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The fish's hyomandibula bone in the hyoid region behind the gills diminished in size and became the stapes of the amphibian ear, an adaptation necessary for hearing on dry land. [23] An affinity between the amphibians and the teleost fish is the multi-folded structure of the teeth and the paired supra-occipital bones at the back of the head ...
Clawed frogs have powerful legs that help them move quickly both underwater and on land. Feral clawed frogs in South Wales have been found to travel up to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) between locations. [11] The feet of Xenopus species have three black claws on the last three digits. These claws are used to rip apart food and scratch predators.
The list below largely follows Darrel Frost's Amphibian Species of the World (ASW), Version 5.5 (31 January 2011). Another classification, which largely follows Frost, but deviates from it in part is the one of AmphibiaWeb , which is run by the California Academy of Sciences and several of universities.
Salamanders range in size from the minute salamanders, with a total length of 27 mm (1 + 1 ⁄ 8 in), including the tail, to the Chinese giant salamander which reaches 1.8 m (6 ft) and weighs up to 65 kg (145 lb).
Its lack of size is partly made up for by its strong body armor, provided by the bony bases to its dermal scales, which provides protection against predators. Juvenile dwarf caimans mainly feed on invertebrates , but also small fish and frogs , while adults eat larger fish , amphibians , and invertebrates, such as large molluscs .
The safest way to pick up a common snapping turtle is by grasping the carapace behind the back legs, being careful to not grasp the tail. There is a large gap behind the back legs that allows for easy grasping of the carapace and keeps hands safe from both the beak and claws of the turtle.
Caecilians in the Eastern Himalayas are colloquially known as "back ache snakes", [64] while in the Western Ghats, Ichthyophis tricolor is considered to be more toxic than a king cobra. [ 65 ] [ 66 ] Despite deep cultural respect for the cobra and other dangerous animals, the caecilian is killed on sight by salt and kerosene. [ 65 ]
Temnospondyli (from Greek τέμνειν, temnein 'to cut' and σπόνδυλος, spondylos 'vertebra') or temnospondyls is a diverse ancient order of small to giant tetrapods—often considered primitive amphibians—that flourished worldwide during the Carboniferous, Permian and Triassic periods, with fossils being found on every continent.