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Amphibians have for centuries appeared in culture. From the fire-dwelling salamander to the frogs (and occasionally toads ) of myth and fairytale and the rare use of a newt in literature, amphibians play the role of strange and sometimes repulsive creatures.
The smallest amphibian (and vertebrate) in the world is a frog from New Guinea (Paedophryne amauensis) with a length of just 7.7 mm (0.30 in). The largest living amphibian is the 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) South China giant salamander ( Andrias sligoi ), but this is dwarfed by prehistoric temnospondyls such as Mastodonsaurus which could reach up to 6 m ...
Blue poison dart frog. Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν herpetón, meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians (Gymnophiona)) and reptiles (including snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, and tuataras).
The Greeks and Romans associated frogs with fertility and harmony, and with licentiousness in association with Aphrodite. [4] The combat between the Frogs and the Mice (Batrachomyomachia) was a mock epic, commonly attributed to Homer, though in fact a parody of his Iliad. [8] [9] [10] The Frogs Who Desired a King is a fable, attributed to Aesop.
The decline in amphibian and reptile populations has led to an awareness of the effects of pesticides on reptiles and amphibians. [177] In the past, the argument that amphibians or reptiles were more susceptible to any chemical contamination than any land aquatic vertebrate was not supported by research until recently. [177]
The snake-loving family hopes their devotion to reptiles and openness to sharing snakes with the world inspire others to rethink their views of the slithering animals.
While reptiles and amphibians can be quite similar externally, the French zoologist Pierre André Latreille recognized the large physiological differences at the beginning of the 19th century and split the herptiles into two classes, giving the four familiar classes of tetrapods: amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Here's why a Cardinal might fly into your life (and if that's a good thing).