Amphibians
- Cold blooded.
- Lack scales or a shell and have porous skin.
- Normally live in damp areas.
- The word amphibian means “double life”—many of these species live part of their lives in an aquatic environment and part of their lives in a terrestrial environment.
Reptiles
- Cold blooded.
- Have scales and shed their skin.
- Most are amniotes, or animals that lay eggs. Some do bear live young, though.
- All species breathe using lungs and not gills.
- Unlike amphibians, which have porous skin, reptile skin retains moisture.
Other
- Includes other classes of animals, including fish, birds, and mammals.
- While amphibians and reptiles do live on all continents other than Antarctica, they cannot survive cold biomes such as the tundra shown here.
Classify Me! – An Introduction to Herpetology