Frogs: The Animal Answer Guide

Introduction

Both of us grew up as herpetologists. We may not have realized it until later, but when we were young, we somehow acquired (or were born with?) a fascination for wildlife and, in particular, amphibians and reptiles. Such a fascination, one that requires exploration and further understanding, is a prerequisite for being a herpetologist. Thus, neither of us can pinpoint a moment in our lives when we “became” herpetologists. Instead, it is as if we always were. Most herpetologists have similar stories; that is, they grew up that way and have somehow been able to take their fascination and excitement while learning about frogs, turtles, and snakes and turn it into their life’s work and a career. Such fascination and interest by most herpetologists results in a remarkable dedication or, some might say, obsession regarding their work. We must be careful not to forget how fortunate we are to be able to make a living doing what we are most passionate about. Like many herpetologists, we both were initially interested in snakes, but our interest in other groups of amphibians and reptiles increased dramatically as we learned more about their biology. One of our passions was frogs and toads, and each of us has had exciting and memorable experiences looking for frogs at night during large breeding choruses. As we became more experienced herpetologists, we learned about the fascinating life history variation among frogs and toads. Regarding reproduction, frogs nearly “do it all.” That is, think of any conceivable way to reproduce and a frog somewhere has figured it out beforehand. Both of us have conducted considerable research on frog biology and conservation and have had the opportunity to work with colleagues who are experts in the field. JWG has conducted several long-term studies on frogs and has studied them with numerous colleagues on the Savannah River Site in South Carolina for more than 40 years. MD began research on frogs in the early 1990s in Idaho and has worked collaboratively with students on many frog-related research projects in the years that followed. The alarming and catastrophic declines in frog populations worldwide have led to a dramatic increase in the number of people interested in frogs and in the amount of research conducted on frogs. Clearly, we cannot adequately discuss all of this research in such a book. Instead, our goal is to answer questions posed in a way that allows the reader to gain insight into frogs and toads and to provide the reader with information that will raise their awareness regarding the importance of frogs and toads as part of our natural world. Introduction xiii This page intentionally left blank Frogs: The Animal Answer Guide This page intentionally left blank ...