In the 2012 President's Budget Request, the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) is terminated. As a result, all resources, databases, tools, and applications within this web site will be removed on January 15, 2012. For more information, please refer to the NBII Program Termination page.
Amphibian populations are in decline in many areas of the world.
In cities and in natural areas, in rainforests and in wetlands, countless areas which previously hosted a range of healthy amphibian populations now have fewer - or even no - frogs, toads, and salamanders. Although healthy populations of some species may exist elsewhere, in some cases, a few species - including Costa Rica's Monteverde golden toad and Australia's Gastric brooding frog - are now believed extinct.
Frogs and toads, salamanders, and caecilians are members of the Class Amphibia.
Of the world's seven continents, only Antarctica has no native amphibian species.
The continental United States is home to at least 230 amphibian species: 90 frog and toad species, and 140 species of salamanders.
In the U.S., declines in amphibian populations are particularly serious in California, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, and Puerto Rico. Worldwide, decline "hot spots" also include Australia and Central America.
Amphibian malformations - extra limbs, malformed or missing limbs, and facial malformations - have been documented in 44 states, and involve nearly 60 species. In some local populations, up to 60% of the amphibians exhibit malformations.
The NBII Program is administered by the Biological Informatics Program of the U.S. Geological Survey