Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

225

Cane toad

the cane, or marine, toad shown

here, originated in Central

and South america.

during the 1930s,

it was brought to

australia to eat

the beetles that

were pests in

sugar cane

plantations.

today, the cane

toad itself

is regarded

as a pest.

Salamander

after the tadpole stage, the fire

salamander crawls up on to land and

lives among leaves in moist woodland

areas. the females return to the water to

give birth to 10 to 15 live young. the fire

salamander is so named because it hides in logs,

and is sometimes seen emerging from a log fire.

amPHIBIanS are a GroUP of creatures that are

able to live both on land and in the water. the group

includes frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and

caecilians. amphibians have existed for millions

of years and are found everywhere but antarctica

and Greenland. Frogs are the most widespread

amphibians, surviving in deserts, rain forests, and

mountainous regions. the limbless caecilian is found

only in tropical areas. Caecilians burrow in the earth

and swim by wriggling like eels. Frogs, in contrast, can

swim, hop, and climb trees using their long back legs. most

amphibians breed in water, where they lay eggs that develop

into larvae (tadpoles). during the larval stage, amphibians

breathe through gills; as adults they develop lungs for

breathing on land. Several kinds of frogs and salamanders

are brightly colored, and some have glands in the skin

that produce toxins (poisons) to ward off predators.

Tomato frog

Asian leaf frog

Front

legs act

as shock

absorbers

when the

frog

lands.

amPHIBIanS

Some amphibians lay spawn (eggs) in water; others lay

eggs out of water, on leaves, or in holes underground.

the frogspawn you see in a pond hatches into limbless

tadpoles. as the tadpoles grow in the water, they develop

limbs. they gradually change into frogs and climb on to

the land. this process is called metamorphosis.

Limbs form, and internal

lungs develop.Tadpole

begins to gulp air from

the surface of the water.

Cane toad grows up

to 9 in (23 cm) in

body length.

Mandarin newt

newt

Salamanders and their relatives, the newts,

resemble lizards in shape. In the breeding season

newts often become brighter in color, and may

be red, yellow, or orange, such as the mandarin

newt shown here. these colors warn

predators that the glands in the skin

produce horrible-tasting

or poisonous fluids.

Find out more

animals

Camouflage, animal

Conservation

and endangered species

Frogs rely on their

eyes to watch for

prey. They also use

their eyes to judge

distances when

they are leaping.

About 16 weeks after

hatching, the young frog

leaves the water.

Tail becomes smaller

and eventually

disappears.

amphibians Frogs and other

After hatching

from its egg, the

tadpole starts to

swim, breathing

through

gills.

red-eyed tree FroG

tree frogs often have longer,

leaner bodies than frogs that live

mainly in water. a frog’s long back legs can kick

powerfully for swimming and leaping away from

predators. the red-eyed tree frog, shown above, has sticky

disks on its toes that give a good grip on leaves and bark.

today, red-eyed tree frogs are in danger of extinction.

Fire salamander

Frog’s toes

are sticky.

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