Amphibians are a class of vertebrate animals that live both on land and in water. They share many characteristics with reptiles, but have several unique traits that set them apart from other types of animals. The most distinguishing feature is their ability to breathe through their skin as well as lungs, allowing amphibians to inhabit both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Amphibians are among the oldest living creatures on Earth, having evolved over 365 million years ago during the early Devonian period when animal life was just beginning to emerge onto dry land.
The two main groups of amphibians are frogs & Toads (Anura), and salamanders & newts (Caudata). Frogs & Toads tend to be more adapted for life on land than other species while salamanders & newts prefer wetter habitats like streams or ponds. All amphibian species possess four legs, nocturnal vision, color-changing abilities due to specialized cells called chromatophores which allow them to camouflage themselves in various environments, and a moist slimy skin which helps keep moisture inside the body so they don’t dry out easily.
Most species need water for reproduction since eggs must remain moist until they hatch into larvae known as ‘tadpoles’ or ‘polliwogs’ – depending on the species – who later metamorphose into adult forms by growing limbs if necessary before becoming fully grown adults capable of reproducing themselves.
Due largely in part to climate change caused by human activity such as pollution, habitat destruction and introduction of invasive species; Amphibian populations worldwide are declining rapidly resulting in numerous extinctions every year leaving little hope for future generations unless drastic action is taken soon by governments around the world.. Despite this dire situation there has been some progress made towards protecting these fragile creatures thanks largely due conservation programs like those run by zoos across the globe where captive breeding can help slow down population decline until suitable habitats can be restored or created elsewhere .
In conclusion we find that despite facing many challenges due its highly sensitive environment requirements ,the incredible diversity within this ancient group makes it one worth preserving at all costs so future generations may enjoy its wonders!