Amphibian and Reptile Facts

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Spotted salamander on tree bark
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Amphibian and Reptile Facts
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Amphibians
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  • Amphibians include salamanders, newts, toads, and frogs and spend at least part of their life cycle in water.
  • They are cold-blooded (or ectothermal), which means that they do not produce their own body heat the way birds or mammals do.
  • They seek out cooler or warmer locations to regulate their temperatures.
  • Missouri has 44 species of amphibians, with an additional four subspecies or geographic races.
  • No amphibians in Missouri are venomous — they are harmless to people.
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Reptiles
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  • Reptiles evolved from salamander-like creatures about 315 million years ago.
  • Unlike amphibians, reptiles do not have to live part of their life in water.
  • Early reptiles were the first vertebrates to produce shelled eggs that protected their eggs from drying as they developed. This helps reptiles live in dry habitats where amphibians can not survive.
  • Missouri has 74 species of reptiles: 18 different turtles, 11 native lizards, 2 nonnative lizards, and 43 different species and subspecies of snakes.
  • Only five Missouri snake species are venomous to people. Most are shy and normally avoid people.