Amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, efts, olms and caecilians) are an incredibly diverse and interesting group. This course explores the relationships and taxonomy of the major types of amphibians; defining each group and the characters that unite them before examining their biodiversity and adaptations. This course is a deep dive into the biology, morphology, physiology, biogeography, and evolution of amphibians. Topics such as reproduction, metamorphosis, functional morphology, freeze tolerance and phenotypic plasticity will be covered in splendid detail, while also examining basic questions like ‘Is that frog or a toad?’, ‘a salamander or a newt?’ And ‘What do amphibians do in the winter?’

The course is intended for adults and assumes a basic understanding of biology, but not a requirement. All course materials will be available for download.

This virtual class takes place over 8 Saturday afternoons; each class is 3 hours long (2:30-5:30); basically 3 regular classes in succession each Saturday from September 10 - October 29 via Zoom. All classes will be recorded and posted for students who have to miss class(es). The $100 fee is for the entire course. See the sample course syllabus.

Class instructor, Mark Mandica, can be reached via email at mark@amphibianfoundation.org.   Click HERE to learn more about Mark and the Amphibian Foundation.