Preface

This concise volume is intended to serve as an introduction to the natural history of the species of frogs and toads native to Ohio. Thirteen of the fourteen species found in Ohio have been included; only the eastern spadefoot toad is not represented. It is not intended to summarize all currently understood ecological and natural history information on any species. After studying the photographs and specific accounts included here, I hope the reader's interest and curiosity will have been heightened so that more intense studies will result.

In using this program, the student is afforded several options of media to facilitate the learning process. The typescript is available in standard sized type (12 point) and in large type (30 point). For individuals, classes, or other groups, the script has been recorded on audio cassette tape. All figured illustrations are large to permit small groups or individuals with visual impairments to benefit from their inclusion. In addition, all illustrations have been made available on 35 mm color slides to promote usage of the program by classes or by individuals requiring increased magnification. Numbered slides with abbreviated captions are located in plastic slide jackets in the back of the printed volume.

Typical advertisement calls of each species were recorded in Ohio. Sound spectrograms are an integral part of each species account and should promote learning the calls and should facilitate drawing comparisons between them. The call for a particular species is recorded on the cassette tape and is inserted in the specific account where the call is being described. The value of the spectrogram will be most apparent when the recorded sound is heard simultaneously. For those not listening to the accounts on cassette tape, or for those wanting to review calls of all species, recordings of each species are in order on side B of cassette number two. The audio cassettes are located at the rear of the printed volume. Specific accounts may readily be accessed by using the counter on a tape player and the legend enclosed with each cassette.

All measurements in this text are in metric units rather than in U.S. equivalents. Most technical and more advanced scientific publications utilize the metric system for weights and measures, and the continuity of usage is intended to eliminate, or at least reduce, problems students encounter when required to constantly convert from one system of measurement to another. For convenience, several frequently used metric length and distance measurements with their U.S. equivalents are listed below.

1 millimeter (mm) = 0.04 inch
1 centimeter (cm) = 0.39 inch
2.54 centimeters = 1.0 inch
10.16 centimeters = 4.0 inches
1 meter (m) = 39.37 inches
1 kilometer (km) = 0.62 mile