Dusk falls over the park pond. A loud croak comes from the reeds. Then another.
"They are everywhere!" says Rocket. "But I cannot see a single one."
Raven cups her ear. "That is a sign you hear," she says. "Frogs, and lots of them."
Nova dims to a faint glow. "Amphibians start life in that water," she says.
"The ones calling now were tadpoles once. Listen for the different voices."
Amphibians have smooth, moist skin with no scales, fur or feathers.
Frogs, toads and salamanders are amphibians.
Most amphibians lay soft eggs in water. The eggs have no hard shell.
The young hatch in water. A young frog is called a tadpole.
A tadpole breathes with gills, like a fish. It has a tail and no legs.
As it grows, it sprouts legs. Lungs grow inside. The tail shrinks away.
The adult can live on land and breathe air. Many adults also breathe through their skin.
The word amphibian means two lives: one in water, one on land.
| Structure | How it helps |
|---|---|
| moist skin | takes in air and water |
| gills (tadpole) | breathe under water |
| lungs (adult) | breathe air on land |
| webbed feet | push through water when swimming |
| long back legs (frogs) | leap far and fast |
| loud call | find a mate in the dark |
Calls are the biggest amphibian sign. Each kind of frog has its own call.
Look for clumps of soft eggs in still water in spring. Look, never touch.
Tiny tadpoles wiggle in shallow water. Small frogs leap near the water's edge.
Damp spots under logs and leaves are good amphibian hiding places. Let a grown-up look.
These are the amphibians people record most in your region.
Many are heard far more often than they are seen.
| # | Name | Science name | Seen most |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Toad | Anaxyrus americanus | Apr to Sep |
| 2 | American Bullfrog | Lithobates catesbeianus | Apr to Sep |
| 3 | Green Frog | Lithobates clamitans | Apr to Sep |
| 4 | Eastern Newt | Notophthalmus viridescens | Apr to Jun, Sep |
| 5 | Eastern Red-backed Salamander | Plethodon cinereus | Mar to May, Oct |
| 6 | Pacific Treefrog | Pseudacris regilla | Feb to Sep |
| 7 | Green Treefrog | Dryophytes cinereus | Apr to Oct |
| 8 | Wood Frog | Lithobates sylvaticus | Mar to Apr |
| 9 | Spring Peeper | Pseudacris crucifer | Mar to Apr |
| 10 | Coastal Plain Toad | Incilius nebulifer | Apr to Sep |
Whole United States. Names and months come from records people shared on GBIF.org. Your yard may have different neighbors.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Amphibians have scales. | ? |
| A tadpole breathes with gills. | ? |
| Most amphibians lay eggs in water. | ? |
| The word amphibian means two lives. | ? |
Great listening! Tomorrow we put every clue together and plan a sign survey.