Herpetology
"These foul and loathsome animals are abhorrent because of their
cold body, pale color, cartilaginous skeleton, filthy skin, fierce
aspect, calculating eye, offensive smell, harsh voice, squalid
habitation, and terrible venom; and so their Creator has not exerted
his powers to make more of them."
- Carolus Linnaeus (1758)
Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles. The two
groups are included under a single discipline because historically,
they were considered "lower forms" and not worthy of detailed
investigation. With further study came the realization that, although
they share generalized morphological and physiological similarities,
there are important differences between the class Amphibia and the
class Reptilia. Chief among these is the relationship to moisture.
Amphibians are constrained to wet or moist environments because their
skin and egg membranes are permeable to water. Reptiles, on the other
hand, are less dependent on water because they have a scaly
waterproof skin and their eggs are protected by a thick shell.
Amphibians and reptiles account for almost half of extant tetrapod species. Within this group exists an incredible diversity of ecology, behavior, morphology and physiology. Currently recognized are over 7,000 extant species of amphibians and over 9,400 extant species of reptiles.
Illinois Amphibians and Reptiles - distribution, keys, collection data
Illinois Endangered and Threatened Amphibians and Reptiles - Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board
Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois and other publications of interest
INHS amphibian and reptile-related research and projects are listed in our Annual Reports.
See our Publications Catalog for amphibian and reptile-related material published at INHS.
Some past articles published in INHS Reports:
Turtle Research at the INHS Great Rivers Field Station. Winter 2002
Species Spotlight: Mole Salamander. Winter 2002
The Eastern Massasauga at Carlyle Lake. May-June 2000
Snakes in the Grass, Snakes in the Trees. January-February 2000
INHS Amphibian and Reptile Collection. March-April 1999
Mapping the Diversity of Amphibians and Reptiles in Illinois. September-October 1998
Anuran Call Surveys. March-April 1999
Species Spotlight: Box Turtles. November-December 1996
Species Spotlight: Green Tree Frog. March-April 1995
For more information, see the INHS Amphibian and Reptile Collection