What Makes an Amphibian?. Why are they so important?

What Makes an Amphibian?

Amphibians are animals that live part of their lives in water and part on land. They usually have soft, moist skin that is protected by a slippery layer of mucus. They also tend to live in moist places or near water to keep their bodies from drying out. Most amphibians live on the ground in wetlands or forests, but some live up in trees, and a few species can survive in deserts and other dry habitats.

There are three main groups of amphibians: caecilians; salamanders, newts, and mudpuppies; and frogs and toads.

All amphibians:

· Are vertebrates (which means they have a backbone or spine)

· Are “cold-blooded, ” that means these animals cannot regulate their own body heat, so they depend on warmth from sunlight to become warm and active. If they get too hot, they have to find shade or a burrow to help them cool down.

· Breathe through their skin.

· Go through metamorphosis. Young amphibians hatch from eggs, but do not look like their parents. Astheydevelop, theirbodyshapechanges.

· Are predators on other animals and will often eat any animal that is small enough to be swallowed whole. Most can only eat invertebrates, but some larger amphibians will eat small fish, other amphibians, or even small mammals.

Why are they so important?

They play an important role in nature as both predator and prey, sustaining the delicate balance of nature.

They eat pest insects, benefiting successful agriculture around the world and minimizing the spread of disease, including malaria.

The skin of amphibians has substances that protect them from some microbes and viruses, offering possible medical cures for a variety of human diseases, including AIDS.

Frogs have had a special place in various human cultures for centuries, cherished as agents of life and good luck.

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