Glossary of Terms Used on Mr. Amphibian

Amphibian (am·fi·bee·uhn) – A group of vertebrates including frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians.Rank: Class

Anura (uh·nyur·uh) – A group containing all frogs and toads. Rank: Order

Bufonidae – A group of frogs containing all “True Toads”. Often called “bufo” for short. Rank: Family

Caudata – A group of amphibians containing salamanders.

Caecilian (suh·si·lee·uhn) – A group of limbless amphibians. Order: Gymnophiona

Eft – A newt in its juvenile stage.

Gymnophiona – A taxonomic rank in the animal classification system, containing limbless amphibians. Rank: Order

Invertebrate (uhn·vur·tuh·bruht) – An animal lacking a backbone. Examples: worms, jellyfish, squid.

Larva (laar·vuh) – A juvenile form of many animals before metamorphosis. Example: Tadpoles are in larval form.

Metamorphosis (meh·tuh·mor·fuh·suhs) – The process of transformation from a juvenile form into an adult form. Example: Metamorphosis is the process that takes place when a tadpole transforms into a frog.

Newt (noot) – Salamanders in the subfamily of Pleurodelinae. They’re semi-aquatic, having the ability to survive on land and water.

Pollywog (paa·lee·waag) – Another name for a tadpole.

Tadpole (tad·powl) – The larval form of a frog.

Urodela – A group of amphibians containing salamanders. Rank: Order

Vertebrate (vur·tuh·bruht) – An animal with a backbone. Examples: Dogs, cats, fish.