Amphibians are organisms that live both on land and in water and generally consist of a variety of salamanders, frogs and the elusive caecilians. Whether buried underground or perched in the canopies, only frogs and caecilians can be found in the damp, humid rain forests of Africa. Numerous frogs can be found in the rain forests, including the Big-Eyed Tree frog, the African dwarf frog and the Boophis anjanaharibeensis, found exclusively in Madagascar. As caecilians burrow underground, very little is known about the species. Information on some of the different species came from a single speciman.
As evident from its name, the Big-Eyed Tree frog has large eyes and can grow to be 1.5 to a little more than 3 inches in length. The African Dwarf frog grows to a length of about a penny's diameter. The dwarf frog also is a member of the species Pipidae, meaning that it is toothless, lives primarily under water and has no tongue. Usually no larger than 2.5 inches, male Boophis anjanaharibeensis are known to make long, unharmonious mating calls from shallow streams within the rain forests. Caecilian species come in a vast variety of sizes from the size of an earthworm to nearly 5 feet in length.
While many frogs and other aquatic organisms are thought to possess gills or gill-like organs, the African Dwarf Frog has lungs and must surface periodically to breath air. The Big-Eyed Tree frog is known to display two color phases, ranging from a bright green with black flecks to a deep brown with dark brown marks on its back. The Boophis anjanaharibeensis is known for its dark green and white-spotted skin. However, it is most often identified by its large, protruding eyes that contain red rings in the outer iris. Most caecilians are often mistaken for earthworms or snakes due to their lack of limbs and smooth skin that ranges from dark to vibrant colors.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, in 2009 numerous cases of human salmonella Typhimurium infections among children in Utah were reported. By August, a multistate investigation and case study identified that all the patients had been in contact with water frogs, specifically the African Dwarf Frog. While no deaths were reported, the outbreak affected about 31 states and resulted in patients being briefly hospitalized. Salmonella is a major public health issue in the United States. Although most Salmonella infections are a result of contaminated food, about 25 percent of infections each year in the United States are attributed to reptile and amphibian exposure.
