AMPHIBIANS

OVERVIEW

• Amphibian Evolution and Characteristics
• Anura (Frogs & Toads)
• Caudata (Salamanders)
• Apoda (Caecilians)
• Cuisses de Grenouilles

Amphibian EVolution

Devonian Period

• 400,000,000 million years ago
• Evolved from sarcopterygian fish
• Sarcopterygian Fish - Lungs and bony-limb fins
• These features were helpful in adapting to the dry land
• Amphibians diversified and became dominant

Carboniferous and Permian periods

• (200 - 300 million years ago)
• Displaced by reptiles and other vertabres
• Began to decrease in size and diversity
• Only Lissamphibians survived
• Evolved into modern amphibians

AMPHIBIANS

• Amphibians means "double life"
• They live in the water and on land during their life.
• When immature, they have gills and live in the water
• As adults, they live on land and breathe with their lungs

WHAT MAKES AN ANIMAL AN AMPHIBIAN?

• Class: Amphibia
• Ectothermic
• Skin contains keratin
• Tetrapods
• Vertebrates

TAXONOMY

• Domain: Eukarya
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chorodata
• Superclass: Tetrapoda
• Class: Amphibia

Continued Taxonomy

Frogs

• Order: Anura
• Habitat: Tropical Rain forests to Subarctic areas
• Food: Insects, worms, and small animals

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Stout-bodied
• Tailless
• Protruding eyes
• Cleft tongue
• Bent legs

FROG REPRODUCTION

• Sexual Reproduction
• Female lays the eggs during sex
• Eggs are laid in water
• Male fertilizes eggs after they are laid by female
• Female can lay up to 2000 eggs at a time

LIFE CYCLE OF FROGS

TOADS

• Order: Anura
• Habitat: Dry environment
• Food: Insects, worms and small animals

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TOADS

• Dry, leathery skin
• No teeth
• Eyes don't bulge out
• Short legs
• Bumps on skin for camouflage and storing fat

TOAD REPRODUCTION

• Sexual Reproduction
• Female lays eggs during sex
• Eggs are laid in the water
• Male fertilizes the eggs
• Up to 15,000 eggs can be lain at a time

TOAD LIFE CYCLE

SALAMANDER

• Order: Caudata
• Habitat: Bodies of water
• Food: Insects and small animals

SALAMANDER PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Slender body
• Blunt snouts
• Short limbs
• Long tail
• Can regenerate lost limbs

SALAMANDER REPRODUCTION

• Sexual Reproduction
• Male and female have sex
• Eggs are fertilized
• Female lays the eggs
• Eggs are laid near or in water

SALAMANDER RESEARCH

CAECILIANS

• Order: Apoda
• Habitat: Hidden in the ground in wet/tropical areas
• Food: Insects and small animals

CAECILIAN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Snake-like body
• Length up to 1.5 m
• Smooth skin
• Hidden eyes
• Pointed snout

CAECILIAN REPRODUCTION

HOW DO AMPHIBIANS HELP US TODAY?

• They get rid of insects
• They make the land more fertile
• They can be used for research of creating medicines and curing diseases
• Their regenerative genes can be examined and maybe later used in humans

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