Talk:Amphibian

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[edit] Request for update

hey all, wondering if anyone would be willing to update the Bornean Flat-headed Frog article in regards to the information found at http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/10/frog.indonesia.ap/index.html . The article in question says that only two of those frogs have been found, and neither disected, but the page on cnn says that recently some guys have cut open another 8 frogs that they captured in the wild recently. just hoping that someone would update this. thanks, patrick. 72.147.1.104 (talk) 02:37, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Vandalization

Just so you guys know, I vandalized this article: I hope you enjoy. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.102.102.59 (talk) 05:01, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Suggest 3 possible wiki links for Amphibia.

An automated Wikipedia link suggester has some possible wiki link suggestions for the Amphibia article:

  • Can link different times: ..., a dorsal nerve cord, a notochord, and a post-anal tail at different stages of their life. They have persisted since the dawn of tetrap... (link to section)
  • Can link walk on: ...[[Carboniferous]] period they also developed the ability to walk on land to avoid aquatic competition and predation while allow... (link to section)
  • Can link semi-arid: ...re bound to water. Several species have adapted to arid and semi-arid environments, but most of them need water to lay their eggs... (link to section)

Notes: The article text has not been changed in any way; Some of these suggestions may be wrong, some may be right.
Feedback: I like it, I hate it, Please don't link to — LinkBot 11:28, 1 Dec 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Coordinate?

I suggest we coordinate all Amphibian pages - under Anura (but planned from this page down). See Talk:Anura. Stanskis 02:47, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

Amphibians aren't only Anura, but also Caudata amongst others. I suggest Amphibians being the top of all Amphibia class not Anura order. --Julien 14:25, 18 July 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Basic question not answered

Shame on this article for not telling the reader whether or not amphibians can breathe water. Something like that is a basic question that children would like to know (or adults who would like to settle a bet).

Read the section on Reproduction; included is the development of amphibians. They start life breathing with gills - gills are for breathing water. The gills are eventually replaced with lungs - lungs are for breathing air. More in-depth information on the development of these systems can be found in more specific articles (such as Frogs), since they may vary from amphibian to amphibian. - Slow Graffiti 07:20, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How long are they tadpoles?

Someone please add this info: How large a portion of their life do amphibians typically spend in tadpole form? Also, do they start to metamorphose immediately after hatching, or does the metamorphosis only begin after spending some time as a tadpole? SpectrumDT 22:23, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

As above, this is something that varies from genus to genus, species to species. Refer to more specific articles for more specific information. In the line of taxonomic groupings, Class is a very large division, just under Kingdom and Phylum. Amphibia is a Class containing almost 6,000 different species. Move down the line for more specific information: Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
Asking for a typical growth rate for amphibians is similar to asking for a typical growth rate or gestation period for a mammal (Class: Mammalia). A zebra has a gestation period of 365 days; a hippopotamus has a gestation period of 225 days; a lion only 108 days. - Slow Graffiti 07:41, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Circulatory System

What are their circulatory system like ? Describe.

As above, you should refer to more specific articles (such as Frogs) as certain systems may vary from amphibian to amphibian. Some general characteristics of the amphibian circulatory system are described on the Frog article, yet many of the characteristics are shared by other tetrapods. Wikipedia is always a work in progress, and this is obviously an incomplete article. When you find the answer, why not add it yourself? That's how it works! - Slow Graffiti 07:22, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Improvement Drive

Frog has been nominated to be improved by WP:IDRIVE. Help us improve it and support Frog with your vote on WP:IDRIVE. --Fenice 07:53, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Improvement

If amphibians have mastered the arctic, maybe we can put the name of one or more who live in that environment. Baiter 05:36, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

Wood frogs live in the artic circle - they survive the coldest seasons by burying and freezing themselves. This is also mentioned on the Frogs article. Is it necessary to include here? - Slow Graffiti 07:14, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] When was this Class designated?

When was this Class designated? I ask because I remember watching an old television show from the 1950's where they called frogs reptiles. I'm forced to conclude that it was either a very silly mistake, or that Amphibian class was designated only relatively recently. Siyavash 14:24, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

Must have been a mistake, as Amphibia was named by Linnaeus in 1758.Dinoguy2 18:16, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

Yes, but Linnaeus did not distinguish reptiles from the animals which we today call amphibians. I have the impression that only after the deaths of Cuvier and Lamarck (around 1830) some unrecognized genius finally made the distiction between these two classes. Only from the second half of the 19th century, biologists generally made a clear distinction between these two classes.

Lignomontanus 16:28, 14 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Suggestion.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could add to this page whether or not Amphibians regulate their temperature or they are regulated by their environment, like reptiles. I was looking through the page and I did not see any information concerning the topic (it is a pretty important fact, after all). I may be overlooking something, but if it truly isn't there, I would appreciate if it was added (my guess is ectotherm, but I could be wrong). Thank you. ~Regulus.

They are ectothermic, I will add it now. --liquidGhoul 02:05, 25 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] What are caecilians

So are caecilians tetrapods (by some stretch of the term), or is the lead in this article wrong? --liquidGhoul 11:51, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

Yes-Tetrapoda is a group, and just because some sub-groups lost some or all of their four legs doesn't mean they are no longer tetrapods. Snakes, legless lizards, caecilians, etc. are still tetrapods.Dinoguy2 17:02, 30 May 2006 (UTC)
Oh, OK. Thanks alot --liquidGhoul 23:40, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Derivation of word "Amphibian"

'"from Greek αμφις "both" and βιος "life""'

The above clause had got lost in the middle of the opening paragraph. I've moved to to inside the first set of brackets - is this the clearest place?

AWO 00:08, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

That's perfectly fine. Thanks --liquidGhoul 00:31, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cladistic approach and modern tetrapoda

Shouldn't all tetrapoda be classified as amphibia as well? Gbnogkfs 5 January 2007 16:17 UTC

Not really. Traditionally Class Amphibia has included all basal tetrapods, yes. However cladistic definitions of amphibia usually limit that group to the stem clade containing modern amphibians. Benton (2004), which I've advocated using as a standard guide for Linnaean ranks here, basically follows this. Basalmost tetrapods are not within any class, stem amphibians are in Class Amphibia, and Lepospondyli + Reptiliomorpha are in an "Unnamed Class", paraphyletic with respect to Amniota. Dinoguy2 23:00, 6 January 2007 (UTC)
I'm remaining more and more surprised (I'm no biologist) by this monophyletic approach to classification that I've been discovering in the past months: very pragmatic approach. thanks for clarification :) Gbnogkfs 7 January 2007, 17:22 UTC

[edit] Expert attention required

Recent updates from anonymous users have changed numbers in the article. Please can an expert check the information is still correct? Thanks, Mallanox 00:33, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I have reverted, and also updated to current figures. --liquidGhoul 00:40, 3 February 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Amphibians Characteristics

This site needs more of the Amphibian's characteristics, to tell people that amphibians do things like lay their eggs in the water, are herbivores and that they have special openings for their ears.

Not all amphibians lay eggs in water, most are carnivores, and there is no opening for their ear. The tympanic membrane is on the outside, no hole whatsoever. --liquidGhoul 08:49, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

Very true... Some amphibians lay their eggs in moist soil, and if you think about it, you always see pictures of frogs eating flies, not fruit.  :-) Dancing Angel 95 (talk) 00:21, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] How many in a top 10?

I only see 9 species listed in the "Top 10" in the second paragraph of the Conservation section, and some are only vaguely identified. It would be helpful to have a more complete list. 70.57.152.81 (talk) 03:38, 2 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] The difference between amphibians and lizards

The reason I am looking on here is for the difference in amphibians vs. lizards. Can you help? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.176.139.60 (talk) 12:52, 19 March 2008 (UTC)

Lizards are reptiles, and therefore more closely related to things like snakes, turtles, crocs and tuataras. Lizards have scaled skin, whilst amphibians have a porous skin. Amphibians lay soft eggs, with no shell whereas lizards lay shelled eggs or have live birth. There are lots and lots of differences, as they are quite seperately related. --liquidGhoul (talk) 22:28, 19 March 2008 (UTC)

Amphibians are a class and lizards are whatevers after a class.... i can't remember... anyway they're not at the same level. Dancing Angel 95 (talk) 00:18, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] double life?

Ok, I may just be crazy, but doesn't amphibian mean "double life" and not "both life"? Thanks! Dancing Angel 95 (talk) 00:25, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] lead

Someone had tagged the lead as too long. I re-orged and created a short lead that summarizes the topic. I'm sure more details could go here, and I wouldn't be surprised if something's wrong, so please take a look. Remember: a lead should be able to stand alone as a concise summary of the page (WP:lead).