Differences between reptiles and amphibians

Question

Differences between reptiles and amphibians

A. Eggs: amphibians lay their eggs in water, whereas reptiles lay their eggs on land.

B. Skin: amphibians have delicate, thin, semi-permeable skin, and they must live close to water or in very humid habitats; reptiles have dry, scaly skin that enables them to live away from water.

C. Metamorphosis: amphibians go through a metamorphosis from a tadpole or larval stage with gills to an air-breathing adult stage. Reptiles do not go through metamorphosis. When the young are born or hatched, they look like miniature adults.

Use the outline above to write a five- or six-sentence intr

Answer 1

Reptiles and amphibians are both fascinating classes of ectothermic, vertebrate animals, yet they exhibit distinct differences in their life cycles, reproductive strategies, and physiological adaptations. One of the most striking differences lies in their reproductive habits, with amphibians typically laying their eggs in water, which then develop into aquatic larvae, while reptiles lay their eggs on land with a protective shell suited for a terrestrial environment. Amphibian skin is thin and semi-permeable, requiring a moist or aquatic habitat for survival, contrasting sharply with the dry, scaly skin of reptiles that allows them to thrive in drier climates. Furthermore, amphibians undergo significant metamorphosis as they mature from their larval stage into adulthood, a process not seen in reptiles, who emerge from their eggs as smaller versions of their adult forms. These adaptations underscore the evolutionary divergence between these two groups and play a key role in their respective ecological niches.