amphibian

Everyday

1. An animal with a backbone that is cold-blooded, has moist skin, usually lays eggs in water, and lives part of its life in water and part on land, like frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. tree →
2. A vehicle or plane that can travel on both land and water (amphibious vehicle). tree →

In the lessons

In science classification, amphibians are one of the five groups of vertebrates (with fish, reptiles, birds and mammals). Their life cycle is a famous example of metamorphosis: egg (frogspawn) → tadpole with gills → froglet → adult frog with lungs. Their skin must stay damp, and they are sensitive to pollution, so they show how healthy an environment is. Phrases: amphibian life cycle, amphibians and reptiles.

Examples

• A frog is an amphibian. tree →
• Amphibians start life in water and can later live on land. tree →
• Tadpoles breathe with gills, but adult frogs breathe with lungs. tree →
• Newts and salamanders are amphibians too. tree →
• Amphibians have smooth, moist skin, not scales. tree →
• We found frogspawn in the pond — amphibian eggs! tree →
• Some frog skins are poisonous, so don't lick or touch your mouth after holding one. tree →

Note

Common trap: amphibians are NOT reptiles. Reptiles (snakes, lizards, turtles) have dry, scaly skin and lay shelled eggs on land; amphibians have moist skin and lay jelly eggs in water. «Amphi-» means «both» — both water and land. Say «an amphibian».