1. AMPHIBIANS
Ms. Bridgeland
5th Grade

2. Objectives and Questions:
Objective: Describe amphibian characteristics and examine how adult amphibians are adapted for life on land.
Question: What are the main characteristics of amphibians?

3. Amphibian: “Double – life?”
They begin their lives in water and spend their adulthood on land
To reproduce, they return to water

6. 2 Major Groups of Amphibians
Salamanders:
Frogs/Toads:

7. 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

8. “What are the differences between FROGS and TOADS?”

9. Frogs Toads

10. 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

11. 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

12. Amphibian Reproduction
Salamanders – eggs are fertilized internally
Frogs and toads –eggs are fertilized externally
For all amphibians, Fertilized eggs develop in water
What is special about amphibian eggs is that they have a protective jelly that coats the egg

13. Stage 1: Adult frogs lay eggs in water

14. Stage 2: Fertilized Eggs
Fertilized eggs are laid in water for a few days

15. How are Amphibian Eggs different from other eggs?

16. 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 _________

17. As they grow, larvae undergo a ______________________?

18. Metamorphosis
A process where an animal develops after birth or hatching, involving a sudden change in the animal’s structure

19. Stage 4: Larvae develops hind legs

20. Stage 5: Front legs develop but frog still has tail

21. Stage 6: Frog loses tail and becomes a mature adult

22. Amphibians: ADAPTATIONS
What is an adaptation?
Once amphibians are adults, what new adaptations do they need to live on land?

23. Adaptation 1: OXYGEN
While amphibians are larvae, (exampletadpoles), how do they breathe?

24. Once, they are on land, how do they breathe?
Amphibians must get oxygen from the AIR instead of the water once they are on land
During metamorphoses, amphibians lose their gills and develop LUNGS.
What two gases are exchanged through the lungs?
OXYGEN and CARBON DIOXIDE