. Bonner zoologische Monographien. Zoology. 10 Nearctic 2%. Ethiopian 4% Madagascan 5% Oriental 8% , Australo-Papuan 9% Fig. 1: Percentages of am- phibian species described from the beginning of 1986 to the end of 1995 Neotropical 69% in different biogeographi- cal regions (after Glaw & Köhler 1998). Despite the recognizable increase of investigation efforts during the last decades of this century, recent surveys indicate that actual species diversity in amphibians is still underestimated in nearly every tropical forest. Due to the use of modem techniques such as biochemical and genetic an
. Bonner zoologische Monographien. Zoology. 10 Nearctic 2%. Ethiopian 4% Madagascan 5% Oriental 8% , Australo-Papuan 9% Fig. 1: Percentages of am- phibian species described from the beginning of 1986 to the end of 1995 Neotropical 69% in different biogeographi- cal regions (after Glaw & Köhler 1998). Despite the recognizable increase of investigation efforts during the last decades of this century, recent surveys indicate that actual species diversity in amphibians is still underestimated in nearly every tropical forest. Due to the use of modem techniques such as biochemical and genetic analysis as well as the almost obliga- tory analysis of species-specific advertisement calls in anurans, the real degree of species numbers becomes more and more evident (see also Hanken 1999). Still another important factor is the research in previously not or only poorly investi- gated areas. For example, Pethiyagoda & Manamendra-Arachchi (1998) suggest- ed the actual number of frog species inhabiting Sri Lanka to be more than 250 instead of the 54 species recognized in the current literature. Similar cases can be found in other regions such as for example Madagascar (Glaw & Vences 1994, Glaw 1999), Vietnam (, Inger et al. 1999), or Bolivia (De la Riva et al. 2000). Natural History Few vertebrates, with the exception of fishes, are as dependent on environmental moisture - usually in the form of precipitation - as amphibians. The geographic range, ecology, behavior, and natural history of amphibians is strongly influenced by the distribution and abundance of freshwater. As a result, the spontaneous and often synchronized breeding of several species of frogs with the first rainfalls is a well-known phenomenon, especially in areas where rainfall is strongly seasonal. On the other hand, the multitude of other ecological factors which interact to affect amphibian activity and life history is poorly understood (McDiannid 1994a). Amphibians may occur in terrestrial, aquat
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