Amphibians Flashcards
Define Tetrapod
Four legged, lung breathing land vertebrates
What do Tetrapods breath with?
Most use their lungs, some keep their gills and some use their skin
What specific animals are Tetrapod’s?
Frogs, Toads, Salamanders, and Caecilians
What is the scientific study of amphibians and reptiles?`
Herpetology
What does it mean for an egg to be hydrophilic?
they have a gelatinuos layer of water absorbing material or will dry out on land
Describe amphibian metamorphosis.
- Juveniles must live in water
- then become land dwelling adults
Describe the characteristics of amphibian skin.
- The skin is water permeable
What does water permeable mean? What implication does this have in terms of drying out?
- means it isn’t water-tight
- amphibians quickly dry out if not in water
What about environmental toxins?
They easily absorb any chemicals in the water
What is the purpose of the coloration seen on Dendrobatidae frogs?
warning coloration. they can secrete toxins
What does it mean to be ectothermic?
they do not warm their bodies with their metabolism
What does it mean to be poikilothermic?
their body temperature varies with the environment
How does being ectothermic and poikilothermic affect their activity level?
this limits their distribution geographically and their activity level
How does being ectothermic and poikilothermic affect their worldwide distribution?
They tend to be restricted to warmer climates and some may hibernate in the winter. Most live by the equator
Describe the three ways that amphibians breathe?
- Most breath with their lungs
- some salamanders keep their gills after metamorphosis and continue to use them as adults
- Some amphibians use their skin surface to breath
What is the taxonomic order of frogs and toads?
- Order Amphibia
- Order Anura
Describe the head, eyes and mouth of frogs and toads
Large heads and eyes, and wide mouth with small teeth in the upper jaw,
Compare the similarities and differences between frogs and toads.
- Frogs: long hind legs, smooth wet skin, large webbed. Lay eggs in clusters.
- Toads: short hind legs, warty drier skin, and hind feet that are slightly webbed. Lay eggs in ribbons or strips
Describe the breeding behavior of frogs and toads
In breeding season, males return to water and make loud calls to attract a mate.
What does the male use his vocal sacs for?
to make loud calls
What is amplexus?
the male using his large thumbs, grasps the female to hang on and squeeze her body
Describe how eggs are fertilized in frogs and toads.
External fertilization. Female lays them, male fertilizes them.
Describe the life cycle and metamorphosis of frogs/toads.
Egg, larvae, adult
What changes take place in regards to gills, diet, legs, tails, etc in frogs and toads?
- Larva breathes with internal gills
- Eats plants and algae.
- Larva grows limbs
- Gills get replaced by lungs
- Tail is absorbed
- Larva switches to a carnivorous
