AMPHIBIANS

Ms. Bridgeland 5th Grade

Are Amphibians a CLASS or a PHYLYM?

Amphibians: one of the 5 classes of Vertebrates

Reminder: What are the other 4 classes of Vertebrates?

• Objective: Describe amphibian characteristics and examine how adult amphibians are adapted for life on land.

Why do you think the word “Amphibian” means “double-life?”

Amphibian: “Double – life” They begin their lives in water and spend their adulthood on land

To reproduce (have babies), they return to water

What are the two major groups of amphibians?

2 Major Groups of Amphibians1) Salamander

s:

2) Frogs/Toads:

How can you tell the difference between salamanders and frogs/toads?

Salamanders have a tail even when they are adults

Frog/toads lose their tails before they become adults

“What are the differences between FROGS and TOADS?”

Frogs Toads

FROGS: Need to live near water Have 2 bulging eyes Strong, long, webbed hind feet that are

adapted for leaping and swimming Strong and slimy skin (like very moist

environments) Will take long jumps Like to lay eggs in clusters Found on every continent except Antarctica More than 400 species Have a lot of PREDATORS

TOADS Can live further away from water Lower, football-shaped eyes Stubby bodies with short hind legs (for walking

instead of hopping) Warty and drier skin Lay eggs in long chains Will run or take small hops Can be found worldwide except for Madagascar, the

polar regions, and Polynesia More than 300 species Do NOT have a lot of predators

Amphibian Reproduction

For all amphibians, Fertilized eggs develop in water

What is unique/special about Amphibian eggs?

What is special about amphibian eggs is that they have a protective jelly that coats the egg instead of a shell

Amphibian Eggs

How Amphibians Reproduce

There are 6 stages in the life cycle of an Amphibian: Here is what a frog looks like in some of the stages

Stage 1: Adult frogs lay eggs in water

Stage 2: Fertilized Eggs Male frogs fertilize the eggs, which lie in

water for a few days

Stage 3: Larvae After a few days, larvae wriggle out of a

jelly that coats the egg and begin a free-swimming, fishlike life

Larvae of a frog or toad is called a _________

As they grow, larvae undergo a ______________________?

Metamorphosis A process where an animal develops after

birth or hatching, involving a sudden change in the animal’s structure

Stage 4: Larvae develops hind legs

Stage 5: Front legs develop but frog still has tail

Stage 6: Frog loses tail and becomes a mature adult

Metamorphosis Cycle