Amphibians

Amphibians are cold-blooded animals that usually split their time between using their lungs on land and breathing with gills underwater. Learn about the three groups of amphibians which include frogs and toads, newts and salamanders and caecilians.

More Animals Topics to Explore

What's the Difference Between a Hornet and a Wasp?

Tarantula Hawks Are Neither Tarantulas nor Hawks

Will Black Soldier Fly Maggots Save Humanity?

The Harpy Eagle: Terrifying Apex Predator or Creepy Halloween Costume?

If a Peacock Loses His Tail Feathers, Do They Grow Back?

Why Are We So Fascinated With Owls?

Do Fish Get Thirsty?

Alligator Gar: 100 Million Years Old and Still Kicking

Koi Fish: Shining Jewels of the Water Garden

Pangolins: The Gentle, Ant-eating Oddballs of Africa and Asia

Raccoons Are Super Smart Urban Survivors

Sea Otters Are the Party Animals of the Sea

Sea Urchins Are the Edible Pincushions of the Ocean

Geoducks: The World's Most NSFW Mollusk

Tracking Down the Elusive Giant Squid

Corn Snakes Are Perfect Pets For Reptile Enthusiasts

Coral Snakes: Brightly Banded and Highly Venomous

Water Moccasin, Cottonmouth: Different Names, Same Venomous Snake

Learn More

Meet the Toad That Can Mimic a Snake

When the Congolese giant toad feels threatened, it can ward off predators by transforming itself into what looks like a super-venomous Gaboon viper.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Oct 22, 2019 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Mexican Salamander Could Hold Key to Spinal Cord Regeneration in Humans

If salamanders can regrow or repair limbs, eyes and spinal cords, could humans do it too? After all, we share a lot of the same genes. That's what some researchers set out to find.

By Nathan Chandler Feb 8, 2019 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Frogs Can't Vomit, So They Eject Their Entire Stomachs

Vomiting is nature's clearly preferred method for cleaning out the contents of the stomach. But not all animals can do it.

By Loraine Fick Jan 15, 2019 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Weird Ways Reptiles and Amphibians Survive the Winter

From burrowing beneath the frost line to literally surviving with 40 percent of the its body frozen solid, these creatures have it rough during the cold months.

By Mark Mancini Dec 19, 2018 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Toxic Toad Threatens Madagascar's Biodiversity

Watch out if you want a bite of this bad boy. The Asian common toad has been spotted in Madagascar, and conservation ecologists are worried sick about it.

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 18, 2018 Wild Animals / Amphibians

New Species of Glass Frog Is So Transparent You Can See Its Heart

The transparent skin on the underside of H. yaku, a species of glass frog found in Ecuador's Amazon, exposes the amphibian's tiny organs.

By Shelley Danzy Jul 12, 2017 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Reversible Saliva Lets Frog Switch Between Sticking Prey and Swallowing

Scientists have learned how frogs capture flying insects or even birds just by using their tongues.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus Feb 9, 2017 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Some Salamanders Will Travel Incredible Distances to Mate

What motivates these amphibians to rove so far? Let's talk about sex, baby. And endurance.

By Jesslyn Shields Jan 3, 2017 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Frog Romance Just Got a Little More Interesting

Herpetologists long thought frogs and toads engaged in only six mating positions. But the suggestively named Bombay night frog has a new move all its own.

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 16, 2016 Wild Animals / Amphibians

Tiger Salamander

This guide will provide cool facts about the tiger salamander including information about its habitat, behaviors and conservation status.

Wild Animals / Amphibians

Cane Toad Facts, Pictures

Meet the cane toad! View pictures, watch video, read facts, explore interactives and more.

Wild Animals / Amphibians

How to Identify Amphibians

Would you like to learn about how to identify amphibians? Learn about how to identify amphibians in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors Wild Animals / Amphibians

Do toads cause warts?

Do toads cause warts? The wart-like bumps protruding from their backs may give some that impression, but nothing could be further from the truth.

By Josh Clark Wild Animals / Amphibians

How can salamanders regrow body parts?

If a salamander gets in a scrape, it can drop its tail, scurry off and return to business as usual. What if we could do that? Scientists are using the salamander as a blueprint for human genome research to reveal how to regenerate human limbs.

By Cristen Conger Wild Animals / Amphibians

Are there really hallucinogenic frogs?

What would happen if a fairytale princess licked a toad instead of kissing it in order to find her prince charming? Trippy hallucinations might await her instead of wedded bliss.

By Cristen Conger Wild Animals / Amphibians

Amphibian Pictures

Amphibians are a diverse and unique group of animals. In this collection of amphibian pictures, you'll find Amazon horned frogs is african tree frogs, caecilians, newts and more.

By Marie Bobel Wild Animals / Amphibians

How Frogs Work

Frogs have been around for about 200 million years. In that time, they've adapted to their changing surroundings to ensure their survival. How have they changed, and what's the difference between frogs and toads, anyway?

By Tracy V. Wilson Wild Animals / Amphibians