Amphibians & Fish

Water is essential to all life on Earth, and especially so for fish and amphibians. While fish spend their entire lives in the water, amphibians spend the beginning of their lives in the water. Familiar amphibians include frogs, toads, and salamanders. Both fish and most young amphibians breathe through gills, have no legs, and swim by wriggling their tails. As young frogs and toads become adults, they grow legs, trade in their gills for lungs, and move onto land. Most, however, stay close to the water and have soft skin through which they can absorb water.