Subclass 1: Stegocephalia
➢ Limbs pentadactyle.
➢ Skin with scales and bony plates.
➢ Skull with a solid bony roof, leaving openings for eyes and nostrils.
➢ Permian to Triassic.
Order 1: Labyrinthodontia
➢ Oldest known tetrapods called stem Amphibia.
➢ Freshwater or land forms.
➢ Salamander or crocodile like.
➢ Teeth large with characteristically much folded dentine
similar to their crosspterygian ancestors.
➢ Carboniferous to Triassic.
Example: Eryops.
Order 2: Phyllospondyli
➢ Small salamander-like.
➢ Head large, flat.
➢ Vertebra tubular.
➢ Notochord and spinal cord housed in common cavity.
➢ Believed to be ancestors of modern Salientia and urodele.
➢ Carboniferous to Permian.
Example: Branchiosaurs.
Order 3: Lepospondyli
➢ Small salamander or eel-like.
➢ Vertebrae cylindrical, each made of a single piece.
➢ Neural arch and centrum continuous.
➢ Ribs articulating invertebrally.
➢ Regarded ancestral to modern caecilians (Gymnophiona).
➢ Carboniferous to Permian.
Example: Diplocaulus.
Subclass 2: Lissamphibia (Living)
➢ Modern Amphibia lacking dermal bony skeleton.
➢ Teeth small, simple.
Order 1: Gymnophiona or Apoda (Gr. gymnos, naked + ophioneos, serpent-like) or (Gr.
a, without + podos, foot)
➢ Limbless, blind, elongated worm like, burrowing
tropical forms known as caecilians.
➢ Tail short or absent, cloaca terminal.
➢ In some dermal scales embedded in skin
which is transversely wrinkled.
➢ Skull compact, roofed with bone.
➢ Limb gridles absent.
➢ Male have protrusible copulatory organs.
Example: Ichthyophis.
Order 2: Urodela or Caudata (Gr. Ura, tail + delos, visible) or (L. cauda, tail)
➢ Lizard-like amphibians with a distinct tail.
➢ Limbs 2 pairs, usually weak, almost equal.
➢ Skin devoid of scales and tympanum.
➢ Gills permanent or lost in adult.
➢ Males without copulatory organs.
➢ Larvae aquatic, adult-like, with teeth.
➢ About 300 species in 5 suborders.
Suborder 1: Cryptobranchioidea
➢ Most primitive, permanently aquatic.
➢ Adults without eyelids and gills.
➢ Angular and prearticular separate.
➢ Premaxillary spine short.
➢ Fertilization external.
Example: Cryptobranchus.
Suborder 2: Ambystomatoidea
➢ Adults are terrestrial with eyelids.
➢ Angular fused with prearticular.
➢ Premaxillary spine large.
➢ Vertebrae amphicoelous.
➢ Fertilization internal.
Example: Ambystoma.
Suborder 3: Salamandroidea
➢ Vertebrae opisthocoelous,
➢ Teeth on palate and prevomers.
➢ Three sets of cloacal glands.
➢ Fertilization internal.
Example: Salamandra.
Suborder 4: Proteidae
➢ Aquatic bottom dwellers representing permanent
larval forms, without eyelids.
➢ Adults with 3 pairs of external gills and 2 pairs of gill slits.
➢ Skull cartilaginous, without maxillae.
➢ Jaws with teeth.
Example: Necturus (mud-puppy).
Suborder 5: Meantes
➢ Aquatic representing permanent larvae.
➢ Forelimbs small, hind limbs absent.
➢ Three pairs of external gills.
➢ No eyelids, no cloacal glands.
➢ Jaws with horny covering.
Example: Siren.
Order 3: Salientia or Anura (L. salien, leaping) or (Gr. an, without + aura, tail)
➢ Specialized Amphibia without tail in adults.
➢ Hind limbs usually adapted for leaping and swimming.
➢ Adults without gills or gill openings.
➢ Eyelids well formed. Tympanum present.
➢ Skin loosely-fitting, scaleless; mandible toothless.
➢ Pectoral gridle bony. Ribs absent or reduced. Vertebral column very small of 5-9
presacral vertebrae and a slender urostyle.
➢ Fertilization always external.
➢ Fully metamorphosed without neotenic forms.
➢ About 2,200 species of frogs and toads in 5 suborders.
Suborder 1: Amphicoela
➢ Vertebrae amphicoelous. Presacral 9.
➢ Free ribs and 2 relict tail muscles.
➢ Fertilization internal.
Example: Ascaphus.
Suborder 2: Opisthocoela
➢ Vertebrae opisthocpelous. Scapula small.
➢ Ribs free in adult or larva.
Example: Alytes (midwife toad).
Suborder 3: Anomocoela
➢ Vertebrae procoelous or amphicoelous.
➢ Free ossified ribs absent.
➢ Upper jaw with teeth.
Example: Scaphiopus.
Suborder 4: Procoela
➢ Vertebrae procoelous. Presacral 5-8.
➢ Urostyle with 2 condyles. No free ribs.
Example: Bufo (common toad).
Suborder 5: Diplasiocoela
➢ First 7 vertebrae procoelous, 8th vertebra
amphicoelous, sacral or 9th vertebra convex anteriorly
and bears 2 condyles posteriorly.
➢ Pectoral gridle usually fused to sternum
(firmisermal). Ribs absent.
Example: Rana (common frog).
