Amphibians and reptiles: differences and similarities

Amphibians and reptiles have a distant kinship that makes them, in certain respects, similar. Both types are cold-blooded, mostly vertebrates, and almost all have a three-chambered heart that makes them unique animals.Despite having these small aspects in common, the truth is that each family is separated by many differences to achieve Amphibians Amphibians can live indifferently on land or in water, something reptiles cannot do. Although reptiles such as the crocodile, alligators or snakes can spend many hours under water, the truth is that they do not live under it. For this reason, the very name that amphibians receive comes from the Greek word “amphibios” which means “that lives in two elements ». Normally, amphibians are born in water, and it is with their maturation that they develop legs and lungs. There are approximately 5,500 species of amphibians around the world. In addition to having lungs, like reptiles, amphibians have gills since part of their life is spent in water. Some of the best known amphibians are frogs, toads, newts or salamanders. Reptiles Reptiles live their life in land. This is important because, as we have indicated with amphibians, there are reptiles that can survive in water, but do not live in this element. Therefore, reptiles are born on land, and from the first moment, the young are independent of their mothers. They tend to have dry, scaly skin and breathe through the lungs. Reptiles are more numerous in species than amphibians. It is estimated that there are about 6,500 different species that are distributed throughout the planet, except in Antarctica.They are able to adapt to different climates and many of them can be very dangerous for humans. Their name comes from the word ‘reptile’ which means ‘the one that crawls’ or ‘the one that slides’. Unlike amphibians, reptile babies do not usually have changes as they grow, only in size. Amphibians, however, are born as larvae to gradually transform, undergoing considerable changes in their physical development. They defend themselves using claws, tails and biting, since many of them have important teeth. In addition, many of the reptiles also have venom to neutralize their victims at mealtime.