South international School

Name: Denisse Alexandra Cuellar Garcia Teacher: Renato Caenguez Class: Biology Grade: 11
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Date: December 5, 2011

Introduction
The word Amphibian is derived from the Greek word amphibious, which means a being of double life. This comes from two other words: am phi (both) and bios ( life). It is a very apt name for amphibians and refers to their ability to live both in water and on land in the various stages of their life cycle. Even amphibians who spend the majority of their lives on land, will return to the water to breed. Amphibians are thought to be the first vertebrates to leave the water and start life on land over 350 million years ago. They played an important part in the evolution of all vertebrates and have adapted to life in many habitats throughout the world. There are certain characteristics that define an amphibian, but these are generalities and there are always exceptions to the common rules. Amphibians have skin which is permeable to water, so they appreciate life in or near water sources and in damp places. They are cold-blooded and rely on their surroundings to control their body temperature. They usually spawn jelly-like eggs that hatch into aquatic young in the form of gill-breathing larvae or tadpoles. The young will undergo metamorphosis to take on their adult form, which usually allows them to adapt to life on land. There are 3 orders within the Class Amphibian. These are Anura (Frogs and Toads), Caudata (Newts and Salamanders) and Gymnophiona (Caecilians).

Anura (Frogs and Toads)

Anura is the largest order in the class Amphibia, as it includes over 4750 species of frogs and toads in 28 different families. They are also the most widespread group, as Anurans are found throughout the world in all types of different habitats, excluding only the very hottest desserts and the polar regions. Anurans can be terrestrial, aquatic, arboreal or amphibious, so have also evolved to live in all walks of life. The term Anuran is often used to describe both frogs and toads due to the intermixing and lack of definition between the two terms. Generally frogs are smooth skinned and toads are warty, but this is a very hazy distinction, so using the term Anuran or the tailless amphibians to describe all frogs and toads has become quite common.

Caudata (Salamanders, Newts and Sirens)

The order Caudata includes all the tailed amphibians, such as Newts, Salamanders and Sirens. Generally members of the Caudata are carnivorous and have long tails, elongated bodies and smooth skin. The definitions that separate newts and salamanders are in a similar situation of frogs and toads, in that they are not clearly defined, but usually a tailed amphibian that is largely aquatic and of a small size is called a Newt (from the Medieval English word ewt), whilst larger more terrestrial species are called Salamanders (from the Greek for Fire Lizard). There are over 432 species of Newts, Salamander and Siren in the order Caudata, separated into 60 genera and 10 families.

Gymnophiona (Caecilians)
The order Gymnophiona (sometimes called Apoda) is the smallest of the orders in the class Amphibia, with only around 176 species in 6 families. It is also the order that we know least about as Caecilians are hardly ever seen by man as they spend so much time burrowed deep underground or under water. Caecilians are limbless and have long segmented bodies. They have often been mistaken for large earthworms, snakes or blind worms, but they are not related to any of these creatures. This misunderstanding is echoed in the interpretation of the name Gymnophiona, which is derived from the Latin gymnos (naked) and ophis (snake). This reflects the secretive nature of Caecilians and just how little naturalists of the past knew about them. The name Caecilian also has its own misinterpretation. Caecilian is derived from caecus meaning blind in Latin, but Caecilians are not actually blind, their eyes are just really small.

Characteristics of the amphibians

The amphibians, when they are born, are aquatic larvas that move with a tail and breathe for gills. They receive the name of tadpoles. After suffering a metamorphosis, they transform in the adult animal, which is adapted to the terrestrial life. The adult amphibians have four legs that serve them to move for the land, and in every leg they have four fingers. They breathe by means of lungs, though also they can take oxygen across the skin, which is very thin and must be moistened always. The majority they are oviparous, though some, as the salamander they are oviparous. To reproduce they have to return to the water, where the external fertilization takes place, and where the eggs stay, so if they were left in the land, they would dry off. They have nutrition heterotrophs, which wants to say that They cannot synthesize the organic matter that they need from inorganic substances, but they must take it of other alive beings. It is carnivorous; they feed principally of snails, slugs, worms, beetles, etc. The adult salamanders feed of centipede and other invertebrates. The majority possesses complex digestive, respiratory, circulatory devices and excretory to carry out the function of nutrition. The skin, he undresses, constant humid, contributes to his respiratory needs (cutaneous breathing), though also they breathe by means of certain zones of the mouth cavity and of the lungs, which are of very simple structure and act only as complement of other types of breathing. It is necessary to mention that in almost all the amphibians the breathing is identical. The mouth reaches great size, being, in occasions, provided with small weak teeth. The tongue is beefy and in some groups it is fastened for your part previous and freely behind in order that it could be projected on the outside and to capture the dams. since they introduce in his alimentary canal dams without previous fragmentation.

Anura

northern cricket frog Acris crepitans

northern cricket frog Acris crepitans

northern cricket frog Acris crepitans

southern cricket frog Acris gryllus

lowland tropical bullfrog Adenomera andreae

Adenomera martinezi

red-eyed treefrog Agalychnis callidryas

Allophryne ruthveni

frogs and toads Anura

frogs and toads Anura

frogs and toads Anura

frogs and toads Anura

frogs and toads Anura Gastrotheca cornuta Pipa carvalhoi Hemiphractus johnsoni

tailed frog Ascaphus truei

tailed frog Ascaphus truei

Caudate

mole salamanders Ambystoma

mole salamanders Ambystoma

flatwoods salamander Ambystoma cingulatum

northwestern salamander Ambystoma gracile

blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum

spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum

spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum

spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum

northern dwarf siren Pseudobranchus striatus

northern dwarf siren Pseudobranchus striatus

northern dwarf siren Pseudobranchus striatus

Gymnophiona