Amphibians
KNOWN SPECIES
8,566
0.36% of our world's living things are amphibians
CHARACTERISTICS
- animals with a backbone (vertebrates)
- they have small, rootless teeth on their jaws and the roofs of their mouths that are replaced throughout life
- they usually produce gelatinous egg masses, called spawn
SIZE RANGE
less than 0.40 inch to about 5 feet (1 centimeter to about 160 centimeters)
WHERE THEY LIVE
- in most freshwater environments and most land environments, usually close to water
- highest diversity in tropics
Here are just SOME of the world’s amphibians:
![Sticker about size](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibia_size_sticker/5943343-2-eng-US/amphibia_size_sticker_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibia_size_sticker/5943343-2-eng-US/amphibia_size_sticker_full_990.png 600w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibia_size_sticker/5943343-2-eng-US/amphibia_size_sticker_full_1468.png 600w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibia_size_sticker/5943343-2-eng-US/amphibia_size_sticker_full_1980.png 600w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibia_size_sticker/5943343-2-eng-US/amphibia_size_sticker_full_2475.png 600w)
White's treefrog
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Ranoidea caerulea
![Round blue toad](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_whites_treefrog/5942209-2-eng-US/amphibians_whites_treefrog_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_whites_treefrog/5942209-2-eng-US/amphibians_whites_treefrog_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_whites_treefrog/5942209-2-eng-US/amphibians_whites_treefrog_full_1468.png 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_whites_treefrog/5942209-2-eng-US/amphibians_whites_treefrog_full_1980.png 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_whites_treefrog/5942209-2-eng-US/amphibians_whites_treefrog_full_2475.png 1200w)
long-tailed salamander
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Eurycea longicauda
![Long, thin, orange animal](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander/5942201-2-eng-US/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander/5942201-2-eng-US/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander/5942201-2-eng-US/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander_full_1468.png 1421w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander/5942201-2-eng-US/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander_full_1980.png 1421w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander/5942201-2-eng-US/amphibians_long_tailed_salamander_full_2475.png 1421w)
American toad
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Anaxyrus americanus
![Small, brown, round toad](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_american_toad/5942185-1-eng-US/amphibians_american_toad_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_american_toad/5942185-1-eng-US/amphibians_american_toad_full_990.png 801w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_american_toad/5942185-1-eng-US/amphibians_american_toad_full_1468.png 801w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_american_toad/5942185-1-eng-US/amphibians_american_toad_full_1980.png 801w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_american_toad/5942185-1-eng-US/amphibians_american_toad_full_2475.png 801w)
red spotted newt
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Notophthalmus viridescens
![Brown newt with orange spots](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_red_spotted_newt/5942205-1-eng-US/amphibians_red_spotted_newt_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_red_spotted_newt/5942205-1-eng-US/amphibians_red_spotted_newt_full_990.png 961w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_red_spotted_newt/5942205-1-eng-US/amphibians_red_spotted_newt_full_1468.png 961w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_red_spotted_newt/5942205-1-eng-US/amphibians_red_spotted_newt_full_1980.png 961w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_red_spotted_newt/5942205-1-eng-US/amphibians_red_spotted_newt_full_2475.png 961w)
blue poison frog
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Dendrobates auratus
![Blue frog with black spots](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_blue_poison_frog/5942189-1-eng-US/amphibians_blue_poison_frog_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_blue_poison_frog/5942189-1-eng-US/amphibians_blue_poison_frog_full_990.png 801w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_blue_poison_frog/5942189-1-eng-US/amphibians_blue_poison_frog_full_1468.png 801w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_blue_poison_frog/5942189-1-eng-US/amphibians_blue_poison_frog_full_1980.png 801w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_blue_poison_frog/5942189-1-eng-US/amphibians_blue_poison_frog_full_2475.png 801w)
Goliath frog
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Conraua goliath
![Frog extending with tongue out](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_goliath_frog/5942193-2-eng-US/amphibians_goliath_frog_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_goliath_frog/5942193-2-eng-US/amphibians_goliath_frog_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_goliath_frog/5942193-2-eng-US/amphibians_goliath_frog_full_1468.png 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_goliath_frog/5942193-2-eng-US/amphibians_goliath_frog_full_1980.png 1541w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_goliath_frog/5942193-2-eng-US/amphibians_goliath_frog_full_2475.png 1541w)
hellbender
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
![long, slender creature with short arms](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_hellbender/5942197-1-eng-US/amphibians_hellbender_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_hellbender/5942197-1-eng-US/amphibians_hellbender_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_hellbender/5942197-1-eng-US/amphibians_hellbender_full_1468.png 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_hellbender/5942197-1-eng-US/amphibians_hellbender_full_1980.png 1541w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/amphibia/amphibians_hellbender/5942197-1-eng-US/amphibians_hellbender_full_2475.png 1541w)
Guess what?
Populations of frogs appear to be declining in many parts of the world due to habitat loss, global climate change, and the spread of disease.
Image Credits:
American toad, blue poison frog, long-tailed salamander, red spotted newt, White's treefrog, John White/© California Academy of Sciences; Goliath frog, M. Shanley/© AMNH; hellbender, © Drew Kanes/CC BY-NC.