These are amphibian notes

1. Amphibians
By Mr. “Frogs are Cool” Chapman

3. History
 History indicates that
lobe-finned fish were
ancestors of
amphibians.

4. History
 So what would these lobe-finned fish do
when the ponds dried up? (think about
the lung fish)

5. History
 They would use their strong lobe-fins to
move to another pond or wet area.
 Now they can move from pond to pond,
and they also have a lung like organ that
can take oxygen out of the air.

6. History

7. Classification
 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Amphibia

8. Amphibian
 There are about 4,000 species of
amphibians.
 Most living amphibians are in 3 orders.

9. Orders
 Gymnophiona: Caecilians
 (naked snakes) 170 species only in tropics

11. Amphibians
 Gymnophiona: Caecilians
 (naked snakes) 170 species only in tropics
 Caudata: Newts and salamanders
 350 species

13. Amphibians
 Gymnophiona: Caecilians
 (naked snakes) 170 species only in tropics
 Caudata: Newts and salamanders
 350 species
 Anura: Frogs and Toads
 3,500 species

15. Characteristics
Amphibians are characterized by.......
 1. Naked skin (no scales)
 2. Three chambered heart
 3. Usually a larval stage that is distinct
from the adult stage of development.
 4. Cold-blooded
 5. Moist skin
 6. Semi-Permeable skin through which
Semi-P
they exchange most of their gases

16. Amphibians
 Amphibians also
have glands in their
skin that produces
toxic substances.
 Some toxics can be
deadly to predators
and humans.

17.  This is Zetek’s frog,
another highly
endangered species.
Some have more yellow
and orange than this
one. Why do some frogs
have bright color
pattern?
 Aposomatic Coloration
(warning colors).

18. Amphibians
 Amphibians have never been able to
completely leave the water (or at least
moist environments).
 1. They must return to the water to breed
 2. They have to keep their skin moist.

19. Tongues
 Tongues of amphibian vary considerably.
 Some amphibian have no tongues.
 Ex. Caecilians

22. Tongues
 Tongues of amphibian vary considerably.
 Some amphibian have no tongues.
 Ex. Caecilians
 Some amphibians have a very long
tongue with sticky tips.
 Ex. Most toads

26. Tongues
 Tongues of amphibian vary considerably.
 Some amphibian have no tongues.
 Ex. Caecilians
 Some amphibians have a very long
tongue with sticky tips.
 Ex. Most toads
 Amphibian tongues in between

27. Amphibian Feeding
 Amphibians catch prey by using?
 Their tongue
 Mouth

30. Feeding
 Amphibians catch prey by using?
 Their tongue
 Mouth
 Once in there mouth, amphibians crush
their prey with their jaws and swallow it
whole.
 Amphibians do not have teeth

31. Feeding
 How do amphibians push the food down
their throat?
 Amphibians use their eyes to push the
food down their throat.

32. What is Food
 Amphibians will eat;
 Insects
 Spiders
 Fish
 Other frogs
 Small mammals
 Overall, amphibians will eat anything
they can fit into their mouth.

36. Where They Live
 Amphibians are mostly found?
 Wetlands, swamps, or in moist areas.

39. Where They Live
 Amphibians are mostly found?
 Wetlands, swamps, or in moist areas.
 Why do amphibians have to stay moist?
 If their skin dries up they will die.

40. Skin
 Amphibians skin is considered to be
semi-permeable.
 Semi-permeable means liquids and
gases can pass through their skin, but
not solids.
 If amphibians are in a dry environment,
there is nothing to stop water from
moving out of their body.

42. Skin
 But what happens when they are in water
that has toxic chemicals in it?
 The toxins get absorbed into their body
with the water and they die.
 Amphibians are considered to be
Bio-Indicators

43. Bio-Indicators
 Bio-Indicator – is an organism that
indicates whether or not an area is
healthy.
 Amphibians are widely used to figure out
how healthy wetlands are.
 Example: If a pond has lots of frogs, you
would know the water is clean and free of
toxins.

44. Reproduction Methods
 Oviparous – egg layers
 Viviparous – live birth
 Ovoviviparous – eggs hatch in side
mother and the young live in her until
maturity.