It is important to identify and understand the critical habitat components of organisms inhabiting landscapes that are increasingly altered by human activities to adequately predict the effects of habitat alteration on natural populations. Our study identifies terrestrial habitats that are important to the gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) during the nonbreeding season using radiotracking and mark-recapture/release of individuals captured in artificial arboreal refugia. High humidity and rainfall were associated with decreased captures in artificial refugia, while high ambient air temperatures were correlated with increases in the number of treefrog captures. Refugia placed in small trees recorded more small individuals than those in larger trees, and refugia in white oaks (Quercus alba) contained females more frequently than expected at random. We found that space-use estimates encompassing foraging and overwintering locations of gray treefrogs were relatively small and typically included only a few adjacent trees during the nonbreeding season. We discuss the physical and biological aspects of habitat patches that may be important in determining the persistence of gray treefrog populations.

Amphibian skin secretion is a rich source of biological compounds. Histological, morphometrical, functional, and protein biochemical methods were used to understand the role of skin glands in the tail of the red-legged salamander (Plethodon shermani), an emerging organismal model for the physiology and evolution of pheromonal communication. Individual granular glands were approximately three times larger in the dorsal tail skin compared to the ventral tail skin. Dorsal tail granular glands emptied when animals were handled to induce release of noxious/sticky substances. Ventral tail granular glands emptied during scent marking. Granular glands in both dorsal and ventral tail skin rapidly enlarged when animals were placed on a clean substrate. Histological study of tail skin identified a subset of ventral granular glands that stained differently from dorsal granular glands. Protein analysis of acetylcholine chloride extracts of dorsal tail skin and ventral tail skin revealed differences in the protein content released by glands in these tail regions. Together, these data suggest that the dorsal granular glands secrete noxious/sticky substances putatively involved in predator defense and the ventral granular glands secrete products possibly involved in scent marking. Future studies will examine behavioral responses to dorsal and ventral tail skin secretions in order to better understand their role in chemical defense and chemosensory communication.

Interspecific competition plays an important role in structuring ecological communities and generating patterns of phenotypic diversification. In the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia, strong interspecific competition between P. cinereus and P. shenandoah shapes the geographic distributions of these species and relegates P. shenandoah to sub-optimal habitat. However, while many Plethodon salamander communities exhibit phenotypic shifts resulting from interspecific competition, the morphological consequences of competition in this system have not been investigated. We examined head shape variability of Plethodon cinereus and P. shenandoah to determine whether phenotypic patterns of variation were consistent with the hypothesis of interspecific competition. Across all three mountains where P. shenandoah is found, we identified significant species-specific differences in head shape. We also found significant phenotypic shifts between allopatric P. cinereus located at lower elevations and sympatric P. cinereus located at higher elevations. However, there was no evidence of accentuated phenotypic divergence in the sympatric contact zone between the two species. Thus, while there was evidence of a character shift in P. cinereus, patterns of character divergence between species associated with interspecific competition were not found. These observations suggest that morphological variation is decoupled from ecological interactions in this system, and aggressive interactions between the two species do not elicit a phenotypic response as seen in other Plethodon communities.

We analyzed and described quantitative differences in morphology and calls of Physalaemus petersi and P. freibergi, both members of the monophyletic Physalaemus pustulosus species group. We found significant differences between the two species in both morphometric and call parameters. Physalaemus petersi has proportionately longer legs and a narrower dorsum and head than P. freibergi. The calls of P. petersi are higher in frequency and longer than P. freibergi. Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) of morphometric variables correctly classified 76.7–87.4% of individuals to species. DFA of call variables correctly classified 96.8–100.0% of males to species. Physalaemus petersi is found north of the Río Marañon and Río Amazonas in eastern Ecuador, northeastern Peru, and southeastern Colombia; P. freibergi is found south of these rivers in Amazonian Brazil, southeastern Peru, and Amazonian Bolivia. Calls and geographic locations are the most reliable means of identifying these species in the field.

We describe a new species of gekkonid lizard on the basis of 21 recently acquired specimens from Babuyan Claro Island, Babuyan Islands group, northern Philippines. The new species differs from other Philippine Gekko by characteristics of external morphology, color pattern, and body size. The new species has been found low on trunks and buttresses of mature closed-canopy climax forest trees at low elevation near the island's coast. It is known from only Babuyan Claro Island and is likely endemic to this single small, isolated landmass. The remaining gekkonid fauna of the Babuyans and Batanes island groups is understudied and in need of comprehensive review.

Two new species of montane, torrent-dwelling toads of the genus Ansonia from Fraser's Hill and Sungai Lembing, Pahang, West Malaysia are described based on morphological and color pattern characteristics. The new species from Sungai Lembing most closely resembles A. leptopus of Borneo but differs from it in numerous aspects of its mandibular asperites, degree of toe webbing, presence of warts at the angle of the jaw, size of tubercles around the tympanum, having an inner metatarsal tubercle, lacking rows of tubercles on the back, having paired vocal slits, and having a light dorsal spot between the scapulae. The new species from Fraser's Hill most closely resembles A. malayana but differs from it in its greater degree of dorsal tuberculation, more webbing on the third and fifth toes and less webbing on the first and fourth toes, and various aspects of coloration. Finally, we express the importance of continuing to conduct montane surveys in remote areas as well as in those areas that are considered to be well-studied.

We describe a new species of glassfrog assigned to the genus Cochranella (Amphibia: Anura: Athesphatanura: Centrolenidae) from the Foothill Evergreen forests on the southeastern Andean slopes of Ecuador and northeastern Andean slopes of Peru. The new species is characterized by its moderate-sized body (25.4–26.9 mm in adult males), medium-sized eyes (eye diameter/third disc width  =  1.4–1.9), distinctive coloration in life (olive green with light spots) and in preservative (grayish lavender with pale spots), dorsal skin covered with flat warts and low tubercles, parietal peritoneum mostly white (covered by iridophores), thick ulnar folds, and extensive hand and foot webbing. In addition, we provide the first record of Nymphargus posadae from Peru, found in sympatry with the new species at the Cordillera del Cóndor.

We describe a new species of Pristimantis from a cloud forest at 2450–2800 m in the Cordillera Oriental in southern Ecuador (Zamora Chinchipe). The new species has a maximum snout–vent length of 17.9 mm (average SVL of 21 males  =  12.3 mm ± 1.2, and of 19 females  =  15.9 mm ± 1.3). This new species is the second smallest frog from Ecuador and smallest Pristimantis. Morphologically and phylogenetically, the new species is similar to P. caeruleonotus and P. colodactylus. It is distinguished from them and its congeners by its size, tuberculation, a distinct color pattern consisting of tan blotches on dorsum, spots on a brown venter, minute brown spots on anterior and posterior surfaces of the thighs, and other morphological features. Determination of small body size in frogs is discussed and meristic data of 40 minute frogs are compiled.

A new species of Atelopus is described from three localities near Oxapampa between 1700 and 2200 m elevation in central Peru, representing the first record for the genus in the Department of Pasco. The new species is readily distinguished from all congeners by its small size (maximum SVL 22.1 mm in males), numerous gray coni on dorsal and lateral body surfaces, and a coloration pattern consisting of a cream dorsolateral stripe, narrow dark brown middorsal stripe, arms and legs dorsally dark brown with grayish brown reticulation, and ventral surfaces of hands and feet reddish orange. Females are unknown.

Two new grass lizard species, previously confused with Takydromus formosanus, were identified in Taiwan using mitochondrial DNA sequences. In the present study, 40 morphological characters and their taxonomic significances were assessed using principal components analysis and discriminant analysis. The three species can be distinguished by morphology of body sizes, dorsal and caudal scales, and most importantly, by male coloration during the breeding seasons. The present study increases the total number of Takydromus to 19 species, of which 10 are insular endemics, with six only occurring in Taiwan.