Amfibia ( din greac- dou viei) este o clas de animale ovipare i poichiloterme, de dimensiuni diferite.

clasa amfibieni se mparte n 2 ordine: Caudata - amfibieni cu coad i ordinul Ecaudata - amfibieni fr coad. Primul ordin cuprinde specii ca tritonul obinuit, salamandra cu pete etc. Iar din al doilea fac parte broatele rioase, broa tele adevrate.

Hrnirea Broatele se hrnesc cu przi i mictoare, de obicei insecte. Mrimea przii depinde de mrimea broatei i a gurii sale. Cnd broasca i nghite prada, ochii si mari clipesc i coboar spre cavitatea bucala, ajungnd la mpingerea hranei pe gt n jos. Reproducere i dezvoltare Reproducerea amfibiilor este sexuat i se petrece n mediul acvatic. Fecundaia este extern. Din ou ies larve branhiate denumite popular mormoloci. Acetia au coad i au respiraie branhial.

They inhabit a wide variety of habitats with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal or freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Amphibians typically start out as larva living in water, but some species have developed behavioural adaptations to bypass this.

Order Anura (frogs and toads): Jurassic to present5,602 current species in 48 families Order Caudata or Urodela (salamanders, newts): Jurassic to present 571 current species in 10 families Order Gymnophiona or Apoda (caecilians): Jurassic to present190 current species in 10 families

Amphibians have soft bodies and thin skins, lack claws, defensive armour or spines and seem relatively helpless. Nevertheless they have evolved various defence mechanisms to keep themselves alive. The first line of defence in salamanders and frogs is the mucous secretion that they produce. This keeps their skin moist and makes them slippery and difficult to grip. The secretion is often sticky and distasteful or toxic.[119] Snakes have been observed yawning and gaping when trying to swallow African clawed frogs

(Xenopus laevis), which gives the frogs an opportunity to escape.[119][120] Caecilians have been little studied in this respect but the Cayenne caecilian (Typhlonectes compressicauda) produces toxic mucus that has killed predatory fish in a feeding experiment in Brazil.[121] In some salamanders, the skin is poisonous. The rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa) from North America and other members of its genus contain the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX), the most toxic non-protein substance known and almost identical to that produced by pufferfish. Handling the newts does not cause harm but ingestion of even the most minute amounts of the skin is deadly. Poisonous species often use bright colouring to warn potential predators of their toxicity. These warning colours tend to be red or yellow combined with black, with the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) being an example. Many amphibians are nocturnal and hide during the day, thereby avoiding diurnal predators that hunt by sight. Other amphibians use camouflage to avoid being detected.

Caractere generale:

Pielea este foarte subtire, umeda, cu multe vase de sange si are rol in respiratie; Plamanii cu doua bronhii si trahee au forma de sac, cu pereti subtiri si nu pot asigura oxigenul necesar.De aceea, respiratia prin plamani se completeaza cu respiratia cutanata(prin piele); Sistemul muscular este mai dezvoltat decat la pesti. Scheletul este mai bine diferentiat; Sistemul nervos este format dintr-o parte centrala si una periferica; Ochiul este protejat de pleoape (adaptare la viata terestra); Urechea se complica din punct de vedere structural.Este delimitat spre exterior de membrana timpanica; La unii amfibieni limba este mare, cleioasa si prinsa de partea anterioara a maxilarului.Partea libera a limbii este intreptata spre fundul gurii, fapt ce usureaza prinderea insectelor; Glandele anexe sunt ficatul si pancreasul, iar tubul digestive se deschide intr-o cloaca(camera comuna pentru sistemele digestive, excretor si reproducator); Sistemul circulator este format din inima(doua atrii si un ventricul) si din vase de sange:artere, vene si capilare.Sangele trece de doua ori prin inima, deci circulatia este dubla; Temperatura corpului este variabila, in functie de temperatura mediului inconjurator.De aceea in timpul iernii amfibienii hiberneaza; Sistemul excretor este reprezentat de doi rinichi, doua uretre si vezica urinara; Sexele sunt separate.Fecundatia este externa si se realizeaza in apa.Larvele se dezvolta in mai multe etape;mormolocul(larva) are aspectul unui pestisor.Branhiile sunt la inceput externe, devin interne si apoi dispar.Deci, dezvoltarea amfibienilor se face prin metamorfoza.