What are amphibians?

The word amphibian means double life-and amphibians are animals that are called by this name, because they need both land and water during their life cycle. They start life in the water, and wind up on land as adults. Amphibians are vertebrates, which mean that they have a backbone, and they are also cold blooded. Do you know what a cold blooded animal is? It is an animal that cannot regulate its own body heat. So, an amphibian depends on its surroundings for warmth, and its body temperature varies according to the surroundings.

Another interesting feature of amphibians is that they have no hair, feathers, or surface scales. They can breathe through their skin, though some amphibians have lings as well. Frogs and toads are some of the most common amphibians, which mean that all of us have seen an amphibian at some time or the other.