Amphibians

Amphibians

Amphibians were the first vertebrates to make the move from life in water to life on land. Despite their early colonization of terrestrial habitats, most lineages of amphibians have never fully severed their ties with aquatic habitats. The first amphibians evolved from lobe-finned fishes approximately 370 million years ago during the Devonian Period.

Amphibians include newts and salamanders, frogs and toads, and caecilians. There are between 5000 and 6000 species of known amphibians alive today. Amphibian species are in decline around the world due to a variety of threats including of invasive species, habitat destruction, disease, climate change and toxins.