Amphibians Research Activities

*Use the internet to research interesting facts about amphibians.

* Use the internet to research the reasons for recent declines in amphibian populations.

* Use the internet to research endangered and extinct amphibians.

* Print Studyladder worksheets to help guide your research. Research Activity 1 Choose one of these interesting amphibian species to research.

Golden Poison Frog Harlequin Frog Chinese Giant Salamander (Phyllobates terribilis) (Atelopus varius) (Andrias davidiamus)

Name: Archey’s Frog Corroboree Frog Taylor’s Salamander Date: (Leiopelma archery) (Pseudophryne corroboree) (ambystoma taylori) Frog Research Name: Darwin’s Frog Date: Southern Gastric Brooding Frog Axolotyl Species: (Rheobatrachus silus) (Rhinoderma darwinii) (ambystoma mexicanum) Salamander Research Name:

Date: Habitat: Species: Morelet’s Leaf Frog Hula Painted Frog Sagalla Caecilian Caecilians Research (Agalychnis moreletii) (Discoglossus nigriventer) (Boulengerula niedeni)

Habitat: Environmental Status: Species: Goliath Frog Olm Luschan’s Salamander (Conraua goliath) (Proteus anginus) (Lyciasalamandra billae)

Environmental Status: COPYRIGHT STUDYLADDER Description: Habitat:

Description: Environmental Status: * Print these worksheets.

Interesting Facts: Description: * Use the internet to research

Interesting Facts: COPYRIGHT STUDYLADDER some of these interesting amphibian species.

COPYRIGHT STUDYLADDER Interesting Facts: * Choose the appropriate COPYRIGHT STUDYLADDER worksheet to present your information. Choose one of these interesting amphibian species to research.

Golden Poison Frog Harlequin Frog Chinese Giant Salamander (Phyllobates terribilis) (Atelopus varius) (Andrias davidiamus)

Archey’s Frog Corroboree Frog Taylor’s Salamander (Leiopelma archery) (Pseudophryne corroboree) (ambystoma taylori)

Southern Gastric Darwin’s Frog Axolotyl Brooding Frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) (ambystoma mexicanum) (Rheobatrachus silus)

Morelet’s Leaf Frog Hula Painted Frog Sagalla Caecilian (Agalychnis moreletii) (Discoglossus nigriventer) (Boulengerula niedeni)

Goliath Frog Olm Luschan’s Salamander (Conraua goliath) (Proteus anginus) (Lyciasalamandra billae)

* Use the internet to research the reasons for recent declines in amphibian populations.

* Use the internet to research endangered and extinct amphibians.

* Print Studyladder worksheets to help guide your research.

Endangered and Extinct Name: Research Activity 2 Amphibians Date: * Print this worksheet about Where did the following, most likely extinct, species of amphibians live? Golden Toad, last seen in 1989 in endangered and extinct Gastric Brooding Frog, last seen in 1985 in Mesopotamia Beaked Toad, last seen in 1914 in amphibians. Jackson’s Climbing Salamander, last seen in 1975 in African Painted Frog, last seen in 1950 in * Read the information (on The greatest threat to amphibian species is habitat loss due to human activities. What human activities a ect the amphibian population? the following slide) about viral and fungal diseases that a ect amphibians.

Which diseases were responsible for a rapid decline in amphibian populations in * Use the internet to nd many parts of the world during the 1980s and 1990s? information about extinct amphibians.

Populations of amphibians are declining at an alarming rate world wide. What recommendations would you make to stop this trend?

COPYRIGHT STUDYLADDER Viral and Fungal Diseases Affect Amphibians World-Wide Amphibians are the most Outbreaks have also been Since then Bd has spread to all threatened of all vertebrates. detected in Europe and continents with populations of According to the Australia. amphibians. International Union for the Conservation of Nature In 2014, suspected new strains Chytridiomycosis can be (IUCN) 41% of all amphibians of Ranavirus were thought to treated with application of already face extinction. So be responsible for deadly antifungal cream. However outbreaks of deadly strains of outbreaks of disease that this is not a practical viral and fungal diseases killed frogs, toads and newt treatment for the wild make their future look quite species in Northern Spain. population. bleak. Widespread mortality of Chytridiomycosis is thought Outbreaks of a virus called amphibians has also been to be responsible for the rapid Ranavirus, which affects cold caused by a type of chytrid decline of some amphibian blooded animals such as fungus. Outbreaks of populations. This includes the amphibians and fish, were chytridiomycosis (disease probable extinction of the first recorded in the 1980s. caused by chytrid fungus) Northern species of Darwin’s The virus is responsible for were first noticed in the early Frog (rhinoderma rufum) as declines in amphibian 1990s. A new strain called well as the rapid decline of the population in the United Batrachochytrium Southern species of Darwin’s Kingdom, the United States of dendrobatidis (Bd) was Frog (rhinoderma darwinii). America and Canada. detected in 1996.