Salamandridae, or true salamanders, are a family of terrestrial and aquatic salamanders, mostly distributed in Asia and Europe, although some species are found in North Africa and North America. Most species have slightly toxic skin secretions and many develop dorsal body and tail fins when they return to an aquatic stage. There are 109 species in 21 genera; of them, five species in four genera are found in Poland.[2]
Found in the whole country, most commonly in the lowlands, usually up to 1500 m altitude[5] (1087 m in the Tatra Mountains, and 1250 m in the Karkonosze)[6]
Occurs in the Sudetes, the Carpathians, and the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, up to 1700 m altitude; in the Polish regions of the Tatra Mountains, it can be found at up to 1665 m altitude, in the Small Polish Pond of the Valley of the Five Polish Ponds; it is also fairly common in the Smreczyński Pond and the Gąsienicowa Valley[8]
Bombinatoridae are an Old World toad family often referred to as fire-bellied toads because of their brightly coloured ventral sides which demonstrate their high toxicity. It includes ten species in two genera, Barbourula and Bombina, both of which have flattened bodies, of which two species from genus Bombina occur in Poland.[16]
Occurs primarily in the Carpathian Mountains[18] and on their foothills, as well as in isolated localities in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland;[19] according to other sources, it can also be found on the eastern foothills of the Sudetes and on the Krakowsko-Chrzanowski ridge[20]
Bufonidae are a family of toads native to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Bufonidae include the typical toads with shortened forelimbs, hindlimbs used for walking or hopping, dry warty skin, and parotoid glands behind eyes. The family contains 590 species in 50 genera, of which 3 species from genus Bufo are found in Poland.[22]
Found in the whole country, except the southernmost regions[24] (according to some sources, it occurs rarely, if at all, in the Tatra Mountains,[25] up to 1000 m attitude;[26] it is commonly found on the southern slopes of the Pieniny mountains[25])
Hylidae or tree frogs are the most diverse amphibian family with 951 species in 51 genera, and worldwide distribution. Most species inhabit tropical areas with warm and humid climate, especially the Neotropics. Hylids range from small to large in size and usually have distinct adhesive toe discs that contain a cartilage offsetting the terminal phalanx, which aids in climbing. The only genus found in Europe is Hyla, with 6 species out of 37 worldwide, and one in Poland.[28]
Pelobatidae, also known as spadefoot toads, are a small family of frogs with one genus and four species spread in Europe, Western Asia and North-western Africa. They have short legs, stocky bodies with vertical pupils and produce an odour similar to garlic. One of the four species inhabits the country.[31]
Ranidae are a widespread family also known as true frogs. They have generalized frog body plans and a generalized aquatic tadpole stage. The family includes 379 species in 14 genera, of which six species in two genera occur in Poland.[31]
^Babik, Wiesław. "Triturus montandoni (Boulenger, 1880)". Podręcznik metodyczny. T. 6: Gatunki zwierząt z wyjątkiem ptaków (in Polish). Natura2000. pp. 294–297.
^Stichmann, Wilfried; Kretzschmar, Erich (1998). "Płazy". In Stichmann, Wilfried (ed.). Zwierzęta. Spotkania z przyrodą (in Polish). Warszawa: MULTICO Oficyna Wydawnicza. p. 186. ISBN8370731856.
^Młynarski, Marian (1966). Płazy i gady Polski (in Polish). Warszawa: Państwowe Zakłady Wydawnictw Szkolnych. pp. 30–31.
^Diesener, Günter; Reichholf, Josef (1997). Płazy i Gady. Leksykon Przyrodniczy (in Polish). Warszawa: Świat Książki. pp. 50–53. ISBN83-7129-440-9.
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