Class Amphibia Quiz

General Characteristics of Amphibians

• Amphibians include caecilians, frogs, toads, and salamanders.
• Skin is smooth and moist, lacking scales, with glandular properties.
• Possess a large mouth with teeth; may have varying limb structures (four, two, or no limbs).
• Respiratory methods include gills, lungs, and skin absorption.
• Have a three-chambered heart with two atria and one ventricle.
• Excrete urea as a waste product.

Order Apoda

• Comprises caecilians, which are worm-like and lack limbs.
• Adapted for burrowing, with small or absent eyes, often blind.
• Typically found in tropical regions, feeding on small invertebrates.

Order Caudata

• Encompasses salamanders and newts, characterized by their tails.
• Some aquatic species may have lost hind limbs.
• Habitat includes both aquatic and moist terrestrial environments.
• Larval stages possess gills, while some adults are lungless and carnivorous.

Tropical Breeding Strategies

• A trend to lay eggs on land or in small bodies of water to reduce predation threat.
• Involves parental care for eggs and tadpoles.
• Some species undergo direct development, bypassing the aquatic tadpole stage.

Salamanders

• Southern Appalachians boast a high diversity of salamanders due to cooler temperatures, cold water, and forest environments.
• They serve as important predators within woodland ecosystems in eastern North America.
• Eggs can be laid in water or on land, allowing some species to skip the tadpole stage.

Neotony

• A phenomenon where certain species, like mudpuppies, retain larval characteristics throughout adulthood.
• Typically found in aquatic species.

Order Anura

• This order includes frogs and toads, recognized as the most specialized and successful amphibian group.
• Adults lack tails and exhibit a larval stage known as tadpoles.
• Notable for large eyes and adaptability to both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Toads

• More adapted to terrestrial life compared to frogs.
• Skin features bumps and large parotid glands which secrete toxins.
• Despite being terrestrial, water is still necessary for breeding.

Adaptations for Jumping

• Anatomical features include a short vertebral column and an enlarged pelvic girdle.
• Long hind limbs equipped with large leg muscles facilitate powerful jumps.
• A light skull structure helps minimize weight.
• Forelimbs are adapted to absorb weight during landing.

Feeding Habits

• Amphibians are primarily carnivorous, preying on a variety of invertebrates.
• The tongue is attached to the front of the mouth, allowing it to flip out quickly, with a sticky glandular tip.
• Tadpoles typically exhibit herbivorous dietary habits.

Temperate Breeding Patterns

• Males establish territories in spring and call to attract females, leading to amplexus (mating embrace).
• They lay jelly-like eggs in water without providing parental care.
• Offspring emerge as aquatic tadpoles.