Amphibians

Amphibians, a class of cold-blooded vertebrates such as frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts, are distinguished by their metamorphic life cycle transitioning from a water-bound larval stage with gills to an adult stage with lungs and limbs for terrestrial life. Their permeable skin facilitates respiration yet renders them acutely susceptible to environmental stressors like pollution and temperature shifts. This class, including the orders Anura (frogs and toads), Caudata (salamanders and newts), and Gymnophiona (legless caecilians), inhabits diverse ecosystems globally, excluding Antarctica. As crucial ecological components, amphibians are both predators and prey, and their population declines are alarming indicators of environmental health, highlighting urgent conservation challenges.

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