Amphibians are a class of animals like reptiles, mammals, and birds. They live the first part of their lives in the water and the last part on the land. When they hatch from their eggs, amphibians have gills so they can breathe in the water. They also have fins to help them swim, just like fish. Later, their bodies change, growing legs and lungs enabling them to live on the land. The word "amphibian" means two-lives, one in the water and one on land.
3. What are Amphibians?
Amphibians are a class of animals
like reptiles, mammals, and birds. They live the first
part of their lives in the water and the last part on
the land. When they hatch from their eggs,
amphibians have gills so they can breathe in the
water. They also have fins to help them swim, just
like fish. Later, their bodies change, growing legs and
lungs enabling them to live on the land. The word
"amphibian" means two-lives, one in the water and
one on land.
FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES
4. Where do they live?
Amphibians have
adapted to live in a
number of different
habitats including streams,
forests, meadows, bogs,
swamps, ponds, rainforests,
and lakes. Most of them like
to live in or near water and
in damp areas. FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES
5. What do they eat?
♥ Adult amphibians are
carnivores and predators.
They eat a variety of food
including spiders, beetles,
and worms. Some of
them, like frogs, have long
tongues with sticky ends
that they flick out to catch
their prey.
♥ The larvae of many
amphibians mostly eat
plants. FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES
6. The Class Amphibia (or amphibians) includes three
Orders:
Anura (frogs and toads) – about 5,800 species
Caudata or Urodela (newts and salamanders) –
about 580 species
Gymnophiona or Apoda (caecilians) – about 170
species
FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES
7. General Characteristics of Amphibians
They are ectotherms (often referred to as cold-
blooded). This means that amphibians do not
hold their body temperature constant like
mammals, but their internal temperature
depends upon that of the surrounding
environment.
Amphibians have soft, generally moist skin
without scales.
Their eggs do not have shells and so must be laid
in water or a damp environment to keep from
drying out.
Amphibians go through a two-stage life cycle.
When an amphibian hatches it is in a gilled larval
form. In frogs and toads this larva is called a
tadpole. After a few weeks or months the larvae
transform into the adult form, however it may still
take a few years to become mature.
FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES
8. Amphibians are important
and beneficial in many ways:
► They play an important role in nature as
both predator and prey, sustaining the
delicate balance of nature.
► They eat pest insects, benefiting
successful agriculture around the world and
minimizing the spread of disease, including
malaria.
► The skin of amphibians has substances
that protect them from some microbes and
viruses, offering possible medical cures for a
variety of human diseases, including AIDS.
► Frogs have had a special place in
various human cultures for centuries,
cherished as agents of life and good luck.
FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES
9. Fun Facts about Amphibians
♠ Most amphibians have thin, moist skin that
helps them to breathe.
♠ Amphibians are considered vertebrates as
they have a backbone.
♠ Frogs swallow their food whole. The size of
what they can eat is determined by the size
of their mouths and their stomach.
Frogs cannot live in salt water.
♠ All amphibians have gills, some only as
larvae and others for their entire lives.
♠ It is a myth that you can get warts from
touching a frog or toad.
♠ A group of frogs is called an army.
♠ An Amphibian's skin absorbs air and water.
This makes them very sensitive
to air and water pollution.
The world amphibian population is in decline.
FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES
10. Amphibians Facts 1: Group
Amphibians are categorized in three groups. Those are
caecilians, frogs and toads, and newts and salamander.
Amphibians Facts 2: Frogs and toads
Frogs and toads are included as the largest group in
Amphibians. They do not have tail but they have four legs.
There are many kinds of frogs that you can see spreading in
various rainforests. Most bright colored frogs are poisonous.
Amphibians Facts 3: Newts and salamanders
Newts and salamanders are different from frogs and toads.
They have four legs but with a long tail. Salamander will like to
spend most of their life in water. On the other hand, newts like
to live on land. They only go to the water when breeding.
Interesting Amphibian Facts
FLOURIE MAE O. OJALES