While teaching children about animals in general, we must also teach them about the different types of animals there are in the world. In this article, we have talked about what amphibians are, some interesting facts about amphibians and also the amphibians animals name list in english for children.
Let’s take a look at amphibian vocabulary for kids.
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What Are Amphibians?
Let’s take a look at the amphibian definition for children.
In simple words, amphibians are vertebrate animals that are cold-blooded and have four limbs. Generally, amphibians go through a life cycle involving laying eggs and hatching in water and then, metamorphosis in their bodies — inside and out. They live near warmer climates and in freshwater areas. There are approximately 8,000 species of amphibians in the world, and a majority of them are frogs.
List Of Commonly Known Amphibians
Now that your child knows what amphibians are, let’s take a look at their names:
- Giant Salamanders
- Frogs
- Newts
- Mudpuppies
- Caecilians
- Asiatic Salamanders
- Pacific Giant Salamanders
- True Toads
- Mole Salamanders
- Sirens
- Hyla
- Racophorus
What Are The Characteristics Of Amphibians?
Let’s take a look at the characteristics of amphibians –
- Amphibians can live both on land and in water.
- Amphibians are ectothermic animals found in a warm environments.
- The body of an amphibian is divided into a head and a trunk. They may or may not have a tail.
- The skin of an amphibian is smooth and rough without any scales but with glands that make it moist.
- Amphibians have no paired fins. However, unpaired fins might be present.
- Amphibians have two pairs of limbs for locomotion.
- Amphibians respire through the lungs and skin.
- Amphibians have a three-chambered heart.
- The sexes of amphibians are separate, and fertilisation is usually external in most animals.
Where Do Amphibians Live?
Amphibians can live in different types of habitats, including streams, forests, bogs, meadows, swamps, ponds, rainforests, and lakes. Most amphibians prefer living in or near water and in damp areas.
What Do Amphibians Eat?
Adult amphibians are predators and carnivores. They can eat different foods, like worms, spiders, beetles, etc. The larvae of most amphibians eat plants.
Different Types Of Amphibians
Let’s take a look at the examples of amphibians, along with a short description of each of them –
1. Leopard Frog
These frogs can be found in North, Central and South America. These frogs have large spots in shades of green and brown, with two stripes running parallel from their eyes down their back.
Fun fact: They eat anything they can fit into their mouths.
2. Cane Toad
Found in South and Central America, Cane Toad invasive populations have increased in Australia, the Caribbean and parts of Oceania. These toads are extremely toxic and are responsible for poisoning many household pets that have tried to eat them.
Fun fact: The frog’s poison was once used to coat arrow tips.
3. Wood Frog
These frogs are very well adapted to inhabiting cooler temperatures and have a very high freeze tolerance. They can and can withstand freezing their blood and body tissues during winter.
Fun fact: Male wood frogs have brighter coloured skin, although they are smaller than females.
4. Rough-Skinned Newt
The animal is very closely related to salamanders. However, Rough Skinned Newt leads more aquatic lifestyles than most salamanders. The animal is named after its rough, wrinkled-looking skin.
Fun fact: Rough Skinned Newts have a bright red belly that makes the amphibian easy to tell apart from other species of newts.
5. Red-Eyed Tree Frog
Frogs with bright red eyes, Red-Eyed Tree Frogs stand out against their bright green body. Three frogs are arboreal, or tree-dwelling frogs that live in the rainforests.
Fun fact: These frogs are not poisonous.
6. Eastern Newt
Commonly found in eastern states of America and eastern Canada, Eastern Newt lives in moist environments near small ponds or vernal pools in coniferous or deciduous forests.
Fun fact: Eastern Newts help to control the insect population by eating small insects.
7. Cuban Tree Frog
Cuban Tree Frogs are nocturnal hunters and are not at all picky. They eat everything they can fit in their mouths- even smaller frogs.
Fun fact: Cuban tree frogs swallow the food with the help of their eyeballs.
8. Spring Pepper
These small frogs are known for their loud, continuous chirping sounds during the springtime. Spring Pepper frogs are found in forests and woodlands where ponds, marshes or swamps are present.
Fun fact: Spring peppers can puff up their throat.
9. Ringed Salamander
An animal with well-defined, white rings that run down their backs, Ringed Salamanders are very secretive animals who much of their time underground in burrows.
Fun fact: The amphibian can reach up to just over 9 inches in total length.
10. Chinese Giant Salamanders
These salamanders are incredible and can grow as long as 6 feet and weigh around 130 pounds. Chinese Giant Salamanders are entirely aquatic and can be found in rocky streams and lakes.
Fun fact: The animal has very poor eyesight. To detect their prey, Chinese Giant Salamanders sense the vibrations in the water.
Interesting Facts About Amphibians
Now that your little one knows the name of some amphibians, it’s time to teach them some facts about these animals. Let’s read!
- Most amphibians have thin and moist skin that helps them breathe.
- All amphibians have gills – some only as larvae and some for their entire lives.
- An amphibian’s skin absorbs air and water, making them very sensitive to air and water pollution.
- Amphibians are found everywhere in the world except for Antarctica.
- Amphibians never go far away from water as they need to keep their skin moist.
- Amphibians have colour vision and depth of focus for clear sight.
- Amphibians living in extremely cold weather hibernate in the winter season.
- Amphibians lay their eggs in water, usually in a foam nest.
FAQs
1. Are Turtles Amphibians?
Turtles are reptiles and not amphibians.
2. Which Is The Largest Amphibian In The World?
The Chinese giant salamander is the largest amphibian in the world.
3. Which Is The Smallest Amphibian?
Paedophryne amauensis.
Learning about the name of all amphibians shared in this article will help your child gain knowledge about amphibians. It will make their base strong and will be easy for them when they study amphibians later in higher classes.
Also Read:
Aquatic Animals for Children
Animal Names for Preschoolers and Kids
Animals Group Names in English for Children
