- A summer version of hibernation. Especially prevalent in very hot dry regions.
amphibian
- A vertebrate that usually has two stages in its life. Spends part of its life in water and part on land. Usually has moist skin.
aquatic
- Living or growing in or on the water.
B
bufotoxin
- Family of toxic substances found in the parotoid glands, skin and venom of many toads.
C
caecilians
- Caecilians (pronounced seh-SILL-yens) are tropical amphibians that look like large worms or slick snakes. They have no arms or legs, and sometimes it's hard to tell which end is the head and which is the tail!
camouflage
- An animal's ability to use its color or shape to hide within its environment.
carnivores
- An animal that eats other animals. Also called a meat-eater or consumer - gets its energy by eating other living things as food.
complex
- Complicated.
D
distinctive
- A feature that helps to distinguish a person or thing; unique.
E
ectotherm
- A cold-blooded animal; that is, an animal whose body temperature varies with the temperature of its surroundings. Ectotherms cannot produce their own body heat.
extinct
- No longer in existence; lost or having died out.
extinction
- The loss of an entire species.
F
fossil
- What is left of a plant or animal that lived long ago, usually molded or embedded in rock.
frogs
- The frog is an amphibian in the order Anura. Characterized by long hind legs, short body, webbed digits, protruding eyes and the absence of a tail.
G
glucose
- A simple sugar that is a major energy source for all cellular and bodily functions.
H
habitat
- The environment to which an organism is adapted.
herbivores
- An animal that eats plants.
hibernate
- To be dormant or inactive. Normal body activities slow down.
I
invertebrates
- An animal without a backbone.
J
Jurassic Period
- The second of the Mesozoic Ages. From 206 to 144 million years ago.
L
larva
- The immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect that undergoes complete metamorphosis. Larvae is two or more larva.
larval
- Relating to or typical of a larva.
N
newts
- Small, usually bright-colored, semiaquatic salamanders.
P
Poison dart frog
- the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to tropical Central and South America. These species are active during the daytime and often have brightly colored bodies.
population
- A group of organisms of same species living together in an ecosystem.
protein
- One of the three nutrients that provides calories to the body. Protein is an essential nutrient that helps build many parts of the body, including muscle, bone, skin, and blood.
R
reptiles
- A cold-blooded animal that breathes air and has scales or hard plates. It lays eggs with tough but soft shells. Snakes and turtles are reptiles.
S
salamanders
- Common name for a group of approximately 500 species of amphibians typically characterized by slender bodies, short legs, and long tails.
T
toads
- Toads are frogs. The family Bufonidae, one of the frog families, has over three hundred toad species. Members of this family have drier skins and many have short hind legs for walking instead of doing much hopping.
V
vegetation
- generic term for the plant life found in an area.
vertebrates
- An animal that has a backbone. Humans, dogs, birds, and frogs are vertebrates.
