Jasmine Grover Content Strategy Manager
Content Strategy Manager
Reptiles and amphibians both are ectothermic (cold-blooded) omnivores belonging to the same phylum and subphylum. It was discovered a million years ago that due to evolutionary processes and environmental changes, reptiles evolved from amphibians. Hence, they exist under the same category i.e. Reptilia, and share many physiological and anatomical features. In spite of these similarities, there are distinct differences between the two. In this article, we will have a look at the distinctions between amphibians and reptiles, and their characteristics.
| Table of Content |
Keyterms: Reptiles, amphibians, omnivores, subphylum, phylum, Reptilia, gills, lungs
Reptiles
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Reptiles are ectothermic animals that are usually found on dry land. They are oviparous or viviparous, which means that they produce eggs through their bodies instead of live babies. They breathe through their lungs, have four legs, and have scales that aid in moisture retention.
Reptile is derived from the Latin word "repere” which means "to crawl," and it is a distinguishing feature of reptiles. These are cold-blooded animals from the Class Reptilia and have four orders:
- Crocodilia
Crocodiles and alligators are two examples.
- Sphenodontia
Tuataras are an example.
- Squamata
Lizards and snakes are two examples.
- Testudines
Turtle and tortoise are two examples.
Reptiles
Characteristics of Reptiles
The primary characteristics of reptiles are as follows:
- Reptiles prefer to live in warm environments.
- The presence of nasal slits as well as Jacobson's organ (except in crocodile and turtle)
- They have scale-covered bodies.
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Amphibians
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Amphibians are cold-blooded ectothermic animals that can live on land as well as in water. They have both gills and lungs. They breathe through their gills in the water and through their lungs on land. It also consists of three orders:
- Anura
Frogs are an example
- Apoda
Caecilians are a good example
- Urodela
Salamander is a good example of the same.
Amphibians
Amphibians spend their larval development stage in water and their adult life on land. As a result, they have two lives. Their skin is porous, sticky, and slippery, and it requires moisture. These are oviparous (egg-laying) organisms.
Characteristics of Amphibians
The primary characteristics of amphibians are as follows:
- Amphibians cannot regulate their body temperature.
- Existence of a larval stage that begins after the eggs hatch
- They can exist on land and in water. As a result, amphibians can breathe through both their gills and their lungs.
Difference between Reptiles and Amphibians
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The below table consists of the differences between Amphibians and Reptiles.
| Parameters | Reptiles | Amphibians |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Reptiles are ectothermic animals that are usually found on dry land. | Amphibians are ectothermic creatures who can survive both on land and in water. |
| Habitat | Except for a few species like crocodiles, alligators, turtles, and others that dwell both on land and in water, all reptiles usually reside on the land. | They may exist in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. They usually spend their larval development phase in the water and their adult life on land. |
| Fertilization and reproduction | Internal fertilization takes place. They are oviparous as well as viviparous. They also lay their eggs on hard-surfaced land. | The fertilization procedure is carried out externally. They are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. They also lay eggs in water that is covered in a gel. |
| Respiration | They can only breathe through their lungs. | On land, they breathe through their lungs, whereas in water, they breathe through their gills. |
| Color spectrum | They can see and distinguish between different hues. They have a diverse color palette. | They have limitations on how they can see particular colors. As a result, they have restricted color spectrum bands. |
| Toxins | They have protective scales that defend them, and their nails and teeth emit toxins. | To protect themselves against predators, they produce toxins from their skin. |
| Type of skin | Their skin is scaly, rough, and dry. | Their skin is silky, sticky, porous, and supple. |
| Type of feet | Four limbs are found in reptiles. They can use these to assist them to run and swim. Snakes, on the other hand, do not have legs or limbs. As a result, they crawl. | Webbed feet are found on amphibians. They can use these to help them jump and swim. |
Similarities between Reptiles and Amphibians
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- They are both members of the same phylum, Chordata, and sub-phylum, Vertebrata.
- They are both ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals that regulate their body temperature based on external conditions.
- Camouflage is used by both of them to protect themselves from predators.
- They're both carnivores.
- The cloaca is an opening found in both of these animals. It is the common entry point for the genital, urinary, and intestinal outlets.
Similarities between Reptiles and Amphibians
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Things to Remember
- Reptiles are ectothermic animals that are usually found on dry land.
- Reptiles prefer to live in warm environments.
- Amphibians are cold-blooded ectothermic animals that can live on land as well as in water.
- They are both members of the same phylum, Chordata, and sub-phylum, Vertebrata.
- They are both ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals.
- Reptiles have scaly, rough, and dry skin while amphibians have silky, sticky, porous, and supple skin.
- Fun Fact: While reproduction is a natural process in all living things, it is heavily influenced by temperature in reptiles.
- Furthermore, the soil temperature determines whether the new hatchling is male or female.
Sample Questions
Ques. What are reptile eggs called? (1 mark)
Ans. Reptiles eggs are called Amniotic.
Ques. Which order has tail-less amphibians? (1 mark)
Ans. The tail-less amphibians are found the in order Anura.
Ques. What are the key differences between amphibians and reptiles? (3 marks)
Ans. The primary distinction between amphibians and reptiles is that amphibians can breathe through both their lungs and their gills and can reproduce externally, whereas reptiles can only breathe through their lungs and reproduce internally. Reptiles have scaly, rough, and dry skin while amphibians have silky, sticky, porous, and supple skin.
Ques. What are the similarities between reptiles and amphibians? (2 marks)
Ans. Despite their differences, amphibians and reptiles both regulate their body temperature. Furthermore, there is a cloaca, which serves as a common passage for a genital, intestinal, and urinary outlet.
Ques. What is the origin of the similarities between reptiles and amphibians? (2 marks)
Ans. Reptiles and amphibians share physiological and anatomical characteristics due to their shared phylum and subphylum. Nonetheless, prior to the establishment of the current taxonomy, reptiles and amphibians were classified as a single group.
Ques. What are the features of the class reptilia? (3 marks)
Ans. Reptiles and amphibians differ in a variety of ways, but they are members of the same class, Reptilia, and thus share many anatomical and physiological characteristics.
Reptiles and amphibians are classified as members of the same phylum and sub-phylum.
They are ectothermic and use camouflage to hide from predators. As a result, there was no separate zoological classification for the two in the past.
Ques. What makes amphibians unique? (2 marks)
Ans. Amphibians are organisms that have two lives. They can live both on land and as well as in water. They have porous skin that necessitates moisture. Amphibians also lay eggs in water, and their young beings have gills to help them survive in the water. They only venture onto land when they are fully mature.
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