Amphibians
Amphibians are ectotherms - animals with cold blood, they lay jelly like eggs, have wet skin, a backbone and breathe air.
There are 3 types of amphibians which are:-
caecilians- caudata (frogs and toads)
- salamanders
Most amphibians live in damp conditions in and around water because they have to keep their skin from drying out.
There is even a species of frog that lives in pools in the desert.
Most amphibians experience metamorphosis - which means they go through different stages of growth until they reach adults - usually they start life as an egg, then a larvae stage (ie tadpole) then developing into their final stage of a miniature adult.
Amphibians come in all different colours. Some are highly coloured, such as poison dart frogs who uses the colour to warn other animals that they are very poisonous.
Amphibians can even absorb water and breathe through their skin. They do this through tiny blood vessels near the skin surface.
Caecilians live underground and are blind, feeding on earthworms whilst digging through the soil.
Did you know that...
- Biggest - The japanese giant salamander reaches around 1.5metres.
- Smallest - The smallest amphibian is the golden frog only 1cm long.
- Most dangerous - The poison dart frog is the most dangerous amphibian in the world and has enough poison to kill 20 humans at one time.
To find out more about the various species of amphibians that may be covered during our lectures, click on the images.