In an effort to be constantly learning new things about the world around me, I have decided to spend some time over this summer learning more about animals around the world. I have always been partial to amphibians, as opposed to Clay, who favors shelled reptiles, I am starting some reading about amphibians. The Friends of the National Zoo have assembled a decent site that includes the proper latin nomenclature for many of the animals that they keep on site. These two guys were on my reading list for this evening.

"Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) range throughout much of the United States. Like most salamanders, the aquatic larvae have feathery external gills, budding arms and legs, and a fish-like tail. The terrestrial adults live in underground burrows or beneath logs and rocks, except during the breeding season, when they converge upon bodies of water to court, mate, and lay eggs."

"Keepers at the National Zoo successfully bred species such as the White's tree frog (Litoria caerulea) by showering the frogs with dechlorinated water and playing tapes of male calls. These simulations usually result in tens to thousands of frog eggs by morning."