Amphibians Facts
- Amphibian means two-lives. They spend their lives in water and on land.
- Amphibians are cold-blooded, ectothermic animals. They also come under the class vertebrates (meaning they have backbone or spine).
- Amphibians breathe through skin and they go through metamorphosis.
- Amphibians begin their life in water with gills and tails. They develop lungs and legs as they grow for their land life.
- 60 million years ago amphibians were the dominant terrestrial animals on earth.
Characteristic of Amphibians
Amphibians posses certain characteristic those are different from other species. These characteristic helps to adopt them in all the climate conditions and environment.
Amphibians are cold blooded animals that derive heat from outside. The body temperature of the amphibians depends on the outside surroundings. Hence the amphibians are very active in warm environments and become lethargic when exposed to cold temperatures.
As an offspring the amphibians begin their life cycle under the water breathing through gills. As they reach the adulthood they move to land and breathe with the help of either skin or lungs. Worms and insects act as the prey to the amphibian. Each species of the amphibians have their own feeding habit.
Generally the amphibians are carnivorous. On water they consume fish, small reptiles, crustaceans and other amphibians. On land they feed on worms and insects.
Amphibians breed in different place depending on their needs. But most of them breed on freshwater. While others breed in burrows, leaf litter and wild habitats. The eggs of the amphibians are covered with a jellylike substance that is very clear to protect the egg form dessication. Mostly all the amphibian undergo metamorphosis in their life cycle.
Ceacilians will lose their legs early during the adaptation phase to burrowing life style. One pair of lungs is present and the internal surface experience a poor development. Supplementary respiration can take place through skin.
