Amphibians

Amphibians get their name from the greek word amphibios which means “living a dual life”. This represents both their life cycle and their ability to live both on land and in the water. All amphibians are born as water dwelling larvae with gills and no limbs. During their development, which is called metamorphosis, they shed their gills and develope lungs and limbs which allow them to live on land.

American Bullfrog

The bullfrog’s name comes from the male’s deep, loud croak which some say sounds like a cow mooing. They make this sound to attract females and claim their territory. Bullfrogs are able to leap as far as 6 feet (2 meters) which is about 10 times their body...

Cane Toad

Cane toads are poisonous in every stage of life from egg, to tadpole, to adult. As adults, they ooze poison out of glands by the sides of their eyes and are also able to squirt it at targets like a water gun. Cane toads don’t drink water. Instead, they get all the...

Fire-Bellied Toad

Fire-Bellied Toads’ names come from their bright red, orange, or yellow undersides with spots of black. Their skin secretes a substance that irritates the eyes and mouths of any predators who come into contact with it. When confronted by a predator, they display...

Mexican Axolotl

Axolotl’s don’t go through the same process of metamorphosis as other salamanders. They keep their tadpole like dorsal fins and external gills and instead. They grow as they age but they don’t go through any other changes. If an axolotl injures or loses a limb, it...

Poison Dart Frog

Poison dart frogs come in a wide variety of vibrant colors. These colors are supposed to signal that they are poisonous so predators won't eat them. Scientists believe that the poison dart frog’s toxicity comes from some of the insects that they...

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Red eyed tree frogs lay their eggs on leaves above ponds and when the tadpoles hatch they drop into the water. They live in the water until they develop into little brown frogs at which point they move to land. Once they reach adulthood, their color changes to...

Reticulated Glass Frog

Reticulated glass frogs have translucent undersides which make their internal organs visible when looking at them from below. Scientists don’t know the reason for the glass frog’s clear belly, but they do have ideas on the purpose of the pattern on its back....

Spotted Salamander

Spotted salamanders’ pattern makes them blend in with leaves and rocks on the ground. They’re only active at night and spend their days hiding under rocks, leaves, and logs, making them very hard for predators to find. When spotted salamanders are threatened by a...