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BIOL 4435

Herpetology

0.5 credits · Undergraduate

2025

Topics

  • Differences & Similarities Between Amphibians & Reptiles
  • Origin & Evolution of Tetrapoda: Amphibians
  • Origin & Evolution of Tetrapods: Reptiles
  • Phylogeny & Systematics
  • Classification of Extant Amphibians - Caecilians
  • Classification of Extant Amphibians - Salamanders
  • Classification of Extant Amphibians - Anurans
  • Classification of Extant Reptiles - Turtles, Tortoises & Sphenodonts
  • Classification of Extant Reptiles - Lizards & Snakes
  • Classification of Extant Reptiles - Crocodilians
  • Survey of Ontario Amphibians
  • Survey of Ontario Reptiles

Readings

  • 1) Vitt, L.J., and J.P. Caldwell. 2014. Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, 4 th edition. Academic Press, San Diego. 734 pp. ISBN: 978-0-12-386919-7 (). Recommended or earlier edition will suffice.
  • or Pough, F.H., R.M. Andrews, M.L. Crump, A.H. Savitzsky, K.D. Wells, and M.C. Brandley. 2015. Herpetology, 4 th edition. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MS. 591 + 128 pp. ISBN: 978-1-60535-233-6
  • 2) Powell, R., R. Conant, R., and J.T. Collins. 2016. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. 4th edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 494 pp. ISBN 978-0-544- 12997-9 Required ().
  • 3) Powell, R., J.T. Collins, and E.D. Hooper, Jr. 2016. A Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. 2nd Edition. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence KS. 66049. 160 pp. ISBN 978-0-7006-28902 Required ()
  • Conant, R., and J.T. Collins. 1998. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. 3rd edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 616 pp. ISBN 0-395-90452-8 past edition of the fieldguide that can be used in place of the fourth edition.
  • Gillingwater, S.D. and A.S. MacKenzie. 2015. Photo Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Ontario. St. Thomas Field Naturalist Club. 144 pp. ISBN: 978-0-9733179-5-4. A good brief pocket sized fieldguide.
  • Pough, F.H., R.M. Andrews, J.E. Cadle, M.L. Crump, A.H. Savitsky, and K.D. Wells. 2004. Herpetology, 3 nd edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 07458. 612 pp. ISBN 0-13-100849-8 Earlier edition to current textbook.
  • Pough, F.H., R.M. Andrews, M.L. Crump, A.H. Savitzsky, K.D. Wells, and M.C. Brandley. 2015. Herpetology, 4th edition. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MS. 591 + 128 pp. ISBN: 978-1-60535-233-6
  • Harding, J.H., and D.A. Mifsud. 2017. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region, Revised Edition. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI. 408 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0472053384 A good field guide with detailed natural history information on species occurring in the Great Lakes Basin.
  • MacCulloch, R.D. 2002. The ROM Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Ontario. McClelland & Stewart Ltd, Toronto. 168 pp. ISBN 0771076517. A good compact fieldguide with excellent photographs covering Ontario species.
  • Mills, P.B. 2016. Metamorphosis: Ontario’s Amphibians at all Stages of Development. Peter B. Mills (privately published) printed by SLG Group Brampton, ON. 104 pp. ISBN: 978-0-9950603-0-2. A pictorial guide useful for identifying amphibian larvae that occur in Ontario.
  • Molnar, R.E. 2004. Dragons in the Dust: The Paleobiology of the Giant Monitor Lizard Megalania. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN. Xviii + 210 pp. ISBN: 978-0253-343741 A thorough account of the top predator in Australia’s Pleistocene.
  • Powell, R., J.T. Collins, and E.D. Hooper, Jr. 1998. A Key to Amphibians and Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence KS. 66049. 131 pp. ISBN 0-7006-0929- 6 A used copy of the last edition of the lab key can be used in place of the latest edition.
  • Rowell, J.C. 2012. The Snakes of Ontario: Natural History, Distribution, and Status. Jeffrey C. Rowell (privately published) printed by Art Bookbindery, Winnipeg, MB. 411 pp. ISBN: 978-1-77136-123-1. An excellent account summarizing the natural history of snakes that occur in Ontario.
  • Sheldon, A.B. 2006. Amphibians & Reptiles of the North Woods: A Field Guide to all 46 Northern Herps. North Woods Naturalist Series, Kollath+Stensaas Publishing, Duluth, MN. 148 pp. ISBN: 978-0- 9673793-8-8. A useful pocket sized fieldguide to herpetofauna occurring in Northwestern Ontario, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
  • Zug, G.R., L.J. Vitt, J.P. Caldwell. 2001. Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, 2nd edition. Academic Press, San Diego. 630 pp. ISBN 0-12-782622-X . A used copy of the previous edition of the text will suffice.
2025

Topics

  • Introduction & History
  • Origin of Tetrapods
  • Survey of Extant Amphibians - Caecilians
  • Survey of Extant Amphibians - Salamanders
  • Survey of Extant Amphibians - Anurans
  • Survey of Extant Reptiles - Turtles, Tortoises & Sphenodonts
  • Survey of Extant Reptiles - Lizards
  • Survey of Extant Reptiles - Snakes
  • Survey of Extant Reptiles - Crocodilians
  • Ontario Amphibians - Salamanders
  • Ontario Amphibians - Frogs
  • Ontario Reptiles - Turtles
  • Ontario Reptiles - Snakes

Readings

  • 1) Vitt, L.J., and J.P. Caldwell. 2014. Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, 4 th edition. Academic Press, San Diego. 734 pp. ISBN: 978-0-12-386919-7 (). Recommended or earlier edition will suffice.
  • or Pough, F.H., R.M. Andrews, M.L. Crump, A.H. Savitzsky, K.D. Wells, and M.C. Brandley. 2015. Herpetology, 4 th edition. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MS. 591 + 128 pp. ISBN: 978-1-60535-233-6
  • 2) Powell, R., R. Conant, R., and J.T. Collins. 2016. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. 4th edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 494 pp. ISBN 978-0-544- 12997-9 Required ().
  • 3) Powell, R., J.T. Collins, and E.D. Hooper, Jr. 2016. A Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. 2nd Edition. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence KS. 66049. 160 pp. ISBN 978-0-7006-28902 Required ()
  • Conant, R., and J.T. Collins. 1998. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. 3rd edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 616 pp. ISBN 0-395-90452-8 past edition of the fieldguide that can be used in place of the fourth edition.
  • Dodd, C.K. Jr. 2023. Frogs of the United States and Canada, Second Edition. Johns Hopkins University
  • Press, Baltimore, MD. Xxxiv + 954 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4214-4491-7 The definitive and most thorough summary accounts of species of frogs and toads in the US and Canada.
  • Ernst, C.H. and E.M. Ernst. 2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington. Ix + 668 pp. ISBN: 9-781588-340191 The definitive and most thorough summary accounts of species of snakes in the US and Canada.
  • Press, Baltimore, MD. Xii + 827 pp. ISBN: 978-0-8018-9121-2 The definitive and most thorough summary accounts of species of turtles in the US and Canada.
  • Gillingwater, S.D. and A.S. MacKenzie. 2015. Photo Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Ontario. St. Thomas Field Naturalist Club. 144 pp. ISBN: 978-0-9733179-5-4. A good brief pocket sized fieldguide.
  • Harding, J.H., and D.A. Mifsud. 2017. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region, Revised Edition. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI. 408 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0472053384 A good field guide with detailed natural history information on species occurring in the Great Lakes Basin.
  • MacCulloch, R.D. 2002. The ROM Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Ontario. McClelland & Stewart Ltd, Toronto. 168 pp. ISBN 0771076517. A good compact fieldguide with excellent photographs covering Ontario species.
  • Mills, P.B. 2016. Metamorphosis: Ontario’s Amphibians at all Stages of Development. Peter B. Mills (privately published) printed by SLG Group Brampton, ON. 104 pp. ISBN: 978-0-9950603-0-2. A pictorial guide useful for identifying amphibian larvae that occur in Ontario.
  • Molnar, R.E. 2004. Dragons in the Dust: The Paleobiology of the Giant Monitor Lizard Megalania. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN. Xviii + 210 pp. ISBN: 978-0253-343741 A thorough account of the top predator in Australia’s Pleistocene.
  • Petranka, J.W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington. Xvi + 587 pp. ISBN: 9-781560-988281 The definitive and most thorough summary accounts of species of salamanders in the US and Canada.
  • Pough, F.H., R.M. Andrews, J.E. Cadle, M.L. Crump, A.H. Savitsky, and K.D. Wells. 2004. Herpetology, 3 nd edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 07458. 612 pp. ISBN 0-13-100849-8 Earlier edition to current textbook.
  • Pough, F.H., R.M. Andrews, M.L. Crump, A.H. Savitzsky, K.D. Wells, and M.C. Brandley. 2015. Herpetology, 4th edition. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MS. 591 + 128 pp. ISBN: 978-1-60535-233-6
  • Powell, R., J.T. Collins, and E.D. Hooper, Jr. 1998. A Key to Amphibians and Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence KS. 66049. 131 pp. ISBN 0-7006-0929- 6 A used copy of the last edition of the lab key can be used in place of the latest edition.
  • Rowell, J.C. 2012. The Snakes of Ontario: Natural History, Distribution, and Status. Jeffrey C. Rowell (privately published) printed by Art Bookbindery, Winnipeg, MB. 411 pp. ISBN: 978-1-77136-123-1. An excellent account summarizing the natural history of snakes that occur in Ontario.
  • Sheldon, A.B. 2006. Amphibians & Reptiles of the North Woods: A Field Guide to all 46 Northern Herps. North Woods Naturalist Series, Kollath+Stensaas Publishing, Duluth, MN. 148 pp. ISBN: 978-0- 9673793-8-8. A useful pocket sized fieldguide to herpetofauna occurring in Northwestern Ontario, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
  • Zug, G.R., L.J. Vitt, J.P. Caldwell. 2001. Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, 2nd edition. Academic Press, San Diego. 630 pp. ISBN 0-12-782622-X . A used copy of the previous edition of the text will suffice.
Sources