Ø Amphibians were once fish that developed lungs and limbs that function on land.
Ø Amphibians are cold-blooded, possess a backbone, and displays features similar to both fish and reptiles.
Ø Most amphibians, but not all, require water to breed and lay eggs.
Ø Most amphibians, but not all, start life as larvae with gills and lives in water. Adults do not typically resemble the larvae form, and develop lungs, which allow breathing on land.
Ø Most amphibians, but not all, use their skin in addition to their lungs as a method of breathing. Some amphibians lack lungs of any kind, breathing solely through their skin.
Ø Since amphibians are cold-blooded, they do not have a constant body temperature, which varies by environmental conditions. Numerous species of amphibians become inactive during unfavorable living conditions. The periods of inactivity are referred to as, Aestivation and Hibernation.
- Aestivation: happens when the weather is hot and dry
- Hibernation: happens when the weather is cold
Ø The entire amphibian species is on a steady decline on a global scale because of: exotic fungus, loss of habitat, climate change, water pollution, non-native (imported) animal and plant species.
Types of Amphibians
* Caecilian
* Frog
* Newt
* Salamander
* Toad
Facts about Caecilians
Ø Caecilians are blind (sight is limited to the perception of light and dark), legless, and worm-like in appearance.
Ø Caecilians burrow within moist soil, typically near a body of water.
Ø Caecilians are rarely seen by humans, consequently few facts are known about the amphibian.
Facts about Frogs
Ø Frogs have smooth, sleek skin.
Ø The larvae stage of a frog is called, tadpole, which has an oval body with a long, flat tail. The tail is later absorbed into the body as four limbs extend from the main body and form two front and two back legs.
Ø Some frogs develop inside the egg, skipping the tadpole stage, hatching fully developed.
Ø Most frogs (but not all) contain poison sacs within their skin that protects them from predators (excluding humans).
Ø The poison within frogs is derived from the frog's diet of ants, mites and termites.
Ø Numerous types of brightly-colored frogs (but not all) are extremely toxic, even to humans.
Ø Indigenous humans coat the tips of their weapons with the venom from certain types frogs.
Facts about Newts
Ø Newts have a lizard-like body.
Ø Newts have four (typically) equal-sized limbs that are able to regenerate.
Ø Some types of newts are semi-aquatic, living in water and on land, and the others are only aquatic, living exclusively in water.
Ø Most newts breed inside water, and lay eggs under leaves of aquatic plants.
Facts about Salamanders
Ø Salamanders have a lizard-like body.
Ø Some salamanders are semi-aquatic, living in water and on land, and the others are only aquatic, living exclusively in water.
Ø Some types of salamanders have powerful poison glands and brightly colored spots along their body.
Ø Salamanders regenerate fully functioning limbs, tail, and lens and retina within their eyes.
Ø Most salamanders breed inside water, and lay eggs under leaves of aquatic plants.
Ø Some types of salamanders hold their eggs inside their body until the eggs hatch providing the appearance they are giving birth to live young.
Facts about Toads
Ø Toads have rough, dry skin.
Ø The larvae stage of a toad is called, tadpole, which has an oval body with a long, flat tail. The tail is later absorbed into the body as four limbs extend from the main body and form two front legs and two back legs.
Ø Most toads live the majority of their adult life on land, returning to water only to feed and reproduce.
Ø Most toads are covered with varying-sized bumps, especially along their back. The bumps help the toad evade predators. The bumps on a toad DO NOT, have NEVER, and will NEVER cause warts on the skin of a human.
Please enjoy amphibians while you are able, they will (one day) no longer exist, except within our memories.
Copyright © 2016 by John Mallozzi
