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The largest living amphibian is the 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) [40] but this is a great deal smaller than the largest amphibian that ever existed—the extinct 9 m (30 ft) Prionosuchus, a crocodile-like temnospondyl dating to 270 million years ago from the middle Permian of Brazil. [41]
As of December 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists 673 critically endangered amphibian species, including 146 which are tagged as possibly extinct. [1] [2] 9.2% of all evaluated amphibian species are listed as critically endangered. No subpopulations of amphibians have been evaluated by the IUCN.
Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniotic, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all tetrapods excluding the amniotes (tetrapods with an amniotic membrane , such as modern reptiles , birds and mammals ).
The temnospondyl Eryops had sturdy limbs to support its body on land Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) with limbs and feet specialised for climbing Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), a primitive salamander The bright colours of the common reed frog (Hyperolius viridiflavus) are typical of a toxic species Wallace's flying frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus) can parachute to ...
Amphibian Species of the World 6.2: An Online Reference (ASW) is a herpetology database. It lists the names of frogs, salamanders and other amphibians , which scientists first described each species and what year, and the animal's known range.
Some amphibians such as newts and salamanders, and some frogs such as fire-bellied toads and wood frogs. Some reptiles such as crocodilians , turtles , water snakes and marine iguanas . Waterbirds , especially penguins , waterfowls , storks and shorebirds .
Elsewhere, habitat loss is a significant cause of frog population decline, as are pollutants, climate change, increased UVB radiation, and the introduction of non-native predators and competitors. [204] A Canadian study conducted in 2006 suggested heavy traffic in their environment was a larger threat to frog populations than was habitat loss ...
Many of the causes of amphibian declines are well understood, and appear to affect other groups of organisms as well as amphibians. These causes include habitat modification and fragmentation, introduced predators or competitors, introduced species, pollution, pesticide use, or over-harvesting.