The Amphiblog

All amphibians, all the time! Although there is a bias towards salamanders hehe

[thedogeveryonehates]

[moniquill]

[picsflip]

Red Eft checking under a mushroom cap for lunch

[steepravine]

Newt On Huge Oyster Mushroom

(Mount Tamalpais, California - 11/2014)

[herpsandbirds]

Sambava Tomato Frog (Dyscophus guineti), family Microhylidae, found in central Madagascar

photograph by Josh's Frogs

[markscherz]

It's the hoppiest day of the year!

World Frog Day!

Here is a tiny frog from one side of the world:

This is Mini mum. That is a 10 euro cent coin.

And here is a tiny frog from the other side of the world:

This is Microhyla nepenthicola. That is a 50 Malasyian sen coin.

Frogs have evolved to extremely reduced body sizes gobsmackingly often. It is one of the coolest things. And basically every time they do this, they become more similar to one another, and also they lose whole structures, like ears, fingers, and toes.

Isn't it marvellous?

[westernmassposting]

ITS HAPPENING!!!

All instructions from the Hitchcock Center are under the cut. Hope to see you there!

During Big Migration, amphibian movement generally starts right after it gets to full darkness, and can go through the night if conditions are good (continued rain and temperatures above 40 degrees). We stay as long as people have energy, so if you are interested in coming a little later in the evening to take a later shift, that can be helpful, as groups with children may leave earlier.

Please take East Pleasant to Pine Street and park at Cushman. Then walk up Pine Street to Henry Street.

Please do not cross over the fence with orange tape on it. Stay on the road side of these fences.

If you need any help or have any questions, please ask a volunteer who will have a yellow reflective vest on.

If you have reflective clothing, please wear it for safety. Please dress for the rain! Wear multiple layers and a waterproof outer shell.

Please do not touch the animals unless they are in danger while on the road. If you do have to help one, please do not carry them in your hands. Please bring a clean plastic container (like an empty to-go container or strawberry container) or bucket at least 8 inches wide which you can fill with leaves. The very best thing to do is find the volunteers whose job will be to have buckets ready for collecting critters on the road.

If you have a flashlight please bring one- ideally, one that has a red light mode because regular light can impact the migrating creatures. We will have a limited amount of red cellophane or red tape to cover flashlights with. You can also use a red marker, and then wash it off.

Be very careful if you have to cross the road as the vehicles can have difficulty seeing you. Do not take any chances, cars will not be asked to slow down. (The road should be closed tonight, though.)

Please be aware of where your children are at all times and make sure they and you know the rules to correctly enjoy the salamander and frog migration. For young children, please accompany them at all times for everyone’s safety.

[werewolf-transgenderism]

breaking news! new beautiful photo of the best species of frog in the world just dropped

cochranella euknemos, 📸 nuqui_herping on instagram

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

Though they're one of the largest terrestrial salamanders, at nearly 20 cm (8 in) long, tiger salamanders can be very difficult to find! This is because they are members of the mole salamander group; adults spend most of their time burrowing through the soil, and only emerge when it's time to breed.

(Image: An eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) by Mike Graziano)

[herpsandbirds]

California Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma californiense), family Ambystomatidae, mating and hanging out in a vernal pool in California, USA

photographs by Anton Sorokin

[herpsandbirds]

Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), family Cryptobranchidae, found in freshwater streams in the eastern United States

The largest salamander in the Americas, it grows to a maximum total length of up to 40 cm (15.7 in). 

photograph by Dominik Moser Haus des Meeres Zoo

[amphibianaday]

day 1721

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day 1715

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day 1711

[herpsandbirds]

Ngoc Linh Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton ngoclinhensis), family Salamandridae, endemic to the central highlands of Viet Nam

Poisonous.

First discovered in 2018, finally described as a distinct species in 2023.

photograph by Tao Thien Nguyen

[herpsandbirds]

Small Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus lateralis), family Rhacophoridae, Western Ghats of India

photograph by Sandeep Das

[smithsonianlibrariesarchives]

A cape rain frog from Georges Louis Leclerc Buffon's Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière t.30 (1788). Full text here.

[importantandunavoidable]

fuck. yes 💯

[amphibianaday]

day 1668