AMPHIBIANS FROGSSALAMANDERSCAECILIANS Click HERE for an overview of amphibians! HERE Click on the speakers to hear the sounds of the rainforest! HOME Click on LINKS to find more websites about amphibians!LINKS Bibliography

AMPHIBIANS Amphibians are tetrapods: vertebrates with 2 pairs of limbs They were the first vertebrates to colonize land they thrived during the Carboniferous Period, sometimes referred to as the Age of Amphibians The name amphibian comes from the Greek amphibios, meaning “living a double life” this is a reference to the metamorphosis frogs experience from tadpole to adult frog Amphibians are mainly found in moist habitats this allows their moist skin to supplement lungs for gas exchange it also limits the distribution of species to damp terrain only Amphibians eat insects and other invertebrates found in lush forests Over the past 25 years there has been a decline in amphibian populations across the world causes include habitat degradation, spread of pathogenic fungus, and acid rain Frogs Salamanders Caecilians Links CLICK ME! CLICK ME! for a video

FROGS Amphibians Salamanders Caecilians Links Aquatic and terrestrial amphibian powerful hind legs make frogs more specialized for land Most of the frog life cycle is spent on land, however, eggs are laid in the water 1.Egg (encapsulated in jelly-like material) – frogs lay their eggs in water so they do not dehydrate 2.Larva = Tadpole (legless, aquatic-eater with gills that resembles a fish) – tadpoles undergo metamorphosis to become adult frogs 3.Frog (terrestrial insect-eater with lungs) – frogs live mainly on land in moist habitats Toads are frogs with rough skin that live permanently on land Some frogs (like poison arrow frogs) have deadly poison on their skin, which is brightly colored to ward off predators Frogs are usually quiet, but during their breeding season the air is filled with their loud mating calls

SALAMANDERS Amphibians Frogs Caecilians Links characterized by slender bodies, short noses, and long tails most have four front toes and five rear toes they are capable of regenerating lost limbs and other body parts Size ranges from minute (up to 2.7 cm) to quite large (up to 1.8 m) Most present day salamanders are entirely aquatic Terrestrials salamanders walk with a side-to-side bending of their body this swagger resembles the walk of early tetrapods on land

CAECILIANS Amphibians Frogs Salamanders Links Caecilians are nearly blind and legless, earthworm-like to snake-like (depending on the size) amphibians they evolved from a legged ancestor Most species burrow in moist soil in tropical areas They have shiny skin ringed with annuli (folds in the skin) some have fish-like scales on rings They come in shades of brown, black, orange, and yellow

LINKS Amphibians: – – Frogs: – – Salamanders: – – Caecilians: – –

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