Amphibians are a fascinating species that spend one part of their lives in water and the other part on dry land. The many interesting facts about the three types of amphibians -- frogs, salamanders and Caecilians -- are largely unknown to the general public. Take a look at some interesting animal facts about amphibians. You may learn some surprising things about these slippery creatures.
Long Live Amphibians
Amphibians have been around for about 350 million years. They were the first vertebrates to live on land. The earliest known frog appeared on earth about 190 million years ago during the end of the Jurassic period.
The Amphibian Family
Today, there are about 5,400 species of amphibians. There are about 2,000 species of toads and frogs.
Something to Chew On
Frogs have teeth, but toads do not. Most frogs have teeth on the upper jaw, yet they none on the lower jaw.
Frogs' skin is slimy because they have protective skin secretions that ooze out of their bodies. Whereas frogs have smooth skin, toads' skin is rough and bumpy, due to special structures that secrete poisonous fluids from their skin.
Armed with Frogs
In South America, Indians use the skin secretions of poisonous frogs on the tips of their arrows to kill animals.
The Long Amphibians
Caecilians are found in the tropics. They do not have any legs and resemble large earthworms. Some can reach a generous length of about four ft long.
There are a few endangered amphibians, including the golden toad of Costa Rica and the gastric brood frog of Australia.
Frogs can breathe through their lungs and skin. This process is called cutaneous gas exchange. A frog's skin is thin and contains many mucous glands that allow them to breathe through both outlets. Water also is absorbed through this thin skin. Therefore, frogs never need to drink water.
There is one species of frog, the reed frog, which has the extraordinary capability of changing its sex.
Frogs can lay as many as 4,000 eggs at one time.
A frog has the ability to change the color of its skin to camouflage in its surroundings.
The Mascarene frog holds the record for leaping 17.5 ft in a single jump.