Most of the information here comes from The Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians, 1st ed. (1986). (See also 2nd ed., 1998.)

Species figures are based on AmphibiaWeb's data as of July 19, 2005. I won't be updating this every day, or even every month, so consult AmphibiaWeb's species lists for more up-to-date species figures.

	Described living species			Stories
	Class Amphibia. Amphibians. Amphibians are cold-blooded, scaleless vertebrates that breathe air through lungs, and generally have four legs, spending at least some time on land. They possess permeable, moist skin, through which they absorb water. They lay shell-less eggs and undergo metamorphosis from larva to adult. Amphibians are important among vertebrates because they were the first tetrapods, the first four-legged vertebrates to live for extended periods on land.		5,819
		Order Gymnophiona. Caecilians. Caecilians are probably most atypical of all amphibians, for they lack legs, and thus superficially resemble large worms. They live throughout the world's tropical forests, burrowing through soil and freshwater sediment.	170
		Order Caudata (Urodela). Salamanders and newts. Salamanders and newts are unique among modern amphibians in that they possess tails, as well as, usually, four legs of equal size. Most salamanders are truly amphibious, living on land and migrating to the water to breed; others are purely aquatic; still others are purely terrestrial. They live in temperate areas of the northern hemisphere, as well as the tropics of Central and South America.	546	Sala- mander
		Order Anura (Salientia). Frogs and toads. Frogs and toads are by far the most successful amphibians alive today, inhabiting nearly every freshwater environment in the world. They are characterized by squat bodies with long legs for jumping. Frogs are typically solitary, except during the breeding season, when they often gather in great numbers. Most frogs pass through a larval tadpole stage before they metamorphose into full-grown adults with lungs. In temperate environments, they hibernate through the winter.	5,103	Frog

Home - The Science Station - The Stories - Art, Religion, and Everything Else
Animal Classification - Invertebrata - Pisces - Amphibia - Reptilia - Aves - Mammalia