Rain Forest Amphibians

At one time amphibians and reptiles ruled the world. More than 350 million years ago, the first amphibians came out of the water. There are more than 4,000 species of amphibians, most of these live in the rain forest. Male frogs and toads usually get to the pounds and lakes before the females, then they make mating calls. Each species of frogs and toads has its own call that is made by the male and recognized by the female. This call helps the female to find a mate. The calls are often very loud. Frogs, toads and salamanders have naked skin. Amphibians breathe with gills. When they're young they usually lay unprotected eggs in the water. The most common rain forest amphibians are frogs. The second group, called caecilians, live in the ground and are hardly ever seen. The third group, the salamanders, are not as common in the rain forest. Below are some of these animals.

	The flabby frogs are fat. the skin on their bellies helps the frogs climb up slippery trees. Flabby frogs hide during the day time, and come out only at night.
	Male golden toads are brilliant orange-gold all over. The golden toads lay their eggs under water or in a puddle. Soon the water will be squirming with the toads eggs.
	Green tree frogs grow up to 1 1/4 to 2 inches in length. Their habitat is near water. Green tree frogs are found in groups of hundreds.
	The back legs of the leaping frog are tremendously long and it can leap six feet.
	The nose of the point-nosed frog protects a little over its mouth. During the breeding period the male often has lavender stripes. It frequently lives near the wood frog and the only anatomical difference is in the for motion of the leg bones.
	Poison dart or poison arrow frog has a powerful poison that comes from this colorful, small frog. These deadly amphibians live in the rain forests of Central and South America and make one of the most toxic animal poison known.
	The red eyed tree frog lives in the lower lands of the Tropical Forests. The red eyed tree frog eats small invertebrates, and crickets. The frogs catch their food with their tongues. Female red eyed tree frogs lay their eggs on wet leaves over water. When the eggs turn into tadpoles, they fall into the water.Then they begin to turn into frogs. Red eyed tree frogs mate in dry seasons.
	The wood frog is about three inches long. It lives on insects, worms, and other small animals

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