Amphibians are aquatic ectothermic creatures that live in water. They feed on a variety of food items such as aquatic insects and small fish.
Metamorphosing from aquatic larvae to terrestrial adults: they undergo a unique transformation in body shape, diet and lifestyle.
Oacian
Oacian are the largest of all amphibians and form a distinct subclass within Amphibia. They share close genetic relations to toads, newts and salamanders (orders Anura, Caudata and Gymnophona), making them closely related species.
These three groups of animals share a characteristic: moist skin that serves as their main respiratory organ. Furthermore, this skin produces diverse secretions, many of which are poisonous to other organisms.
Oacian typically live a semiaquatic lifestyle, with adult hopping on land and larvae (tadpoles) developing in water. After hatching, these tadpoles cling to their parent’s body as they develop limbs and lungs before maturing into adults.
Male Oacian use vocalizations during breeding season to attract females. Once deposited in a wet spot such as puddles, ponds or lakes, the female often takes care of the eggs by placing them inside her belly or mouth or transporting them to another wet area on land before developing into tadpoles.
Toads
The amphibian order Anura contains over 400 species of Oacian and 300 varieties of toads, all closely related. Each shares many common traits with its close relatives.
True toads are mainly terrestrial and nocturnal creatures that require water in order to survive. True toads breed in water and migrate up to 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) annually during summer and winter to breeding ponds for breeding purposes (Philopatry).
Like many other amphibians, toads possess long, sticky tongues which they use for hunting insects. Furthermore, they possess an appetite and will eat anything that comes their way.
Oacian and toads often secrete toxins which can harm predators. Oacian’ skin has red, yellow wart-like spots which contain glands which release poisonous milky fluid when threatened.
Newts
Newts are a type of salamander that can be found in both freshwater and saltwater environments. These amphibians have evolved to survive in water or soil, having a long body and short legs for easy movement.
Newts possess a highly sensitive skin which allows them to absorb oxygen and other essential nutrients through it. This protective layer is essential for their survival.
They use their skin to protect themselves from other amphibians and predators. Some species possess glands that release toxins which are toxic to predators.
Some newts, like the Spanish ribbed newt and alligator newt, use their ribs to inject neurotoxins into predators that can either kill them or make them very ill.
Newts in the wild tend to live in wetlands near forests and grasslands. These nocturnal animals spend most of their time submerged.
Salamanders
Salamanders typically resemble a cross between a frog and lizard, with moist, smooth skin and long tails as adults. The term “newt” is generally applied to salamanders that spend most of their lives on land; on the other hand, “siren” is generally given to salamanders with lungs and gills developed only during their larval stage (Petranka 1998).
Salamanders are slow-moving meat eaters that rarely use their sharp teeth to capture food. Instead, they search for small creatures that move slowly and can’t be seen or heard, such as salamanders.
Most salamander species reproduce by laying eggs. Some species also give birth to live young through internal fertilization.
Some salamanders are secretive creatures, living in dark underground pools of water. Others, however, prefer land or forested wetlands. For instance, the Eastern Newt has an unusual three-part life cycle: it begins as an aquatic creature with visible gills, changes into a terrestrial bright orange form, then returns back to water when older.
