by Natalie, Laura, Brock,and Chi

 

 

 

 

Animal Intro Video

 

Do Not Forget to be nice to animals!!!!!

 

CRAZY FROG

 

ImmaAmphibian

 

 

FROG SONG

Caecilian

 

 

 

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Vertebrates and Chordates:

 

 

   http://www.biog1105-1106.org/labs/deuts/media/chordatechars.jpg 

The structure of a Chordate.

          

 

     A vertebrate is an animal that has a back bone.  Vertebrates belong to the phyla Chordata.  Chordates are animals that are either vertebrates or one of several closely related invertebrates. All Chordates have a notochord, a hollow dorsal, and a throat with gill slits(pharyngeal slits) at some point in their life. 

 

 

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Amphibians:

 

 

 

     Amphibians are  cold-blooded animals that go through metamorphosis from a water-breathing form to an adult air-breathing form.   Amphibians include newts, frogs, and toads.  

 

http://www.ifrog.us/wp-content/gallery/miscellaneous/life-cycle-diagram_0.jpg

The life-cycle/metamorphosis of a frog, a type of amphibian. 

 

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Parts of an amphibian

 

http://www.frog-life-cycle.com/graphics/frog_anatomy_labeled.jpg

 

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Kinds of Amphibians:

 

 

Toads, Frogs, and Pollywogs

 

  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti0HDtRY8u4

 

 Frogs & Toads

 

     Do you ever wonder how frogs and toads catch such fast bugs? An amphibian's eyesight is perfect, and they have precision that makes everything slower which helps them catch fast insects. They also have stretchy tongues that are rolled up like a tootsie roll and are connected to the jaw.  Throughout the evolution of frogs and toads, their tongues have adapted and helped make hunting easier. 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Cane-toad.jpg

 

The Differences between Frogs and Toads

 

     There are many differences between frogs and toads. Frogs are mostly slick, slimy, and slippery and have narrow bodies. Toads are mostly wrinkly, warty, and fat. Frogs are fast and quick and have a chemical on their limbs that can help them attach to things and hide from prey. Toads are slow and make a loud sound which scare away some predators. Frogs come in many colors and patterns, but toads have colors like brown, gray, green, and peach. Even though frogs and toads have different appearances and capabilities, they are both amphibians.     

  

Newty Toot Toot!!

 

      Newts are  another type of amphibian. Newts are related to salamanders. Not all newts are aquatic like frogs and toads, but some are. Newts also come in different colors and are mostly bright colors like red, yellow, green, and orange which tells some prey to "BACK OFF". Newts have the same chemical frogs have on their skin, which helps them stick to things. Newts sometimes act like reptiles and shed their skin at least once a month.

      Newts also come in different sizes. The biggest newt is the size of an adult rat. Newts have three rows of sharp teeth but, their prey are mostly bugs. Most people do not think of newts as amphibians but, they really are.  

 

     http://10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/newt.jpg

 

 

Hey Sal! Get That Salamander!!

 

     Do Salamanders ever seem like reptiles? Well if you think they do, YOUR WRONG! Salamanders are in fact Amphibians. They are bigger than newts but are in the same phyla as them (Chordata). Salamanders look like lizards but have the same slick skin as newts and frogs. They are not poisonous, they are safe and can grow up to six feet. Salamanders eat worms, flies, spiders, and sometimes if they are big enough, mice. Salamanders have two pairs of legs. Two legs in the front and two in the back by the tail. Salamanders have sharp teeth almost exactly like newts. Salamanders also shed skin which takes five days to do. Salamanders are found in moist places but, they are not aquatic. They can be found under rocks or inside a hole in a tree. They are beautiful animals and are cool amphibians. 

 

 

http://cryptobranchidae.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/burned-tiger-salamander.jpg

 

 

Oh my! The Dangerous Amphibians!

 

     Frogs, toads, and newts are not always safe. Some are very poisonous. The most poisonous amphibian is a frog. The most poisonous frogs are located in rain forests in Costa Rica. You can notice one of these if they look wet and are very pretty with a lot of colors. These frogs have a liquid venom on their skin that can hurt humans too. Toads are not as poisonous, but they are gross. Toads can make you sick and carry rare diseases. There is even a myth that if you touch one you can get warts! Newts are exactly like poisonous frogs but not as harmful, and they can cause sicknesses too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited 

Prentice Hall. Paradise of Life Animals . New Jersey : Simon & Schuster Education Group, 1997. Print.

Wikipedia. “Amphibians .” Amphibian. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 26 May 2010. <Amphibian>.