Exploring the World of Reptiles and Amphibians

Exploring the
world of REPTILEs

AND AMPHIBIANS

Copyright © 2009 The Brown Reference Group plc Project Editor: Sarah Eason
Designer: Paul Myerscough
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced Picture Researcher: Maria Joannou
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Chelsea House
An imprint of Infobase Publishing Consultant Editor
132 West 31st Street John P. Friel, Ph.D.
New York, NY 10001 Curator of Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles
Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ithaca, New York

Green, Jen. Authors
╇ Exploring the world of reptiles and amphibians / authors, Jen Green; Richard Spilsbury; Barbara Taylor
Jen Green, Richard Spilsbury, Barbara Taylor.
╇╇╇╇╇╇ p. cm.
╇ Includes index.
╇ ISBN 978-1-60413-256-4 (hardover)
╇ ISBN 978-1-4381-2543-5 (e-book)
1. ╇ Reptiles—Encyclopedias, Juvenile. 2. ╇ Amphibians—
Encyclopedias, Juvenile. ╇ I. Green, Jen. II. Spilsbury, Richard,
1963- III. Taylor, Barbara, 1954- IV. Title.

╇ QL644.2.G737 2009
╇ 597.9—dc22

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Contents

Introducing reptiles and amphibians 8
Reptile and amphibian family tree 10

Adder 12
African sand snakes 16
Alligator snapping turtle 18
Alligators 22
American alligator 24
American bullfrog 28
Anaconda 30
Armadillo lizard 34
Asian horned frog 36
Australian toadlets 38
Australian water-holding frog 42
Axolotl 44
Blind snakes 46
Blue-tongued skink 48
Boas 5â2†œ
Bush squeaker 56
Bushveld rain frog 58
Caecilians 60
Caiman lizard 64
Caimans 66
Cane toad 68
Cape skink 72
Chameleons 74
Clawed toads 80
Cobras 82
Common frog 86

Common toad 88
Congo eels 90
Copperhead 92
Coral snakes 94
Crocodiles 98
Darwin’s frog 102
Dragon lizards 104
Eastern box turtle 108
Eastern newt 11↜ â0†œ
Edible frog 11↜ â2†œ
Eyed lizard 11↜ â4†œ
File snakes 11↜ â6†œ
Fire salamander 11↜ â8†œ
Fire-bellied toads 122
Flying frogs 124
Flying lizards 126
Frogs and toads 128
Galápagos giant tortoise 134
Garden lizard 138
Garter snakes 140
Geckos 144
Gharial 148
Ghost frogs 150
Giant galliwasps 1â5†œ â2†œ
Giant plated lizard 1â5†œ â4†œ
Giant salamanders 156
Glass frogs 162
Glass lizards 164
Golden-tailed gecko 166

˘

Grass snake 168
Great South American river turtle 1â7†œ 2
Green iguana 1â7†œ 4
Green toad 1â7†œ 6
Green tree python 1â7†œ 8
Green turtle 1â8†œ 2
Harlequin toads 1â8†œ 4
Hellbender 186
Horned lizards 1â8†œ 8
House snakes 1â9†œ 2
Iguanas 1â9†œ 4
Indian cobra 1â9†œ 8
Jungle racer 200
Komodo dragon 202
Kuhl’s flying gecko 206
Leaf frogs 208
Leatherback turtle 21↜ â2†œ
Leopard gecko 21↜ â4†œ
Leopard tortoise 21↜ â6†œ
Lizards 21↜ â8†œ
Loggerhead turtle 2â2†œ 4
Malaysian tree toad 2â2†œ 6
Mambas 2â2†œ 8
Mantellas 2â3†œ 0
Marine iguana 2â3†œ 2
Matamata 2â3†œ 6
Mexican burrowing frog 238
Midwife toads 240
Milksnake 242

˘

Monitor lizards 246

Monkey-tailed skink 250

Mudpuppy 254

Namaqua chameleon 256

Natterjack toad 258

Newts 260

Night lizards 264

Olm 266

Painted turtle 268

Panther chameleon 270

Pipe snakes 272

Plumed basilisk 276

Poison dart frogs 278

Puff adder 284

Pythons 286

Rain frog 290

Ratsnakes 294

Rattlesnakes 296

Red salamander 302

Reticulated python 304

Rough-skinned newt 306

Salamanders 308

Saltwater crocodile 31↜ â4†œ

Sand lizards 31↜ â6†œ

Sandfish 31↜ â8†œ

Sea snakes and sea kraits 320

Sharp-ribbed newt 326

Sidewinder 328

Sirens 330

˘

Skinks 332
Slimy salamander 336
Slow worm 338
Smooth newt 340
Snakes 344
Spadefoot toad 350
Spotted turtle 352
Surinam toad 354
Tegu 356
Terciopelo 358
Thorny devil 362
Tiger salamander 364
Tokay gecko 366
Tomato frog 368
Tortoises 370
Treefrogs 374
Tuatara 378
Turtles 380
Vipers 384
Viviparous lizard 388
Wall lizards 390
Water frogs 394
Whiptails 398
Worm lizards 402
Xenosaurs 406

Glossary 41↜ â0†œ
Further resources 41↜ â3†œ
Picture Credits 41↜ â4†œ

˘

INTRODUCINGâ•‹REPTILES
AND AMPHIBIANS

Reptiles are some of the most feared animals on of amphibians start their lives as eggs in the water.
this planet. But only a few species are so deadly The eggs hatch as tiny larvae, which breathe in the
that they could kill someone. Most would rather run water using gills. Through an amazing transformation
or slither away. What unites them all is that they are called metamorphosis, these aquatic larvae become
all cold-blooded creatures with scaly skin, which they land-dwelling adults that breathe air through their
shed to grow and replace worn-out skin. Reptiles lungs. Most amphibians also have the ability to
cannot regulate their own body temperature, so they breathe through their smooth, moist skin.
bask in the sunlight to warm up. Most reptiles lay
eggs on the land, but a few species keep the eggs When you read books or surf the Internet to
inside their bodies and then give birth to live young. find information about reptiles and amphibians you
With the exception of the crocodilians, most reptiles might come across the word herpetology. Scientists
do not care for their young. often use this word to describe the study of reptiles
and amphibians. Herpetology comes from the Greek
Like the reptiles, amphibians are cold-blooded word herpeton, meaning “creeping animal.”
animals. They are the link between animals that live
in water and those that live on land. The majority

Exploring the World of Reptiles and Amphibians

From adders to xenosaurs, these six volumes of read or Web sites to visit; and a volume-specific index.
Exploring Reptiles and Amphibians contain more Volume 6 contains a complete set index.
than one hundred articles that look at the amazing
world of reptiles and amphibians. Some of the articles Within each article you will find a Fact File box,
focus on a single species, such as the Indian cobra which summarizes the main features of the reptile
or Komodo dragon. Others talk about larger groups or amphibian. It provides information about the
of reptiles or amphibians, such as lizards, snakes, or breeding habits, coloration, diet, size, and status of
turtles. These overview articles are highlighted in bold a reptile or amphibian. Other items include Did You
typeface within the table of contents for each volume. Know? boxes, which highlight some amazing facts
about specific reptiles and amphibians, and box
Each volume has a number of useful features, features that take a closer look at one interesting
such as a family tree, which shows how reptiles and aspect of the creature in question. Throughout the
amphibians fit into the animal kingdom, how they book, large, colorful photographs and illustrations
are related to one another, and provides cross increase the reader’s enjoyment and understanding
references to articles in this set; a glossary of terms of the world of reptiles and amphibians.
used throughout the set; a further resources page,
which includes information about good books to

˘

Family ties CROCODILIANS FROGS AND
SNAKES AND TOADS
Above each Fact File in every article LIZARDS NEWTS AND
there is a color bar that highlights turtles, SALAMANDERS
in which particular group the reptile or terrapins, CAECILIANS
amphibian belongs. There are four main tortoises
groups of reptiles: crocodilians; snakes and TUATARAS
lizards; turtles, terrapins, and tortoises; and
tuataras. So there are four color codes for the
reptiles. Amphibians are divided into three
main groups: frogs and toads; newts and
salamanders; and the wormlike caecilians.
So there are three color codes for the
amphibians. Just look at the color code to
figure out in which group the animal belongs.

World Conservation Union (IUCN) Classifying reptiles
and amphibians
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is the largest
and most important conservation organization in the Scientists like to group reptiles and
world. It aims to protect the natural world by promoting amphibians into categories in which
the conservation of animals and plants that are threatened all the animals share certain body
with extinction. A living creature may be placed in one features. This is called classification.
of the following categories in the IUCN Red List of Animals that share body features are
Threatened Species: likely to be closely related because
they have similar genes, which are the
Extinct—there is no reasonable doubt that the last instructions found inside cells that
member of the species has died tell the animal what to do. The family
Extinct in the wild—the species survives only in captivity, tree overleaf shows the relationships
in cultivation, or as a population well outside its past range between all the different reptiles and
Critically endangered—facing an extremely high risk of amphibians. All the reptiles belong
extinction in the wild to the class Reptilia, while all the
Endangered—facing a very high risk of extinction different amphibians belong to the
in the wild class Amphibia. Scientists divided
Vulnerable—facing a high risk of extinction in the wild each class into several large groups,
called orders, which contain more
Near threatened—likely to qualify for a threatened closely related reptiles or amphibians.
category in the near future In turn, each order comprises smaller
Least concern—is not threatened groups called families. Families
Data deficient—there is not enough information contain genus groups, which are
available to make an assessment collections of species—the smallest
family unit. Reptiles or amphibians
The IUCN status for the reptiles and amphibians in this book belonging to the same species can
is highlighted at the foot of the Fact File panel in every entry. breed to produce offspring.

˘

REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN FAMILY TREE

ANIMAL Animals with a backbone CLASS:
KINGDOM (PHYLUM Chordata, BIRDS (Aves)
(Animalia)
SUBPHYLUM Vertebrata) REPTILES (Sauropsida)
AMPHIBIANS (Amphibia)
The numbers below refer to volume and page FISH (Osteichthyes—bony
numbers where a particular animal or group of
fish, Chondrichthyes—
animals is discussed in an article. cartilaginous fish)

MAMMALS (Mammalia)

CROCODILIA (Alligators 1:18; Crocodiles 2:26) ALLIGATORS (American alligator 1:20;
Caimans 1:62)

CROCODILES (Gharial 3:8;
Saltwater crocodile 5:38)

REPTILES TUATARAS (6:34) SAURIA (Lizards 4:10)
SQUAMATA SERPENTES (Snakes 5:68)
WORM LIZARDS (6:58)
CHELYDRIDAE (Alligator snapping turtle 1:14)
(Turtles 6:36, terrapins, tortoises 6:26) CHELIDAE (Matamata 4:28)
TESTUDINES CHELONIIDAE (Green turtle 3:42;
Loggerhead turtle 4:16)

AMPHIBIANS CAECILIANS (1:56) DERMOCHELYIDAE (Leatherback turtle 3:72)
EMYDIDAE (Eastern box turtle 2:36; Painted turtle 4:60)
PELOMEDUSIDAE (Great South American river
turtle 3:32; Spotted turtle 6:8)
TESTUDINIDAE (Galápagos giant
tortoise 2:62; Leopard tortoise 4:8)

ANURA (Frogs and toads 2:56)

CAUDATA (Newts 4:52 and salamanders 5:32) Ambystomidae (Axolotl 1:40;
Tiger salamander 6:20)
Congo eels 2:18
Giant salamanders 3:16 (Hellbender 3:46)
Newts 4:52
Salamandridae (Eastern newt 2:38; Fire
salamander 2:46; Rough-skinned newt 5:30;
Sharp-ribbed newt 5:50; Smooth newt 5:64)

Plethodontidae (Red salamander 5:26;
Slimy salamander 5:60)

Proteidae (Mudpuppy 4:46; Olm 4:58)

160

AGAMIDAE (Dragon lizards 2:32; Garden lizard 2:66; Flying lizards 2:54; Thorny devil 6:18)
ANGUIDAE (Giant galliwasps 3:12; Glass lizards 3:24; Slow worm 5:62)
CHAMELEONS 1:70 (Namaqua chameleon 4:48; Panther chamelon 4:62)
CORDYLIDAE (Armadillo lizard 1:30)
GECKOS 2:72 (Golden-tailed gecko 3:26; Kuhl’s flying gecko 3:66; Leopard gecko 3:74; Tokay gecko 6:22)
GERRHOSAURIDAE (Giant plated lizard 3:14)
IGUANAS 3:54 (Green iguana 3:34; Horned lizards 3:48; Marine iguana 4:24; Plumed basilisk 4:68)
LACERTIDAE (Eyed lizard 2:42; Sand lizards 5:40; Viviparous lizard 6:44; Wall lizards 6:46)
NIGHT LIZARDS 4:56
SIRENS 5:54
SKINKS 5:56 (Blue-tongued skink 1:44; Cape skink 1:68; Monkey-tailed skink 4:42; Sandfish 5:42)
TEIIDAE (Caiman lizard 1:60; Jungle racer 3:60; Tegu 6:12; Whiptails 6:54)
VARANIDAE (Komodo dragon 3:62; Monitor lizards 4:38)
XENOSAURS 6:62

BLIND SNAKES 1:42

BOAS 1:48 (Anaconda 1:26)

COLUBRIDAE (African sand snakes 1:12; Garter
snakes 2:68; Grass snake 3:28; House snakes 3:52;
Milksnake 4:34; Ratsnakes 5:18)

Arthroleptidae (Bush squeaker 1:52) ELAPIDAE (Cobras 2:10; Indian cobra 3:58; Coral snakes
Bombinatoridae (Fire-bellied toads 2:50) 2:22; Mambas 4:20; Sea snakes and sea kraits 5:44)
Bufonidae (Cane toad 1:64; Common toad 2:16; Green toad 3:36; FILE SNAKES 2:44
Harlequin toads 3:44; Malaysian tree toad 4:18; Natterjack toad 4:50) PIPE SNAKES 4:64
Ghost frogs 3:10 PYTHONS 5:10 (Green tree python 3:38;
Glass frogs 3:22 Reticulated python 5:28)
Mantellas 4:22
VIPERS 6:40 (Adder 1:8; Copperhead 2:20; Puff adder 5:8;
Rattlesnakes 5:20; Sidewinder 5:52; Terciopelo 6:14)

MEGOPHRYIDAE (Asian horned frog 1:32)
Microhylidae (Bushveld rain frog 1:54; Tomato frog 6:24)
Midwife toads 4:32
Myobatrachidae (Australian toadlets 1:34)
Pipidae (Clawed toads 2:8; Surinam toad 6:10)
Poison dart frogs 4:70

Rain frog 5:14
Rhacophoridae (Flying frogs 2:52)
Rhinodermatidae (Darwin’s frog 2:30)
RHINOPHRYNIDAE (Mexican burrowing frog 4:30)

Spadefoot toad 5:74
Tree frogs 6:30 (Australian water-holding frog 1:38; Leaf frogs 3:68)
Water frogs 6:50 (American bullfrog 1:24; Common frog 2:14; Edible frog 2:40)

171

ADDER

The adder is the only venomous snake in Britain and
northern Europe. This shy northern viper is one of
the world’s most successful snakes, found living
throughout Europe and Central Asia. It can even

survive in the extreme cold of the Arctic.

12

Adders can be found living in many habitats, Snakes and Lizards
including moors and heaths, mountains,
woodland clearings, and even grassy banks beside Fact File
railway lines. The number of adders in a habitat
depends on how much prey is available, but may ADDER
be as high as 100 adders per acre. Vipera berus
Family: Viperinae
An adder habitat is a dry meadow with lots of bushes (subfamily Viperinae)
and open areas for basking (warming up in the sun). Order: Squamata
Adders usually bask in a coiled position. At first, they Where do they live?: Europe and
are loosely coiled, with their bodies flattened to absorb Central Asia
as much heat as possible through their undersides. Habitat: From mountains and
The adders coil more tightly as they warm up. moorlands to grasslands and forests
Size: Head–body length 24–30 in.
Colors and Stripes (61–76 cm); weight 3.3–4 lb. (1.5–
The adder is easy to recognize from the dark, zigzag 1.8 kg); females are larger than
markings along its back. These marks break up the males
outline of its body, making it hard to see in the shadow Coloration: Dark zigzag stripe on
of bushes. One rare form of the adder has a continuous lighter gray or brown background
black line along its back instead of the usual zigzag, Diet: Reptiles, birds, frogs, small
or sometimes the line may be broken up into separate mammals, and invertebrates
blotches. There is also an all-black form of the adder. Breeding: 3–18 young, born after
Black adders are more common in colder, northern gestation period (pregnancy) of
parts of the adder’s range, particularly on some of the 112 days
small islands in the Baltic Sea. Life span: About 10 years; possibly
up to 20 years
Food and Feeding Status: Abundant in places
Adders usually feed on small vertebrates (animals with
backbones), such as young birds, lizards, or mice. 13

The adder has a large head and a rounded snout,
with a distinct “X” or “V” marking on the top of the
head. Adders have vertically slit pupils in each eye.

ADDER

DKINDOYWO?U They may ambush or attack prey, adder has to follow the scent trail of
the dying animal before it can start
The name adder keeping very still and then suddenly to feed.
comes from the
Anglo-Saxon stretching their head forward to Winter Sleep
word naedre, Adders usually hibernate (go into a
which means deliver a poisonous bite through deep sleep) through the five coldest
“creeping thing.” months of the year. This sleep can
Hundreds of hollow fangs. Once they are warm, last for up to eight months in the
adders may northernmost parts of the adder’s
hibernate however, adders often go in search range. Males usually emerge from
together. hibernation earlier than females. Both
A baby adder is of food, poking their heads into males andâ•‚females shed their dull
about the size winter skin after hibernation. The
and shape of an birds’ nests, burrows, and crevices. males follow the scent trails left by
earthworm when
it is born, but it Sometimes, adders climb into low the females to find a mate.
can still give a
poisonous bite. bushes in search of birds’ nests. With
An adder’s bite
does not usually large prey, such as mice, shrews, and
kill people since
its venom is voles, the adder bites and
weaker than that
of other vipers. then releases the

animal, which soon

dies from the

effects of the

poison. The

When an adder
strikes its prey,
it delivers a dose
of venom through
its hollow fangs. It
waits for the
venom to take effect
before swallowing
its prey. This avoids
injuries caused
by struggling
with the prey.

14

Snakes and Lizards

Life Cycle Out in the cold
The courtship display of the adder
consists of the maleâ•‚crawling along The adder lives farther north in the world than
the female’s back, rubbing her with any other species of snake. Adders can survive
his chin. Sometimes, the male has to in cold places partly because of their small size
fight off a rival male before he can and dark color, which allow them to warm up
mate with the female. Females may more quickly in the sun than larger, lighter-
also mate with more than one male. colored snakes. Female adders also keep their
Pregnant females spend a lot of time eggs inside their bodies until they hatch. This
basking, since the warmth of the sun makes it easier for the females to keep their eggs
helps the young snakes to develop warm while they develop. They give birth to live
inside the mother’s body. The duller snakes, which are more likely to survive
color of the female helps to protect in cold places than a clutch of eggs.
her from predators, such as birds
of prey, while she basks. The female
gives birth in late summer.

Newborn adders do not feed in
the first year of their birth. They can
survive on the goodness of the yolk
sac stored inside their stomachs.
The young adders take about three
to four years to mature into adults
but onlyâ•‚about 10 percent of them
will survive long enough to raise
young of theirâ•‚own.

Adder Wrestling Match Each male tries to force his rival The dark body
Male adders fight each other to down to the ground, rather like of the adder
stand a better chance of mating a wrestling match. The winner is helps it absorb as
with a female. During this show of usually the largest adder, which then much heat from the
strength, the two males twist the chases away his rival. sun as possible.
front part of their bodies around
each other and rear up in the air. 15

AFRICAN SAND SNAKES

African sand snakes are alert, fast-moving snakes
that hunt during the heat ofâ•‚the day. They can often

be seen speeding across roads and tracks in front
of vehicles. These common snakes have a strong

venom, but they rarely bite people.

16

With their narrow heads, long tails, and long, Snakes and Lizards
slim bodies, African sand snakes move swiftly
through their grassland and dry scrubland habitat in Fact File
search of their prey. These snakes can change direction
rapidly and maintain high speeds over long distances. AFRICAN SAND SNAKES
Larger sand snakes can sustain speeds of 6 miles per Family: Colubridae; subfamily
hour. African sand snakes often raise their heads off Psammophinae (23 species)
the ground to get a better view of their surroundings Order: Squamata
and can move along in this position as well. Where do they live?: Africa, Middle
East, and Pakistan
African sand snakes hunt mainly lizards. They use Habitat: Tropical grassland,
their large eyes to track their prey by sight, then chase mountain grassland, and dry scrub
it down, grip the lizard firmly in their jaws, and kill it Size: Head–body length 31 in.
with a lethal dose of venom. Some African sand snakes to 5.9 ft. (80 cm to 1.8 m)
are good climbers and scale bushes to take young birds Coloration: Gray, brown, or olive,
from their nests. Larger species can overcome prey as often with light or dark stripes;
large as mice and shrews. some species have intricate markings
on head and neck
Tails and Scales Diet: Lizards, birds, frogs,
African sand snakes are one of the few kinds of snakes and small mammals
that can break off their tail to escape from predators Breeding: Female lays up to 30
such as birds, small mammals and African file snakes, eggs, which hatch after 45–70 days
which eat other snakes. Unlike lizards, however, African Life span: Not known
sand snakes cannot grow a new tail to replace the one Status: Varies, most species
they have lost. Another unusual behavior is the way the locally common
African sand snakes “polish” their scales by covering
them with an oily substance from their nostrils. This 17
may help to seal their scales and protect the snakes
from drying out in the scorching heat.

Sand snakes use their slender bodies to move with
great speed. They use their large eyes to track lizards
and other prey across the African scrub.

ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE

The alligator snapping turtle is the heaviest freshwater
turtle. It is named for its powerful snapping jaws and
the bumpy ridges on its shell, which look like the big,

tough scales on
the back of an alligator back.

18

The muddy-brown color of the alligator snapping Turtles, Terrapins,
turtle camouflages (disguises) it against the Tortoises
bottom of deep, dark, slow-moving rivers. This turtle
often feeds during the day and eats almost anything, Fact File
from fruit and nuts to birds, fish, mammals. Alligator
snapping turtles can even overcome and eat smaller ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE
turtles, such as the common musk turtle and their Macroclemys temminckii
smaller relatives, the common snapping turtles. The Family: Cehlydridae
alligator snapping turtle is a poor swimmer, and it is Order: Testudines
too big and bulky to chase after its prey. Instead, it Where do they live?: Central and
is an ambush predator, sitting still and waiting for its southeastern North America
prey to pass within reach of its powerful, hooked jaws.
This turtle also has a clever way of luring prey into its Tropic of
mouth. By pumping blood into its tongue, it creates Cancer
a thin red strip, which it moves to make it look like a
wriggling worm. When prey animals come to eat the Habitat: Slow-moving rivers
“worm,” the turtle snaps shut its massive jaws. Size: Shell length 26 in. (66 cm);
weight 219 lb. (99.5 kg)
The alligator snapping turtle has a keen sense of Coloration: Dark brown
smell, which helps it to find the decaying remains Diet: Fruit, nuts, shellfish, fish, birds,
of dead animals in the river. It also eats a lot of plant other turtles, and small mammals
matter, such as acorns and persimmons. It gathers the Breeding: Up to 50 eggs in a clutch;
fruits and nuts as they fall into rivers from trees and eggs hatch after 100 days
bushes overhanging the water. Life span: 60–100 years
Status: Vulnerable to rare in
Eggs and Nests many places, protected locally
Alligator snapping turtles mate in the spring, between
February and April. Mating lasts between five and 19
twenty-five minutes and takes place under the water.

The alligator snapping turtle is one of the largest
freshwater turtles in the world. It lives in the rivers
and streams of the southeastern United States.

ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE

DKINDOYWO?U When they mate, the male uses his The eggs are hard and round, with
sharp claws to hold onto the female’s smooth shells. Alligator snapping
Alligator snapping shell and releases a steady stream turtles do not look after their nests,
turtles are strong of bubbles from his nose. If several which can sometimes be raided by
enough to catch males gather near one female, they predators such as raccoons.
prey such as often behave aggressively toward their
raccoons and rivals to drive them away. Baby Turtles
wood ducks, It takes about 100 days for the eggs to
dragging them When the female is ready to lay hatch, and most of the young turtles
underwater to her eggs, she drags her heavy body emerge from their eggs in September
drown them. out of the water and digs a nesting or October. Higher nest temperatures
chamber with her back feet. She cause more females to hatch out of
One of these starts by digging a large pit and then the eggs than males. The hatchlings
turtles was lowers her body down into the hole. make their way to the water, where
trained to find She then digs a smaller hole at the they are often caught and eaten by
dead people in bottom of the large one and lays the predators such as alligators, adult
the waterways eggs there. The female produces one alligator snapping turtles, or gar fish.
of Indiana. clutch of eggs each year. The number
of eggs depends on the size of the Mossbacks
The nest chamber female. Larger females lay larger Many large alligator snapping turtles
of the alligator clutches of up to fifty eggs, while look like they have green shells and
snapping turtle smaller ones lay only about ten eggs. are nicknamed “mossbacks.” The
may extend more green color is due to a dense covering
than 12 inches of algae (not moss). The algae grow
under the ground. when the turtles spend a lot of time
in shallow water. Sunlight falls on
their backs, warming them up and
triggering the growth of the algae.

To attract prey, such as fish, the
turtle pumps blood into its tongue.
This makes the tongue look like
a worm, which draws in the fish.

20

Turtles, Terrapins, Tortoises

fearsome flippers alligator snapping turtles were once
heavily hunted to make turtle soup.
Once they have grown into adults, In some areas, hunting continues to be
alligator snapping turtles are very a problem for these formidable reptiles.
dangerous for people to handle. As well Water pollution has forced them to change
as their strong jaws, these large turtles also their diet, and the turtle population has
have extremely powerful flippers, which also been reduced as people continue
end in sharp claws. They can even bite to drain rivers and swamps.
chunks out of boats when people try to lift
them on board. Despite the dangers,

21

ALLIGATORS

The armor-plated alligators are How can you tell an alligator and a
survivors from a prehistoric crocodile apart? It is not always easy,
age. These fearsome reptiles are but when an alligator closes its mouth, all its
members of the crocodile family, bottom teeth are hidden. One large bottom
along with caimans, crocodiles, tooth can still be seen in the closed mouth
and gharials. There are two of a crocodile. Alligators also usually have
true alligators alive today—the wider, shorter, and more rounded snouts than
American alligator and the crocodiles. This allows alligators to tackle
Chinese alligator. a wider range of prey, including birds and
mammals. Crocodiles have narrow, pointed
snouts, which are more suited to eating fish.

22

In addition to the physical differences, the two Fact File
crocodilians have some behavioral differences.
Alligators can survive in cooler places than Alligators
crocodiles. During the winter, alligators become Family: Alligatoridae
sluggish and rest at the bottom of a waterway Order: Crocodilia
or burrow into a riverbank. They only emerge
when the weather is warm. Alligators can even Where to they live?: American alligator in the
survive in the water under a layer of ice, as long southeastern United States; Chinese alligator in
as they keep a breathing hole open. Theyâ•‚do the Yangtze River Valley in China
lose their appetite in the winter, however, and
may stop eating if the temperature is too low Habitat: Rivers, marshland, and swamps
for them to digest theirâ•‚food.
Size: American alligator—Head–body length
Chinese Alligator 13 ft. (4 m); weight 550 lb. (249 kg). Chinese
Smaller than the American alligator, the alligator—7 ft. (2.1 m); weight 88 lb. (40 kg)
Chinese alligator lives only in the Yangtze River
valley of China. It is critically endangered, with Coloration: Dark green-black; Chinese alligator
a total population of 150 individuals. Chinese has lighter patterns
alligators are being bred in captivity in China
and overseas, with the hope of returning some Diet: Snails, mussels, clams, fish, turtles,
captive-born alligators to the wild. birds, small mammals

Breeding: American alligator—30–70 eggs;
Chinese alligator—10–50 eggs. Hatchlings
emerge after 2 months

Life span: 50–80 years

Status: American alligator—least concern;
Chinese alligator—critically endangered

Alligators and Caimans
Alligators are represented by the caimans in
both Central and South America. Caimans have
the same rounded snouts as true alligators, and
their lower teeth are hidden when their mouths
are closed. However, caimans are usually much
smaller (apart from the black caiman) and have
sharper, longer teeth.

Most American alligators are pale brown to
green. The body of the alligator appears much
greener if it lives in water full of algae.

23

AMERICAN ALLIGATOR

Once on the brink of extinction, American alligators
have made a comeback. They are now a key species in
their swampy environment. American alligators use
their powerful tails to move swiftly through the water,

and they can run faster than a person on the land.

24

American alligators help plants and other animals crocodilians
to thrive by digging “gator holes” using their tail
and snout. These deep pits fill with water and provide Fact File
temporary reservoirs for a variety of wildlife in the dry
season. Plants always grow well around “gator holes” american alligator
because of the rich mud that the alligators dig up and Alligator mississippiensis
deposit around the edges of the holes. Regular paths Family: Alligatoridae
worn by alligators also create channels through which Order: Crocodilia
water can run into marshlands when it rains heavily. Where do they live?: Southeastern
United States
Lazy Lifestyle Habitat: Rivers, marshland, and
American alligators can move quickly over short swamps
distances when they have to. Most of the time they Size: Head–body length 13 ft. (4 m);
float on the surface of the water, looking more like logs weight 550 lb. (249 kg)
than living reptiles. In this lazy position, the alligators Coloration: Dark green-black
can spot and ambush prey. They can also warm up in Diet: Snails, mussels, clams, fish,
the sun without leaving the water. They absorb heat turtles, birds, small mammals
into their blood through bony swellings on their back Breeding: Female lays 30–70 eggs,
called osteoderms. The dark color of the American which hatch after 2 months
alligator also helps it to absorb heat easily, which is Life span: 50–80 years
especially useful during the colder winter months. Status: No longer endangered—
least concern
Teeth and Feeding
The mouth of an American alligator contains 25
approximately eighty teeth. As the old teeth wear out or
break, new ones growing in the jaw underneath push
up to replace them. Teeth last for around two years
and are replaced throughout the life of the alligator.

The gaping mouth of the American alligator reveals
rows of sharp teeth. Alligators open their mouth
in this way to cool down in the heat.

AMERICAN ALLIGATOR

DKINDOYWO?U They grow more slowly in older in the spring. Males fight each other
alligators. Without a mouthful of to win their own special area, called
The American sharp teeth, older alligators may have a territory, and they bellow loudly to
alligator can run difficulty holding on to their prey attract females. Males also give off
at speeds of up and may even face starvation. a strong, sweet smell, which is very
to thirty miles per attractive to female alligators. Females
hour over very American alligators can kill people. visit the territories of several males
short distances. Alligators are not usually a major between March and May.
threat, but now that their numbers
The roar of an have increased, they do come into After she has laid her eggs, the
American alligator conflict. Attacks usually happen female stays close to the nest for
can be heard over when alligators are caught unawares about two months, guarding it from
one mile away. or threatened. Older alligators are raccoons and other predators. When
more likely to attack people as they she hears “yipping” calls inside the
The American are an easy target. Feeding alligators eggs, she digs them out and carries
alligator’s eggs is dangerous, since they come to them to water in her mouth. The
will not survive associate people with food. hatchlings are about 9 inches long
if they are left and are more brightly colored than
underwater the adults. They stay in a group,
for more than called a pod, near to their mother
twelveâ•‚hours. until they are about two years old.

Courting Gators
Male and female American alligators
live on their own for most of the year
but come together to mate

26

crocodilians

During this time, their mother tries to mercury. Alligators are at the top of Adult

protect them from predators, such as the food chain, so the poisons build American

large male alligators, birds, and fish. up in their bodies as they eat more alligators can

and more contaminated prey. Since grow up to 13 feet,

Back from the Brink alligators live for such a long time but their babies

In the first half of the twentieth (at least fifty years), the long-term are only 9 inches

century, up to ten million American effects are unknown. long when they

alligators were killed for their valuable hatch out.

skins. However, the trade in alligator

skins, teeth, and meat is now controlled

and alligator numbers have increased

due to conservation measures. These

include taking some eggs from the

nests of wild alligators, hatching them

on alligator farms, and then returning

some of the young alligators back to

the wild. There are now more than

150 farms in various states, including

Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

Rearing alligators in captivity has

helped to increase understanding of Dry nest sites
their biology. In turn, this has helped to

develop better ways of managing wild In June or July, a female American alligator
alligator populations. Better habitat chooses a dry nesting site near the water. She
management has made larger areas piles up plant material to a height of about
available to alligators and the wildlife 6 inches. In the middle of this mound of plants,
living alongside them. There are still the female digs a hole and lines it with mud. She
some concerns, however. One problem lays her eggs in the hole and then seals them up
is water pollution from factories, which inside the mound. As the plants rot, they give off
heat, which warms the eggs and helps them to

has included poisonous metals, such as develop. Higher temperatures encourage more
male alligators to develop.

Alligators spend most of their time
basking in the heat of the sun.

27

AMERICAN BULLFROG

American bullfrogs are the largest of all the frogs
in North America, with a huge appetite to match

their size. Males are famous for their loud,
bellowing calls, which they use to attract

females to their territory in spring.

28

The American bullfrog spends almost all of its life Frogs and Toads
in or near water, floating just below the surface
or basking at the water’s edge. These frogs control their Fact File
body temperature by warming up in the sunlight or
cooling down in the shade or in the water. At night, AMERICAN BULLFROG
bullfrogs come onto land to forage for food. Bullfrogs Rana catesbeiana
are sensitive to danger, however, and will quickly jump Family: Ranidae
into the water if they are disturbed on land. With their Order: Anura
heavily webbed back feet, and long, powerful back legs, Where do they live?: North
bullfrogs can swim several feet with just one or two America; introduced into parts of
kicks. They can also make huge leaps of 3 to 6 feet to Europe, Central America, and Asia
hide among plants on land. Habitat: Ponds and lakes
Size: Snout–toe length 3.5–8 in.
In the spring and early summer, male bullfrogs come (9–20 cm); 36 in. (90 cm) stretched
ashore to call for a mate. The males call the females out; weight up to 7.25 lb. (3.3 kg)
from the water and mating takes place. The female Coloration: Mottled olive, brown,
lays thousands of eggs, which hatch as tadpoles. The or green above; legs, chin, and
tadpoles then gradually change into adults in a process throat have dark markings
called metamorphosis, which can take up to two years. Diet: Large invertebrates (animals
without backbones) and small
Food Feast vertebrates, including other frogs
Bullfrogs eat a variety of prey, including insects, lizards, Breeding: Female lays around
snakes, and small mammals. They even eat frogs, 11,000 eggs (80,000 in a lifetime),
including other bullfrogs. They are attracted to the which hatch after 4 days
distress calls of frogs, probably in the hope of finding Life span: 5–9 years in the wild;
an easy meal. Usually, bullfrogs sit and wait for their up to 16 years in captivity
prey to come within striking range of their long, sticky Status: Least concern
tongue. They lunge towards their prey and may use
their short legs to push food into their mouth. 29

The American bullfrog is a large aquatic frog.
Most are green or brown with darker blotches
on the back, with a yellow or white underside.

ANACONDA

Female anacondas are the world’s heaviest snakes—
male anacondas are only half the size. These massive
snakes live in the lakes, rivers, and swamps of South
America. Some are big enough to kill and eat caimans,

large turtles, and even small deer.

30

Large adult anacondas are so big that they rely on Snakes and Lizards
the water to support their weight. An anaconda’s
body may measure as much as 39 inches around its Fact File
thick coils. Despite their great weight, anacondas are
probably not the world’s longest snakes. This record ANACONDA
belongs to the reticulated python from Asia, which Eunectes murinus
can measure up to 29.5 feet long. Family: Boidae
Order: Squamata
Dangerous Predator Where do they live?: South
Anacondas are formidable killers. They are ambush America, mostly in the Amazon
predators, lying in wait, ready to strike should any prey River and Orinoco River basins
stray within range. Once they capture a prey animal, Habitat: Rivers, lakes, swamps,
anacondas swiftly wrap their muscular coils around and flooded grasslands
the victim’s body. Then they stop the animal from Size: 16.5–19.75 ft. (5–6 m);
breathing by squeezing it or pulling it underwater until weight over 400 lb. (200 kg)
it drowns. An anaconda usually eats mammals, such Coloration: Greenish with dark oval
as white-tailed deer and large rodents, including the spots along the back; black line runs
capybara, which is the largest rodent of all. They will from each eye to the jaw
also attack much larger animals, even jaguars, if they Diet: Birds, other reptiles,
get the chance. There is a chance that large anacondas and mammals
will attack people, especially if they live around villages Breeding: 10–20 babies born after
and plantations where they often come into contact a gestation period (pregnancy)â•‹of
with people. After a large meal, an anaconda may go 182–280 days
for several months before feeding again. Life span: 10–30 years
Status: Common
Mating Games
Anacondas mate in water during the dry season, and 31
several males may be attracted to the same female.

The jaws of the giant anaconda can open wide to
swallow prey much wider than itself. Strong acids
in the stomach then slowly digest the meal.

ANACONDA

Life cycle birds and mammals. They grow rapidly,
with males being large enough to breed
When they are born, anacondas are 24–39 when they are two or three years old.
inches long. They can eat large prey Females grow much larger and take
animals from the start, but they have a a year or two more to reach this stage.
more varied diet than their parents. They
will eat fish and frogs, as well as

When fully DID YOU KNOW? Males do not fight for the right to
grown, an mate as other snakes do, but instead
anaconda’s diet Anacondas can go without food form a mating “ball”.
even includes for up to three years.
animals as Female anacondas can give birth After mating, the female anaconda
large as turtles. to up to eighty babies at a time! may eat the smaller males. When one
Early Spanish travelers called animal eats another animal of the
32 the anaconda “matatoro,”
which means “bull killer.”

Snakes and Lizards

same species, it is called cannibalism. The female basks in the sunlight Anacondas
It is rare in nature and very unusual because the warmth helps the baby are constric-
among snakes. Cannibalism among anacondas to develop inside her. tors. They can coil
anacondas may happen because the their muscular
pregnant females need food to help Other Anacondas bodies around
them survive without eating for six The most common anaconda is the their prey and
months until their babies are born. green anaconda, described here, but squeeze it tightly
Another idea is that females that are there are two other anaconda species. until the animal
not ready to mate are attracted to the The yellow anaconda (Eunectes dies as the
mating balls and take advantage of notaeus) is smaller than the green internal organs
an easy meal of male anacondas. Big anaconda, reaching lengths of up to are crushed or it
snakes need to eat a lot and it is not 15 feet. It lives in the southwestern stops breathing.
always easy for them to find food. parts of the Amazon River Basin. The Anacondas
yellow anaconda is more aggressive sometimes drown
After mating, the female stops than the green anaconda, and it their prey by
feeding. Females do not lay eggs. is endangered. De Schauensee’s dragging it
Instead, the young develop inside her anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei) under the water.
body and hatch as live anacondas. lives in the Guianas and on Ilha When their prey
Marajó, an island at the mouth of is dead, the snake
the Amazon River. De Schauensee’s swallows its meal
anaconda is extremely rare. in one gulp.

33

ARMADILLO LIZARD

Like a suit of armor, the back of the armadillo lizard
is covered in thick, spiny scales. Just like a real

armadillo, this small lizard rolls into a ball to protect
its soft belly and holds its tail tightly in its mouth.
Predators soon decide to leave this spiny ball alone.

34

The armadillo lizard lives in a dry, semidesert Snakes and Lizards
region called Namaqualand in southern Africa.
The landscape consists of low, rocky hills surrounded Fact File
by flat plains of gravel. The armadillo lizard lives in
colonies in the rocky hills, hiding away in crevices in ARMADILLO LIZARD
the rocks. They move slowly and rarely stray far from Cordylus cataphractus
their rocky homes. They sit and wait for insect food Family: Cordylidae
to pass by, retreating back into cracks in the rocks to Order: Squamata
escape danger. These lizards roll into an armadillo-like Where do they live?: Southwestern
ball if they are caught out in the open. area of South Africa
Habitat: Rocky places
Lizard Families Size: Head–tail length 7 in.
Armadillo lizards live in family groups. These usually (18 cm); weight 8–17 lb.
contain about two to six lizards, although groups of (3.6–7.7 kg)
up to forty can sometimes be found living together. Coloration: Back pale brown,
Larger groups live in big, hard-to-reach cracks in the underside yellowish
rocks, while smaller groups live in the narrower cracks Diet: Insects
formed by piles of smaller rocks. Armadillo lizards Breeding: 1 or 2 young
living on their own are usually males. Life span: 8–12 years
Status: Facing a high risk of
In late summer, females usually gives birth to one or extinction in the wild—vulnerable
two live young. The offspring are born large—about
half the length of the adult. The mother looks after her 35
young for the first few months of its life. She may even
catch small invertebrates such as insects and spiders
and feed them to her young from her mouth. This
level of parental care is unusual for a lizard. When the
young lizard grows up, it may leave their family group
to set up home elsewhere.

The armadillo lizard is covered with thick square
scales on its back. Short, jagged spikes around the
tail make it difficult for predators to tackle.

ASIAN HORNED frog

The Asian horned frog looks exactly like a dead leaf, so
much so that it is almost impossible to see among dead
leaves on the rain forest floor. It has a large head, wide

mouth, and pointed “eyebrows,” or horns.

36

Asian horned frogs are nocturnal amphibians. frogs and toads
They hide under logs and rocks during the
day and emerge at night to forage for food or look Fact File
for mates. These frogs have short back legs, and they
move by crawling slowly over the forest floor rather ASIAN HORNED TOAD
than jumping or hopping. If it senses danger, the Asian Megophrys montana
horned frog crouches down with its legs tucked under Family: Megophryidae
its body. In this position, the leaf-shaped back blends Order: Anura
in with the leaf litter. This camouflage is extremely Where do they live?: Sumatra,
effective. The back of the Asian horned frog has ridges Borneo, and Malaysia
that look like leaf veins and black patches that look Habitat: Tropical rain forests
like the holes in a leaf. It even has small bony lumps Size: 2.5–5 in. (6.3–12.5 cm),
that look like the galls made by insects on leaves. females are almost twice as big
as the males
When the Asian horned frog spots prey, it leans Coloration: Brown and black
forward quickly to seize the animal in its huge mouth. Diet: Large invertebrates (animals
It eats cockroaches, snails, and small frogs, as well as without backbones) and small
young lizards and snakes. vertebrates, including other
small frogs
Breeding Pools Breeding: Female lays clusters of
Asian horned frogs breed in slow-moving forest eggs, which hatch into tadpoles
streams at the start of the rainy season. At night, the Life span: Not known
males call loudly for females with a loud, metallic honk Status: Common but rarely seen—
that can be heard for miles. They call once and then least concern
wait for ten minutes or more before calling again. The
female lays her eggs in clusters on rocks or roots at the 37
edge of the water. The tadpoles hang from the surface
of the water, using their funnel-shaped mouth to feed
on small particles of food floating on the water.

The Asian horned frog is named for the large pointed
horns, or ridges, over its eyes. This large frog often
has a fleshy lump on the end of its snout.

AUSTRALIAN TOADLETS

Australian toadlets, or southern frogs, are a family
of chubby frogs, with large, bulging eyes. The
family includes species that swallow their eggs,

one that keeps its eggs in hip pouches, and one that
raises its young in underground chambers.

38

Australian toadlets live in a range of habitats frogs and toads
in Australia and New Guinea. Species from
Queensland and New South Wales in Australia lead Fact File
secretive lives among the leaf litter and logs on the
floor of rain forests. There they find plenty of insects AUSTRALIAN TOADLETS
to eat. Many other species, such as the streamlined Family: Myobatrachidae
torrent frogs, live in fast-moving forest streams or (122 species)
behind waterfalls, sheltering in cracks in the rocks. Order: Anura
The tadpoles of the torrent frogs have large, suckerlike Where do they live?:
mouths, which help them to cling to rocks and avoid Australia and New Guinea
being swept away by the strong water currents.
Tropic of
River floodplains are one of the most typical habitats Capricorn
for Australian toadlets. Many of them burrow under
the ground in hot, dry weather and emerge to feed and Habitat: From alpine meadows, rain
breed only when it rains. In dry, sandy deserts or sand forests, and woodlands to marshes,
dunes, Australian toadlets spend most of their lives streams, and sand dunes
in underground chambers to prevent their bodies from Size: Snout–rump length typically
drying out. They only emerge above ground during ranges between 0.6 and 3.1 in.
cool winter nights to look for food. (1.6 and 7.9 cm)
Coloration: Usually gray or brown,
Digging Feet often with bright colors in armpits,
Several Australian toadlets are good burrowers and thighs, or both these areas
look like the American and European spadefoot toads. Diet: Invertebrates
Australian burrowing frogs such as the green-striped Breeding: Eggs laid in water, damp
burrowing frog spend much of the year buried under soil or moss and hatch into tadpoles;
the surface to escape the heat. When the rains come, some tadpoles develop inside their
the frogs emerge to breed quickly in puddles and eggs, others in the hip pouches or
flooded claypans (clay layer in the soil). stomachs of adult
Life span: Not known
The red-crowned toadlet is named for the bright red Status: Several species are
T-shaped marking on the top of its head. This toadlet endangered, vulnerable or
lives in a small area around Sydney, Australia. threatened; gastric (stomach)
brooding frogs may be extinct

39

AUSTRALIAN TOADLETS

The most Musical Males calls of Australian toadlets include
brightly At the start of the breeding season, the moaning frog, the humming frog,
colored male Australian toadlets call loudly and the trilling frog.
of all Australian to attract mates. This usually happens
toadlets is the at night, and often at the start of the After mating, female marsh frogs
corroboree toad. rainy season, although breeding is make “nests” of foam on the water’s
also related to temperature. Males surface to protect the eggs from
40 also call to tell other males to keep predators until they are ready to
out of their special area called a hatch. Males often rest underneath
territory. They may even fight each the “nests” to guard the eggs from
other to win a breeding territory. predators. Heleioporus species also
make foam nests but not on the
The names of Australian toadlets surface of the water. Instead, they
sometimes give a clue to the mating lay their eggs in burrows or dips in
calls that they make. For example, the ground, and the foam probably
the banjo frog makes a “plink” sound helps prevent the eggs from drying
like a banjo being played, while the out. Pseudophryne species also lay
woodworker frog makes a sound like their eggs in dips in the ground,
a hammer being tapped on wood.
The shoemaker frog has a similar DID YOU KNOW?
call. Other names that describe the
Male tusked frogs may fight
using “false” teeth on their
bottom jaws. Males are
bigger than females.
The turtle frog is one of
the few frogs that burrow
headfirst, using its front
legs to dig.
Crinia bilingua is named for
its two different types of call—
bilingua means “two tongues.”
If Australian spadefoot
toads are threatened by
a predator, they produce a
smelly, poisonous chemical
that becomes sticky after
a few minutes.

frogs and toads

and Bibron’s toadlet often uses horses’
hoofprints. The eggs develop slowly
and development may stop in dry
weather. As soon as it rains heavily,
the tadpoles hatch suddenly and are
washed into the nearest pond.

Unusual Tadpoles Warning colors
The Baw Baw frog lays its eggs under
the ground in soggy soil or moss, and Some Australian toadlets are brightly colored to
its tadpoles develop without needing warn predators that they are poisonous. Several
to feed. Other species, including the Australian toadlets, such as the red-crowned
sandhill frog, have tadpoles that toadlet (pictured above), have bright patches
stay inside their eggs until they are of skin on their undersides. One species called
fully developed. P. corroboree has yellow and black markings
like a fire salamander. It gets its name from
In three species of Australian the “corroborees”—traditional aboriginal
toadlets, the parents carry the eggs or ceremonies in which people paint their black
tadpoles around with them until they skins with stripes of yellow. The sunset frog is
have developed into smaller versions covered in orange, red, and blue markings.
of the adults. Male marsupial frogs
have a pair of small pouches on their The tadpoles develop in the safety of
hips. Female marsupial frogs lay a the female’s stomach, and she spits
clump of about ten eggs on land. them out when they are fully formed.
When the eggs are ready to hatch, the
male pushes his way into the middle
of the clump of eggs. The tadpoles
wriggle their way into his small hip
pouches and stay there until they
are fully developed.

Even more unusual are the two
species of gastric-brooding frogs.
Females swallow the eggs after
the males have fertilized them.

41

AUSTRALIAN WATER-HOLDING FROG

This frog survives in the harsh desert by burrowing
into the soil and forming a cocoon of dead skin that
prevents water from escaping from its body. In the
outback, Australian Aboriginals dig up the buried
frogs and squeeze them to extract the precious water.

42

The Australian water-holding frog belongs to the frogs and toads
family of tree frogs, but rather confusingly it lives
on the ground not in the trees. This frog has a heavy, Fact File
muscular body, whereas the typical tree frog has a slim,
lightweight body suited for climbing on thin branches. AUSTRALIAN WATER-
HOLDING FROG
In dry weather, Australian water-holding frogs dig Cyclorana platycephala
burrows in the soil using the bony spadelike plates on Family: Hylidae
their back feet. The burrows can be up to several feet Order: Anura
long. Inside the burrow, the frog keeps the thick layer Where do they live?:
of dead skin that it sheds each week, building up layer Northern Australia
upon layer to form a cocoon around its body. (Most Habitat: Dry semideserts,
frogs pull off their old skin and throw it away or eat woodlands, and grasslands
it.) As the layers of skin harden, the frog looks like it is Size: Snout–rump length 2.75–4 in.
covered in shrink-wrap. The frog loses much less water (7–10 cm)
from its body than it would without its cocoon. Coloration: Brown and green; dark
“mask” from snout to jaw, through
Rain Babies eyes, and down side of body
At the start of the rainy season, Australian water- Diet: Other frogs and large insects,
holding frogs dig their way back up to the surface of such as beetles and grasshoppers
the soil. The males and females mate, and the female Breeding: Female lays 100–1000
then lays thousands of eggs in shallow pools of water eggs; sometimes up to 7,000 eggs
that collect on the flooded ground. The eggs hatch depending on the conditions
into tadpoles, which mature into young frogs quickly Life span: Not known
so that they can leave the water before it dries up. The Status: Common—least concern
young frogs eat as much as they can before the dry
season begins. This helps them to survive up to ten 43
months in their underground burrows while they
wait for the start of the next rainy season.

The Australian water-holding frog has a broad,
flat head and muscular body. The skin color
varies from dull gray to dark brown or green.

AXOLOTL

The word axolotl means “water monster,” but there
is little to be scared of by these giant tadpoles. Wild
axolotls are rare, living only in the mountain lakes of
Central Mexico. However, captive axolotls are bred

in large numbers for teaching and research.

44

The axolotl is unusual because it is a Mexican Newts and Salamanders
mole salamander that has not grown up and
changed completely into an adult. As a result, the Fact File
axolotl retains many of its tadpole features, such as
gills outside its body and fins around its tail and along AXOLOTL
its back. The skin of the axolotl does not look like the Ambystoma mexicanum
skin of an adult salamander and, like a tadpole, it lives Family: Ambystomidae
in the water. Yet it develops some adult features, such as Order: Caudata (Urodela)
small lungs inside its body and a reproductive system.
If axolotls are injected with body chemicals containing Where do they live?:
iodine, they will change into adult salamanders. Central Mexico

Wild axolotls live in Lake Xochimilco south of Habitat: Mountain lakes
Mexico City, which exists as a network of canals and
lagoons. As the building up of Mexico City continues, Size: Head–tail length 8–12 in.
the fate of the axolotl is uncertain. (20–30 cm); weight 11 oz. (312 g)

Breeding and Feeding Coloration: Gray with black spots
Axolotls breed at any time of year. Females attach their in wild; typically white in captivity
eggs to underwater plants, twigs, or rocks and may lay
up to 1,000 eggs. Small larvae hatch out of the eggs. At Diet: Fish, tadpoles, insect larvae,
first, they feed on small water creatures, such as water and worms
fleas, but their appetite grows as they grow larger. The
diet then changes to include larger water creatures, Breeding: Female lays up to
such as fish and worms. Axolotls snap at the prey as 1,000 eggs at a time, which
they swim by, sucking it into the stomach. They may hatch after 2 weeks
even snap at the legs from other axolotls, although
axolotls can grow new legs to replace the missing ones. Life span: 10–15 years

In captivity, axolotls come in different colors. Status: Critically endangered in
This white axolotl with black eyes is called a the wild; common in captivity
leucistic axolotl and differs from the wild type,
which is brown or dark gray with dark spots.

45

BLIND SNAKES

There are over 300 different kinds of blind snakes, and they
include some of the smallest snakes in the world. Many
species would fit into the palm of an adult’s hand. These
snakes burrow underground and have smooth, glossy,

overlapping scales to help them slide easily through the soil.

46

Blind snakes probably developed from burrowing Snakes and Lizards
lizards without legs, and they were the first
snakes to appear on the Earth. Blind snakes use the Fact File
short, pointed scale at the tip of the tail to push against
the ground when they are crawling or burrowing. BLIND SNAKES
Some have shovel-shaped heads to force their way Superfamily: Scolecophidia
through the soil. Since they spend most of their lives Families: Typhlopidae (more than
underground, scientists know very little about them. 215 species of blind snakes);
New species are being discovered all the time. Leptotyphlopidae (more than 90
thread snakes); Anomalepidae
The eyes of blind snakes are covered with large scales (15 dawn blind snakes)
and some have no eyes at all, which gives these snakes Order: Squamata
their common name. Sight is not an important sense Where do they live?: Africa, Central
for them, however, since they live in darkness under the and South America, Asia, Australia,
ground. They probably sense their surroundings and the Caribbean, southeastern Europe,
communicate by means of chemical signals. and the Middle East

Small Meals, Small Young Habitat: Usually underground in
Blind snakes are small and have narrow, rigid skulls. sand or soil
Many blind snakes specialize in eating ants or termites, Size: Head–tail 4 to 39 in.
which are very small, so they have to eat vast numbers (10 cm to 1 m)
of them. Many species even live inside termite mounds Coloration: Pink, purple, or brown;
where there is lots of food available all the time. They some species are darker with light-
protect themselves from attack by smearing a chemical colored heads and tails; a few have
secretion all over their bodies. stripes or blotches
Diet: Small invertebrates, such
The eggs of blind snakes can be as small as rice as ants, termites, and worms
grains, and the young blind snakes that hatch from Breeding: Females lay 1–60 eggs,
them are tiny. Their threadlike bodies are often less which hatch after 5–40 days
than 2 inches long. Life span: Not known
Status: Varies according to species
The wormlike body of the blind snake is the same
thickness from head to tail. Its eyes are the dark 47
spots, which are covered with scales.

BLUE-TONGUED SKINK

The slow-moving blue-tongued skink cannot rely on speed to
escape from predators. Instead, it puffs up its body, hisses loudly,

and sticks out its bright blue tongue to scare them away. This
lizard is not poisonous but can give a sharp bite to defend itself.

48

The blue-tongued skink is a large lizard that lives Snakes and Lizards
in a range of habitats in Australia, New Guinea,
and various Indonesian islands. Some live in the desert Fact File
or dry scrub, but many prefer the tropical forests. The
legs and claws of the blue-tongued skink are not strong BLUE-TONGUED SKINK
enough for it to dig its own burrows, so it shelters in Tiliqua scincoides
the burrows of other animals, as well as in hollow logs, Family: Scincidae
the spaces between rocks, and in leaf litter. When it Order: Squamata
moves through thick undergrowth, the blue-tongued Where do they live?: Eastern and
skink folds its back legs out of the way and wriggles northern Australia, and Irian Jaya
along like a snake. in Indonesia
Habitat: Forests, grasslands,
Blue-tongued skinks are active during the day, but and gardens
they may retreat into their burrows during the hottest Size: Head–tail length up to
periods. During the dry season, when food and water 24 in. (60 cm), males are
are hard to find, large lizards save energy and moisture longer and slimmer than females
by staying in their burrows. They let their own body Coloration: Gray, tan, or silver with
metabolism (normal body processes) slow down. dark bands; bright blue tongue
Diet: Berries, flowers, fruit, insects,
Breeding Behavior and dead animals
For most of the year, blue-tongued skinks live on their Breeding: Up to 25 young born
own. They come together to mate. Males usually start after a gestation period (pregnancy)
to look for a mate when it warms up in spring. The of 110 days
males fight for the right to mate, and many become Life Span: Up to 20 years
seriously injured at this time. When a male finds a Status: Common
female who is ready to mate, he grips her neck or
shoulder in his powerful jaws, and scratches her back 49
with one of his back legs. After mating, males may
sometimes guard females for up to twenty-five days.

Skinks are large, slender lizards, with short limbs
and narrow heads. The blue-tongued species are
named for their distinctive blue tongues.