The Frogs of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

This is a book about the frogs of New Guinea, where they came from, how they live and why there are so many species. It is not intended to be a taxonomic treatise and no new species are described, nor are any major taxonomic changes proposed. With over three hundred species now recognised in the Papuan biogeographic region, it has not been possible to give more that a short specific description of each but a full bibliography will facilitate readers' access to original descriptions or subsequent revisions, should this be needed. References to the widely scattered literature on the frog fauna of the region is, for the first time, brought together under one cover. The author lived, taught and carried out research in Papua New Guinea for twenty-five years and is now a visiting reserach fellow at the University of Adelaide in Australia and, concurrently, Emeritus Professor of Biology at the Universty of Papua New Guinea. He has published numerous papers on the biology of New Guinea's mammals and amphibians and, in conjunction with anthropologist and botanist colleagues, on ethnozoology and flora.

Contents

The frog fauna of the New Guinea region

Diversity

Biology

Topography, geology, climate and vegetation, the background to frog diversity in New Guinea

Topography

Geology

Climate

Vegetation

The origin and biogeography of New Guineas frogs

Biogeography

Origins

Patterns in distribution

Description and identification

Systematic accounts

Bufonidae

Myobatrachidae

Ranidae

Hylidae

Microhylidae

The preservation of frogs for further study

Appendix A. Graphic illustrations of selected frog calls

Appendix B. Distribution maps for selected genera and species

Appendix C. Additional species, described in 2005, but not included in the species accounts

Glossary

Gazeteer

References

Index

Author: Menzies, J
Publisher: Pensoft
Extra Details: 210x295, richly illustrated with more than 100 color illustrations (photos of reptiles, habitats), maps, index, bibliography, in English. Hardback, 210pp.