AMPHIBIANS
ectothermic (cold-blooded)
vertebrates (have backbone)
live both in water and on land
lay eggs
usually two stages (larva and adult)
moist scaleless skin
habitat:
most species live within terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal or freshwater aquatic ecosystems
usually larvae live in water and adult on land, but always near water
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Clade: Batrachomorpha
Class: Amphibia
division
SALIENTIA (Anura) have tails – usually flattene
frogs and toads
usually have long hind limbs that fold
underneath them GYMNOPHIONA (Apoda)
shorter forelimbs, webbed toes with no claws caecilians
no tail, large eyes, glandular moist skin long, cyrlindrical, limbless creatures
CAUDATA (Urodela) snake-like or worm-like form
salamanders and newts live underground in burrows in damp soil, but
elongated body, lack claws some are aquatic
scale-free skin, either smooth or covered with skin has a large number of transverse folds
tubercles lay their eggs underground
skin
frogs – two important functions: respiration and protection
amphibians have evolved mucous glands, principally on their heads, backs and tails
the secretions produced by these help keep the skin moist
most species of amphibian have granular glands that secrete distasteful or poisonous substances
nervous system
central brain, spinal chord, nerves throughout the body
olfactory lobes – sense of smell
optic lobe – controls vision
cerebellum – controls balance and coordination
medulla oblongata – controls organ functions
senses
Vision
VISION HEARING
they see to the sides and behind without no outer ear
moving have an eardrum called a tympanum
excellent night vision and depth perception tympanum transfers sound vibrations to the
can detect the slightest movement inner ear, allows the frog to maintain a sense
TASTE – have sensitive taste buds of balance
SKIN – can detect temperature, pressure, touch and SMELL
pain two nostrils to sample odors in the air
have a second type of olfactory organ between
the nostrils, called the Jacobson’s organ
used to detect chemicals in the water
circulatory system
have a juvenile stage and an adult stage
in the juvenile (tadpole) stage: two-chambered heart and gills
in the adult stage : develop lungs, three-chambered heart
respiration
tadpoles use gills for breathing
an adult frog can breathe by :
skin (cutaneous respiration)
lungs (pulmonary respiration)
mouth (bucco-pharyngeal respiration)
digestion
an adult amphibian: insects, snails, slugs and other invertebrates
many amphibians catch their prey by flicking out an elongated tongue with a sticky tip and drawing it back into the
mouth before seizing the item with their jaws
amphibians: pancreas, liver and gall bladder
frogs – two types of teeth
toads – no teeth
excretion
waste materials and urine from digestive system are excluded through the cloaca
two kidneys
= filter the blood of metabolic waste and transport the urine via ureters to the urinary bladder where it is stored before
being passed out periodically through the cloacal vent
reproduction
frogs reproduce only sexsually, and all hatch from eggs
in almost all frogs – external fertilization (female releases hundreds of eggs, male releases sperm at the same time)
in order to make sure that the sperm reach the eggs, the male and female get into a mating posture called AMPLEXUS
live mainly on dry
FROGS
ive near water
lay eggs in clusters land
teeth on their upper jaw lay eggs in chains
strong, long hind legs for jumping have no teeth
a narrow body and waist short hind legs for walking or hopping
webbed toes have broader and puffy body
smooth, shiny, and permeable skin do not have webbed toes
have rough, dry looking, and leathery skin
with wart
TOADS
