How Are Amphibians Different From Reptiles?
Reptiles and amphibians are found on every continent except Antarctica, though people often confuse them for one another. Reptilian lizards and amphibian salamanders, for example, may appear to be quite similar, but they are in fact members of distinct orders in the animal kingdom. Reptiles and amphibians differ greatly in terms of physical attributes, habitat, reproductive behaviors and even defense mechanisms.
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Similarities
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Reptiles and amphibians do share a number of physical and behavioral traits that may account for their common misclassification. Being cold-blooded animals, reptiles and amphibians rely on the external climate to regulate internal body temperatures. As a result, reptiles and amphibians generally prefer warm regions, retreating to cooler areas during the day to escape the heat. They are also both vertebrates and breathe air, though amphibians breathe under water during the early stages of development.
Physical Attributes
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Amphibians and reptiles may look similar, but they are physically different. For one thing, reptiles have rough, dry scales all over their bodies, whereas amphibians have soft, moist skin covered in mucous glands. Amphibians are born with gills and later breathe through lungs and through their skin and mouths. Amphibians are adapted to life in and out of water and appear as such. Reptile lungs are generally stronger and better adapted for life on land. Reptiles tend to come in more shapes in sizes, ranging from tiny snakes to colossal dinosaurs.
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Physical Attributes
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Amphibians and reptiles may look similar, but they are physically different. For one, reptiles have rough, dry scales all over their bodies, whereas amphibians have soft, moist skin covered in mucous glands. Amphibians are born with gills and later breathe through lungs and through their skin and mouths. Amphibians are adapted to life in and out of water and appear as such. Reptile lungs are generally stronger and better adapted for life on land. Reptiles tend to come in more shapes in sizes, ranging from tiny snakes to colossal dinosaurs.
Habitat
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Amphibians live and breed exclusively near water, and while many reptiles such as crocodiles prefer water, some reptiles can spend their entire lives in the driest of deserts. Amphibians and reptiles often share the same climate, coexisting in fresh water ponds, swamps and lakes, though reptiles can be found almost anywhere.
Reproduction
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One of the key differences between amphibians and reptiles lies in their methods of reproduction. Amphibians lay their eggs in the water, often attached to weeds and other underwater plant life. Their eggs have a soft, permeable membrane. When the eggs hatch, amphibian babies emerge as tiny fish-like creatures that must remain underwater until they leave the larval stage and develop into adults. In frogs, these are called tadpoles. This complete metamorphosis does not occur in reptiles, whose offspring are more or less tiny versions of their parents. Reptile eggs are also fragile, but they have a harder shell and are kept on dry land until hatching.
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