ABSTRACT
Chemical communication is omnipresent in the life of amphibians. Considered to be the most widespread and most ancient form of communication, some of the earliest identified chemicals involved in communication in amphibians are believed to have originated some 300 million years ago. Indeed, in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, chemical signals and cues have played a central role in the success of this very diverse vertebrate group – from mediating interactions between conspecifics to predator detection and deterrence.
This chapter synthesises the importance of chemical communication in amphibians, the functioning of the olfactory system, and how the environments in which amphibians inhabit have shaped the types of molecules used. The chapter also provides an extensive review of the social interactions that are mediated by chemical communication, as well as the myriad of different contexts in which amphibians use chemical compounds to interact with other species, and how chemical communication is integrated with other sensory channels. Lastly, the chapter explains how different human activities can potentially impinge on chemical communication, how its disruption can have detrimental conservation and evolutionary consequences, and how a better understanding of chemical communication in amphibians can be harnessed to address key challenges in a changed and changing world.
