AMPHIBIANS

CLASSIFICATION

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Amphibia

CHARACTERISTICS

• They are all ectothermic (cold blooded).
• All amphibians have four legs.
• Amphibians have a backbone.
• They spend at least part of their lives in water and on land.(metamorphosis)
• Their skin is permeable (molecules can pass through).

WHERE ARE THEY FOUND

• They have learned to adapt and survive in many different types of habitats .
• They can be found in forests, meadows, springs, streams, rivers, ponds, lakes.
• They can also be found in marshes, swamps, and farmland.

REPRODUCTION

• Amphibians reproduce by external fertilization. It must take place in fresh water.
• The female will lay her eggs and the male will fertilize them.
• The eggs are soon left alone to hatch on their own

WHAT DO THEY EAT

• Most eat meat.
• Young amphibians eat microorganisms and tiny creatures like water flies.
• When they grow they move to larger animals like shrimp fry, mosquito, like mice.

ROLE IN ENVIRONMENT

• They are secondary consumers in the food chain.
• Tadpoles have a strong effect on recycling process of nourishment.
• They can also be pest controllers.

INTERESTING FACTS

• Their name came from a Greek word 'amphibious ' which means both lives.
• The worlds largest amphibian is the Chinese Salamander. It is 5 feet long.
• The smallest frog is the little grass frog. It is smaller than a house fly.
• There are over 5,500 species in the world, mostly found in upstate New York.