "shrinking frog" and is found in the nrothern regions of South America. The female frog lays her eggs among the water plants, which hatch into fairly small tadpoles. Over the next four months, these tadpoles will grow up to 25 cm in length. When she undergoes the transformation, her tail is absorbed back into the body, which leads her to shrink down to half - or even quarter - her tadpole size. The frogs lead a largely aquatic existence, feeding on larvae, small insects and other invertebrates. She uses her long toes to stir up the debris on the riverbed, and with it her prey.

Creature Feature #543: Ornate Horned Frog

The Ornate Horned Frog is sometimes known as the "Pacman" frog for her diet - which consists not of ghosts, but of anything large enough to fit in her mouth. This includes rodents, lizards, fish, other frogs, spiders and insects. An ambush predator, she sits motionless, relying on her camouflage, and waits for prey to blunder past. She has a reputation for being fearless and will fight back against attackers, no matter their size. She is naturally found in Argentina, but has also been introduced into the pet industry.

She is classified as "Near Threatened" in the wild.

Creature Feature #534: Olm

Olm are a species of cave-dwelling salamander. Due to the nature of his home - deep below the earth with no light source - the Olm is not only blind, but his eyes are undeveloped. He leads an entirely aquatic lifestyle, never leaving the water, and exhibits neotony (as also seen in the axolotl and the mudpuppy) retaining his gills into adulthood. His sense of smell and hearing are excellent, and help him locate  prey - in the form of crustaceans, molluscs and insects. Gregarious in nature, Olm will gather together beneath rocks. Sexually active males, however, become territorial.

Olm are found in European cave systems and are Vulnerable to extinction.

Creature Feature #503: Newt

The name Newt is given to a number of aquatic salamander species. Like other amhpbian species, Newts go through different developmental stages -an aquatic larval stage, a terrestrial juvenile form and a lizard-like adult form. Some adult Newt species become fully aquatic, whereas others only return to the water to breed. Newts and salamanders are similar in apperance, but a Newt's skin is bumpier. Like axolotls, they have regenerative properties and will regrow damaged limbs and organs such as eyes. His skin is very thin and permeable, making his sensitive to environmental changes. The presence of Newts in water indicates that it is relatively unpolluted.


This is a Luristan Newt - he is Critically Endangered.

Creature Feature #496: Natterjack Toad

The  Natterjack is a European Toad, living in sandy areas and heaths. He is noted for his loud and distinctive mating call, amplified by the large vocal sac in his throat. Adult toads are quite spread out across their range, and can travel large distances. Thus he needs a loud voice to call to the females. Small pools of water are required for breeding, and these are often ephemeral. The breeding period extends across the summer, allowing the toads to compensate for the risk of the pools drying out.

Currently classified as least concern, but under threat in some areas from urban development and habitat modification.

Creature Feature #485: Mudpuppy

The Mudpuppy are a Genus of aquatic salamander, native to the eastern United States and Canada. The best known is the Common Mudpuppy. He undergoes paedomorphosis, retaining his external gills (rather like an Axolotl). He is heavily reliant on these gills for respiration and Mudpuppies living in stagnant pools have larger, feathery gills than those inhabiting fast-flowing streams. He follows a nocturnal lifestyle and is an opportunistic carnivore, eating anything he can get in his mouth, including annelids, crustaceans, molluscs and insects.

Creature Feature #449: Mantella

Mantella are a Genus of frogs, endemic to Madagascar, and the Malagasy equivalent of Poison Dart Frogs. Measuring no more than 2-3 cms in length, they are irridescent in colour. This advertises the toxic nature of their skin to potential predators. This does little to deter predators, however, with snakes and other reptiles being observed eating the frogs with no apparent side effects. Many of the species are endangered, some critically, as they are threatened with habitat loss and over-collection for the pet trade. This fellow is known as a Blue-legged Mantella, for obvious reasons. Currently classified as endangered, demand and subsequent poaching may lead him back to critically endangered.

Creature Feature #389: Knocking Sand Frog

I was going to draw a Koi, then realised I had more-or-less covered them with "Carp". So here, instead, is my amphibian for K.

The Knocking Sand Frog of Africa, was first discovered in 1973. Following a period of heavy rainfall, large numbers appear in the Kruger National Park. He is named for his distinctive call, which one must conclude from his name, sounds rather like someone knocking. He favours sandy soils, and inhabits disturbed areas. He breeds in temporary waterbodies, presumerably after the floods. Information seems to be pretty skint, mostly the same wikipedia article (which doesn't indicate if his discovery is linked to the heavy rainfall mentioned above), but I shall delve further into detail tomorrow, if possible.

I have started designing trading cards with these creatures, and have the vaguest idea for a game, but no real concept of the game plan as of yet. It is tremendously fun to create them though!

Here's my favourite so far, the kingfisher:

The yellow logos indicate his diet - fish and insects, with the green one indicating his "type" (small bird).
I suppose I should add amphibians to that diet chart, and reptiles... Hrm, some of the omnivores will likely fit anywhere! For simplicities sake, we'll stick with fish and insects for now. Of course, this means that the frogs might end up not being eaten by _anything_.

Perhaps there should be bonus points for players that create the longest food chain!

Creature Feature #308: Hellbender

The Hellbender is a giant salamander from North America, where he inhabits fast flowing streams. The swiftly flowing water is essential for oxygenation. Although he retains gill slits and has lungs, he also obtains oxygen through capillaries in his side frills. He is solitary in nature, and relative sedantary. His main diet consists of small fish and crustaceans and his flattened shape allows him to crawl beneath rocks and protect himself from predators.

Creature Feature #283: Great Crested Newt

The Great Crested Newt is a relatively large amphibian, with the female being longer than the male. Predatory in nature, his main diet consists of worms, insects, slugs and snails, although they will also dine on other amphibians and cannibalism is not infrequent. He uses his strong sense of smell to hunt, but also has pressure sensitive cells on his head, that can pinpoint the movement of prey within the water. During breeding season, the male grows the dramatic crest, which he uses to attract the females, first returning to the pool in which he hatched. After mating, she will lay up to 300 eggs, placing each on the underside of an underwater leaf.

Creature Feature #232: Ferreret

The Ferreret, or Mallorcan Midwife Toad, is endemic to Mallorca, where it has now disappeared from much of the island. Like all Midwife toads, the male carries the developing eggs. These are strung around his legs like garlands, and he keeps them moist. The habitat of the Ferreret is very dry, and often the only moisture available is small rain-filled puddles. Once he finds a suitable body of water: a cattle trough, large puddle, or river pool, he deposits the eggs and they hatch spontaneously. Considered extinct, he was rediscovered in 1977 and now captive breeding populations have been established.