Amphibians

1. Amphibians By: Jonathon Warring and Tiffany Tejera

2. What is an amphibian? • An amphibian is a vertebrate that, with some exceptions, lives in water as a larva and on land as an adult, breathes with lungs as an adult, has moist skin that contains mucus glands, and lacks scales and claws. • The word amphibian means “double life”, explaining how they live on land and water. • They are in the class Amphibia.

3. Evolution of Amphibians • Early amphibians evolved several adaptations that helped them live at least part of their lives out of water. • Their bones in their limbs and limb girdles of amphibians became stronger, permitting more efficient movement. Lungs and breathing tubes allowed amphibians to breathe air. Their breastbone formed a boney shield to support and protect internal organs, especially the lungs.

4. Feeding • Amphibians like tadpoles are filter feeders or herbivores that feed on algae. • They eat almost constantly. • The adult amphibians are almost entirely carnivorous. They will eat anything they can catch and swallow.

5. Respiration • In most larval amphibians, gas exchange occurs through the skin as well as the gills. • Lungs typically replace gills when an amphibian becomes an adult. • There are amphibians with well developed lungs, not so well developed lungs, or no lungs at all.

6. Circulation • The circulatory system known as a double loop. • The 1st loop carries oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs and skin, and takes oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and skin back to the heart. • The 2nd loop transports oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body and oxygen-poor blood from the body back to the heart.

7. Reproduction • Amphibians eggs do not have shells and tend to dry out if they are not kept moist. The female lays her eggs in the water, then the male fertilizes them externally. The female releases as many as 200 eggs that the male then fertilizes. • The eggs are attached to underwater plants that makes it difficult for predators to grasp. • A jelly nourishes the developing embryos until they hatch into larva, also know as tadploes.

8. Movement • Amphibians move by wiggling their bodies and using a flattened tail for propulsion. • Most of them, like 4-limbed vertebrates, use their front and back legs to move in a variety of ways. • Some use well-developed hind limbs to jump long distances.

9. Groups of Amphibians • 3 groups of amphibians alive today are salamanders, frogs and toads, and caecilians. Salamanders • Order Urodela. • Carnivores. • Live in moist woods.

10. Continued Frogs and Toads • Order Anura. • Have the ability to jump. • Frogs live in ponds and streams. • Toads often live in moist woods and even deserts. • Adults lack tails.

11. Continued Caecilians • Least known of the amphibians. • Order Apoda. • Legless animals. • Live in water or burrow in moist soil or sediment. • Many have fishlike scales.

12. Ecology • Amphibians are the ideal meal for predators such as birds and mammals. But they have adaptations to hide from them. • Some have the ability of camouflage. Others have the ability to release toxins. • Although they can be well protected, there has been a decreasing amount of living species due to environmental threats.

13. The End Thanks for reading!!!!!!