How do amphibians differ from reptiles? Amphibians and reptiles - common characteristics of amphibians and reptiles

Reptiles and amphibians are two classes of vertebrates. Not everyone can figure out which of them this or that representative of the fauna belongs to. In order to correctly navigate the existing classification, you need to know how reptiles differ from amphibians.

general information

Reptiles and amphibians have second names. Reptiles are also called reptiles, and amphibians are called amphibians. The largest animals, dinosaurs, were reptiles. Reptiles once dominated everywhere on Earth. Then most of them died out. Most famous representatives modern reptiles - crocodiles, turtles, snakes and lizards.

Reptiles

Now let's say who is amphibian. This is a frog, a newt, a salamander. Amphibians are the most primitive vertebrates in their structure. These animals have this name because the important habitat for most of them is land, and the necessary environment for reproduction and development is water. Among amphibians, there are those that spend their lives mainly in water.

Amphibians

Comparison

Skin covering

For reptiles, the connection with water is not so important. They often settle in dry and hot areas. Scaly skin protects the animal's body from drying out. In turtles, the shell, which serves as shelter from faster pursuers, also consists of fused scales. Reptiles molt periodically. The skin is shed all at once or in parts. Thanks to this, the scales do not hinder the growth of the animal.

The body of amphibians is not covered with scales. Many people are reluctant to touch these creatures because of their wet and slippery skin. It's all about the glands that produce mucus, which literally permeate the skin of animals.

Organ structure

The difference between reptiles and amphibians is that the former have more advanced physiology. Their nervous system is complicated. Hearing, vision and other senses are quite developed. Reptiles are born with already formed lungs, while the larvae of amphibians have gills.

The structure of the spine in amphibians is simpler - it consists of four sections. The spine of reptiles is represented by five sections. In addition, tailless amphibians lack ribs.

Reproduction

Internal fertilization is a predominant feature of all reptiles. Some animals in this class, such as crocodiles, lay eggs. After some time, fully developed individuals hatch from them, differing from their parents only in size. Other species of reptiles are characterized by viviparity.

The method of reproduction of amphibians is by throwing eggs into water. The eggs glued together soon hatch into larvae, which develop into adults only after several months have passed.

Lifespan

What is the difference between reptiles and amphibians when comparing the duration of existence of both? It should be noted here that many reptiles, under favorable conditions, live for a very long time - more than a dozen years. There are also centenarians among them, whose existence can last more than a hundred or even two hundred years. Such record holders are turtles.

Amphibians were not lucky enough to have such long life. Even ten years is considered prohibitive for most of them. In captivity, the lifespan of certain species may increase. This applies, for example, to salamanders.

Among the animals that humans encounter, there are many that, despite their external similarity, differ from each other. These include amphibians and reptiles.

Where do amphibians live?

Amphibians belong to primitive vertebrates living on earth. They have the qualities of terrestrial and aquatic animals. Most breed and develop in fresh water. Growing up, they live on land. Such amphibians include salamanders, newts, frogs and caecilians. Science knows up to seven thousand amphibians. Of these, 90% are frogs. Most amphibians live in humid and warm environments. The name "amphibian" is of ancient Greek origin and refers to creatures capable of living in water and on land.

Amphibians originate from ancient lobe-finned fish. As a result of evolution, amphibians developed limbs with five fingers, lungs and a three-chambered heart. They have formed two circles of blood circulation and a middle ear. There are amphibians without tails and legs. In amphibians, the head is connected to the body, most with a tail and four five-fingered paws. Amphibians alternate being on land and in water. Species are known that live primarily in water or in trees. When it’s warm, they move in search of food and hunt.

They react to seasonal changes, during cold weather or drought they become numb and hibernate. At sub-zero temperatures they die. However, amphibians are known that can survive prolonged drying out or freezing. The abilities of some of them are extraordinary. For example, the sea toad can live in salt water. Some amphibians are capable of restoring lost body parts themselves. Amphibians are cold-blooded animals with a low metabolic rate. Body temperature is related to the state of the environment.

The body is provided blood and lymph. The respiratory organs are the lungs, and in some aquatic inhabitants - gills. Additional respiratory organs the oral mucosa and skin protrude. The brain is larger than that of most fish. nerve fibers permeate the body. Smooth, thin skin facilitates gas exchange. The skin glands secrete mucus, often poisonous. Complex excretory organs retain water in the body of amphibians. They have developed sense organs. Adult amphibians are predators that hunt primarily insects.

Could dinosaurs be their relatives? These animals were called reptiles because of the way the first reptiles moved. When they moved, their belly dragged along the ground.

Reptiles are primarily vertebrate animals and live on land. This applies to crocodiles, lizards, turtles and snakes. The distant ancestors of reptiles ruled the earth in time immemorial, but eventually died out for unknown reasons. Today scientists know over nine thousand species of reptiles.

Reptiles have both features of developed vertebrates and primitive amphibians. Metabolism level is not high. Inactivity is interrupted sporadically for short periods sudden movements and throws. The strong and dry skin cover is covered with keratinized elements on the outside. Thus, the fused scutes of turtles form a durable shell that protects these animals. And the horny scales of lizards resemble tiles, overlapping each other.

The outer cover of reptiles changes periodically during partial or complete molting. The skin of reptiles contains glands that secrete a characteristic odor. And some reptiles, for example, chameleons, contain substances that instantly change color. They have a developed skeleton and muscles, which are able to feed on energy without oxygen. This encourages reptiles to make short-distance throws. After this, as a result of the accumulation of lactic acid, the reptile's muscles become tired and require several hours of rest.

The developed brain of reptiles compares favorably with the brain of amphibians. Sense organs help to confidently navigate space and get food. Reptiles are sensitive to heat and detect the source. Hearing does not play a decisive role in the life of reptiles, but the sense of touch is developed. Reptiles breathe through their lungs; the skin does not participate in this. These cold-blooded animals have a three-chambered heart, with the exception of crocodiles, which have a four-chambered heart.

Body temperature is regulated by moving into the sun or shade. They can make the color darker to keep warm, and lighter to cool. The embryos of reptiles develop mainly in a shell-covered egg. Most of them are carnivores. Some have a mixed or herbivorous diet. The only reptiles known to be predators are snakes, crocodiles and some lizards. Reptiles are able to run, crawl, swim, and some even glide in the air.

How are they different?

Amphibians and reptiles are distinguished by the following characteristics.

1. Amphibians descended from animals that lived in water; the ancestors of reptiles were land dinosaurs.
2. Amphibians are born in aquatic environment with gills that turn into lungs. Reptiles are born with lungs.
3. Amphibians are able to breathe using their own skin. Reptiles do not have such qualities.
4. Amphibians live near water bodies and in damp places. Reptiles need mainly dry and hot places.
5. The skin of amphibians is thin and without scales with a large number of mucus-secreting glands. Reptiles have dry skin, without glands, and shed periodically.
6. In amphibians simple brain and sense organs. In reptiles, the life support of the body is more developed.
7. Amphibians are capable of living in cold conditions, even freezing. Reptiles need warmth. They die in the cold.
8. Fertilization of amphibians occurs in water. In reptiles it is internal. Reptiles hatch from eggs.
9. The diet of amphibians consists primarily of invertebrates. Reptiles are carnivores and also feed on plant foods.
10. The lifespan of amphibians is shorter than that of reptiles.

Amphibians (amphibians). This is a small group of the most primitive terrestrial vertebrates (Fig. 87). Depending on the stage of development, most of them spend part of their lives in water. The ancestors of amphibians were lobe-finned fish who lived in fresh, drying reservoirs.

Rice. 87. Amphibians: 1 - newt; 2 - spotted salamander; 3 - proteus; 4 - axolotl (ambistoma larva); 5 - pond frog; 6 - pipa; 7 - worm

In the larval stage (tadpoles), amphibians are very similar to fish: they retain gill breathing, have fins, a two-chambered heart and one circulation. Adult forms are characterized by a three-chambered heart, two circles of blood circulation, and two pairs of limbs. The lungs appear, but they are poorly developed, so additional gas exchange occurs through the skin (see Fig. 85). Amphibians live in warm, humid places, especially common in the tropics, where climatic conditions are suitable for them.

These are dioecious animals. They are characterized by external fertilization and development in water. From the eggs of a tailless amphibian, such as a frog, a tailed larva emerges - a tadpole with long fins and branched gills. As development progresses, the forelimbs appear, then the hind limbs, and the tail begins to shorten. Branched gills disappear, and gill slits (internal gills) appear. From the anterior section of the digestive tube, the lungs are formed, and as they develop, the gills disappear. Corresponding changes occur in the circulatory, digestive and excretory systems. The tail dissolves and the young frog comes to land. In tailed amphibians, the gills are retained much longer (sometimes throughout life), the tail does not dissolve.

Amphibians feed on animal food (worms, mollusks, insects), but larvae living in water can be herbivorous.

There are three groups of amphibians: caudate(newt, salamander, ambistoma), anurans(toads, frogs), legless, or caecilians(fish snake, worm).

Tailed amphibians most primitive. They live in and near water; their limbs, as a rule, are poorly developed. Some have feathery gills that last their entire lives.

The Ambystoma axolotl larva even begins to reproduce without reaching the adult stage. The most numerous are salamanders.

Worms- a very small family. They have no limbs, their body is elongated, reminiscent of a worm or snake.

The most prosperous group is tailless amphibians. They have a short body and well-developed limbs. During the breeding season, they “sing” - they make various sounds (croak).

Reptiles (reptiles). Reptiles belong to terrestrial vertebrates. They adapted well to life on land and displaced many of their amphibian ancestors. Reptiles have a three-chambered heart. They begin to separate arterial and venous blood due to the appearance of an incomplete septum in the ventricle of the heart; The nervous system is better developed than that of amphibians: the cerebral hemispheres are much larger (see Fig. 85). The behavior of reptiles is much more complex than that of amphibians. In addition to innate unconditioned ones, they also develop conditioned reflexes. The digestive, excretory and circulatory systems open into cloaca- part of the intestine.

The body of reptiles is covered with scales. It is formed in the thickness of the skin - the epidermis - and protects the body from drying out. Some species shed their scales during the molting process (snakes, lizards). The lungs of reptiles are much larger and more voluminous than those of amphibians due to their cellularity.

Reptiles are dioecious animals. Their fertilization is internal. The female lays eggs covered with a leathery shell in the sand or in the soil in small depressions. Even among aquatic inhabitants, egg development occurs on land. Some species are characterized by viviparity.

Reptiles reached their greatest prosperity in Mesozoic era, about 100-200 million years ago, which is why this era is called the era of reptiles. There was a huge number and variety of them: dinosaurs on land, ichthyosaurs in water, pterosaurs in the air. Among them were species of enormous size, as well as rather small forms, the size of a cat. Almost all of them went extinct about 70 million years ago. The cause of the extinction is still not fully understood. There are several hypotheses: a sudden sharp change in climate, the fall of a giant meteorite, etc. But all of them do not fully explain this mystery.

Currently there are four main groups: turtles, snakes, lizards and crocodiles (Fig. 88).

Rice. 88. Reptiles: 1 - steppe gecko; 2 - agama; 3 - eared roundhead; 4 - frilled lizard; 5 - gray monitor lizard; 6 - spectacled snake; 7 - rattlesnake; 8 - already

Characteristic feature turtles is the presence of a shell consisting of bone plates and covered with horny substance. Representatives of this group can live both on land and in water. Giant and elephant turtles (up to 110 cm long) are the largest of those living on land. They are common on the Galopogos Islands of the Pacific Ocean, Madagascar, and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

Sea turtles are much larger (up to 5 m) and have flipper-like legs. They live in water all their lives, but lay eggs on land.

Lizards very diverse. This is the most prosperous group. These include chameleons, geckos, iguanas, agamas, roundheads, monitor lizards and true lizards. Most lizards are characterized by an elongated body, a long tail, and well-developed limbs. Some (yellowbellies) have lost limbs, they resemble snakes.

U snake The main feature is a long, limbless body. These are crawling animals. All snakes are predators; they swallow prey whole or strangle it, squeezing it in the coils of their bodies. Venom glands (modified salivary glands) open through a duct at the base of the poisonous tooth. Snakes include: viper, viper, cobra, python, boa constrictor, as well as snakes - non-venomous representatives of this group.

Crocodiles Of all reptiles, they are closest to mammals. Their heart can be called four-chambered, there is a bony palate, and air enters through the nostrils into the back of the mouth. In terms of the structure of the oral cavity and the position of the tongue, they are closer to mammals than to other reptiles. These are quite large tailed animals that live in water, along river banks. On land they move slowly, but they swim well. Females lay lime-shelled eggs on land in small holes. They are characterized by caring for their offspring: the female protects the clutch and takes care of the cubs.

Reptiles live mainly in warm climates: tropics, subtropics, wet and dry places: deserts, swamps, forests. Their diet is also varied: plants, insects, worms, mollusks, and large individuals eat birds and mammals. All reptiles swallow food whole. Many species feeding on pests Agriculture(insects, rodents) bring great benefits to humans. Snake venom is used to prepare many medicines. Shoes and handbags are made from the skin of snakes and crocodiles, which previously led to the mass extermination of animals. Currently, many species are protected and grown on farms and nurseries.

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§ 62. Chordates. Fish§ 64. Birds

Amphibians and reptiles

Amphibians (amphibians), like reptiles (reptiles), are ancient terrestrial vertebrates. They are distributed everywhere, but prefer areas with warm and hot climates. Amphibians live near bodies of water and in damp places; their development occurs in water. Reptiles are not connected in their development with the aquatic environment.

Main characteristics

Sections	Amphibians	Reptiles
	It is divided into the head, torso and five-fingered limbs. Tailed amphibians have a tail.	It is divided into head, neck, torso, tail and five-fingered limbs.
	Thin, devoid of scales, but has a large number of glands that secrete mucus.	Dry, devoid of glands and covered with horny scales that protect the body from drying out. Scales restrain growth, so molting is typical for reptiles.
Spine	4 sections: cervical, trunk, sacral and caudal. The ribs are reduced and are absent in anurans. The muscles do not have a segmental structure and are represented by differentiated muscle groups.	5 sections: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and caudal. There are ribs, a sternum and a rib cage. The parts of the skeleton of the limbs are the same as those of amphibians. The muscles are more differentiated.
Digestive system	The digestive tube is divided into anterior, middle and posterior sections. The stomach is isolated. The expansion of the colon forms a cloaca. Digestive glands are developed.	Oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines. At the border of the large and small intestines there is the rudiment of the cecum. The large intestine opens into the cloaca. Digestive glands are developed.
Excretory organs	Paired trunk ureters and a bladder that opens into the cloaca.	Secondary (pelvic) kidneys, ureters, bladder (opens into the cloaca).
Circulatory system	The heart is three-chambered. Two circles of blood circulation. Mixed blood flows through the vessels of the systemic circle, and the brain is supplied with arterial blood. Amphibians are poikilothermic animals.	The heart is three chambered, but the ventricle has incomplete septum. Two circles of blood circulation.
Respiratory system	Adult animals have lungs, larvae have gills. Additionally, the skin is involved in breathing.	Lungs. They are stretchable bags, the inner mesh of which has a network of crossbars that increase the surface. The posterior end of the trachea branches into two bronchi, which enter the lungs.
Nervous system	The brain consists of 5 sections. The forebrain is larger than that of fish and is divided into two hemispheres. The cerebellum is less developed. The organs of vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch are developed.	The progressive development of the brain is associated with the appearance of the rudiments of the cerebral cortex. The cerebellum is well developed. Sense organs are adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle. The eyes have eyelids. The lens is capable of changing curvature. The hearing organ consists of the inner ear (larger size of the cochlea compared to amphibians) and the middle ear (one auditory ossicle and eardrum). The organs of smell, touch and taste are developed.
Reproduction	Amphibians are dioecious animals. Fertilization occurs in water; development with incomplete metamorphosis.	Reptiles, like amphibians, are dioecious. Fertilization is internal. Development is often direct (egg laying), and viviparity also occurs.

The meaning of amphibians and reptiles

Amphibians destroy a large number of insects - pests of agricultural crops. They are a food product for fish, birds, snakes and some fur-bearing animals. In a number of countries, frogs are also used for food by humans. The frog is a classic object for scientific research.

Reptiles are one of the links in food chains in the biosphere. Humans eat the meat and eggs of turtles, as well as the meat of snakes. The skin of snakes and crocodiles is a valuable raw material for industry. Snake venom is used to obtain medicine. The venom is collected from snakes kept in special nurseries - serpentariums. Snakes destroy a significant number of rodents - pests of agricultural crops.

Amphibians and reptiles Yaroslavl region

Amphibians. The species composition of amphibians living in the Yaroslavl region is relatively poor and is represented by 10 species. Tailed amphibians are represented by common and crested newts. Tailless frogs include two species of brown and two species of green frogs (grass, sharp-faced, lake and pond frogs), red-bellied toad, spadefoot, gray and green toads. The red-bellied firebird, spadefoot toad and green toad are listed in the Red Book of the Yaroslavl region.

Newts are tailed amphibians, somewhat reminiscent of lizards in appearance. Common and crested newts are found in our reservoirs. The most common is the common newt, reaching 8-9 centimeters in length. For breeding, newts choose well-warmed reservoirs located in clearings, forest edges and clearings. Common newts are still not uncommon in the reservoirs of city gardens and parks.

The crested newt is much larger than an ordinary one, its length is more than 15 cm. The body is massive, the head is flattened and wide. In males, the crest is high, jagged, sharply separated from the tail by a notch. The crested newt is quite rare, avoids polluted water bodies and encounters with humans, and therefore is not found in urban water bodies. This newt lives mainly in the forest zone, preferring deeper bodies of water for breeding than the common newt.

Both types of newts are extremely useful animals. Living in a pond, adult newts and their larvae destroy a huge number of mosquito larvae. Many harmful insects are eaten by newts and those living on land. And, finally, they themselves are included in the menu of many animals and birds - snakes, vipers, herons, storks, small predatory mammals. Draining of small bodies of water and the destruction of both adult newts and their eggs leads to a reduction in the number of newts.

More often than newts, frogs are found in water bodies and on land. Brown frogs differ from other frogs similar to them by a dark temporal spot. These include grass and sharp-faced. And, despite their almost identical sizes (about 8 cm) and similar colors (their backs are brown, of different shades), these frogs are easily distinguishable. The grass frog has a marbled spotted pattern on the underside of its abdomen (in males it is off-white, and in females it is reddish-brown). If you come across a frog with a uniform belly and a slightly smaller size, then it is a sharp-faced frog. The lake frog is the largest frog living in our country. The length of its body can sometimes reach 17 cm. The lake frog constantly lives in water. Pond frogs differ from lake frogs in their smaller size and emerald or bright olive color.

The common spadefoot lives on plains in the forest zone, preferring areas with loose soil. In the Yaroslavl region, rare sightings were noted in the Lyubimsky district. Listed in the Red Book of Nuclear Weapons.

The body length of the spadefoot spadefoot is up to 71 mm. The main color tone is gray or brown, on the back there is a more or less symmetrical pattern of dark spots, sometimes forming stripes; the edges of the spots are clearly defined. A light stripe runs along the back. The underparts are light with dark gray spots. A characteristic feature of this frog is the ability to quickly burrow into the soil, using its hind limbs and large calcaneal tubercle. Garlic is a dry-loving species. It is found in water bodies only during the breeding season.

Red-bellied toad inhabits low-lying areas in floodplains of rivers and lakes, ponds and swamps. In the Yaroslavl region, rare sightings were noted in the Breitovsky and Poshekhonsky districts. Listed in the Red Book.

The body length of this frog is no more than 64 mm. The back is brown-gray with dark, rarely green spots. The toad's belly is bright with large dark and orange or red spots. In case of danger, the toad takes a characteristic pose - it turns upside down, showing a bright warning color. Outside the breeding season, toaded toads prefer small sun-warmed reservoirs or shallow waters overgrown with aquatic vegetation, where they spend a lot of time. In the forest, the toad can be found on the edges, clearings and clearings.

Of the toads in the Yaroslavl region, there are gray or common and green toads. Unlike their closest relatives, frogs, toads are not demanding of water. Their skin is partially keratinized, so they can live in the forest quite far from water bodies. They bring great benefits by destroying slugs, mosquito larvae and harmful insects.

The gray toad prefers forest landscapes, but gets along well with humans and is common in parks, gardens, fields, vegetable gardens and personal plots. These animals prefer damp places with tall grass. Adult toads are active mainly at dusk and the first half of the night. In hot weather, they hide in shelters under stones, snags, and haystacks. Young toads are active around the clock, and can be found in damp places with thick grass even in hot weather.

Green toads differ from gray toads in having a more varied coloring: large dark green spots with a black border and red dots are scattered on the back over an olive background. Sometimes there is a light stripe along the back. The belly is whitish, with or without spots. In addition, green toads are more dry and heat-loving than gray toads. These animals are capable of carrying big losses water and are adapted to life in very dry conditions. In the Yaroslavl region, rare sightings were noted in the Pereslavl and Rostov regions.

The number of toads is affected by human disturbance and direct extermination, as well as disturbance of natural habitats as a result of human economic activities.

Reptiles. The natural conditions of the Yaroslavl region are not very favorable for the existence of reptiles, so they are represented by six species - three species of lizards and three species of snakes.

Common grass snake and common viper can be called ordinary and widespread snakes of the Yaroslavl region. It is distinguished by yellow (or almost white or orange) spots on the sides of the head. The general color tone of the viper - a poisonous snake - varies from light gray to black. An almost black zigzag stripe stretches along the back; There is a sharp interception between the head and the body, and on the head a pattern in the form of the Latin letter “X” is clearly visible. Common vipers are most often found in swampy forests on the outskirts of swamps, in forest clearings and edges with good grass, in clearings, along the banks of rivers and lakes. On hot sunny days, vipers crawl out to bask in the sun. At this time, they can often be seen on an old stump or even on a well-trodden forest path. Often found in garden plots and recreational areas.

According to research conducted in 2010, more than 500 thousand common vipers constantly live in the Yaroslavl region. The population of vipers is quite stable, tends to increase in number and does not yet require additional protection measures.

By destroying mouse-like rodents, snakes and vipers bring considerable benefit.

In the Yaroslavl region, sporadic encounters of the copperhead snake, which has an international protection rank, were noted in the Pereslavl region. The copperhead belongs to the snake family. When meeting a person, this snake usually curls up into a tight ball, inside which it hides its head, and reacts to all touches by compressing its body even more. The copperhead is listed in the Red Book of the Yaroslavl region.

Of the lizards, the two most common types of true lizards are the sand lizard and the viviparous lizard. They are small in size - the first is no more than 25 centimeters (including the tail), the second is slightly shorter - 20 centimeters. The sand lizard can even be found in a city park. It adapts well to human-modified landscapes, preferring dry and sunny areas, hillsides and even railway embankments. The viviparous lizard lives in wetter places, in forested areas of swamps, peat bogs, overgrown clearings, and along river banks.

Both types of lizards are useful; they destroy slugs, mole crickets, caterpillars, harmful insects and their larvae.

In the Yaroslavl region, there is also a legless lizard - the brittle spindle, or copperhead. Unfortunately, this animal is often confused with the copperhead snake and other snakes (including poisonous ones), frightened and even destroyed. The serpentine body of the spindle reaches a length of 60 cm (including the tail). Young animals are usually very light colored. Adults are brown or bronze in color on top with darker sides. The bottom is bluish-black. Males have blue or blue spots on their backs. The lizard's body is covered with small, very smooth and shiny scales.

In our area, the spindle is found much less frequently than other lizard species. It lives mainly in mixed and deciduous forests, also found at the forest border on the outskirts of fields and meadows, in forest clearings and clearings, and in gardens. Useful.

Amphibians and reptiles

These are the smallest classes of terrestrial vertebrates in terms of the number of species. Within our region, only ten species of amphibians and eleven reptiles live, which is slightly more than half of the species of fauna of Ukraine. This is less than a third of amphibian species and twelve times fewer species reptiles living in the territory of the former USSR.

Animals of both classes do not have a constant body temperature; it depends on the ambient temperature. In reptiles, the body temperature is usually slightly higher due to the work of muscles, and in amphibians it is slightly lower than the air temperature due to heat loss when moisture evaporates from the surface of the body. All life processes in the animal body proceed normally at relatively high temperature bodies, if the temperature drops to +100-+120, amphibians and reptiles become lethargic, stop feeding, and with a further decrease, they fall into torpor. Animals die from tissue freezing: amphibians at a temperature of -1-1.5°, reptiles at a temperature of -3-4°.

The temperature of the external environment determines many aspects of the life of these animals: distribution, activity, nutrition, reproduction, timing of hibernation and awakening. In addition to temperature, water plays a very important role in the life of amphibians. If reptiles breed on land, then all our amphibians lay eggs in fresh water, where the development of the embryo and larvae occurs. IN sea ​​water caviar, and even the adult animals themselves, quickly die. That is why amphibians are common where there are fresh water bodies; Only toads and spadefoots can move long distances from water after breeding.

All our amphibians and reptiles feed on animal food - mainly invertebrates and partly small vertebrates, usually swallowing them whole. Plants are eaten by them accidentally, along with animals. Only tadpoles on early stages development regularly eat algae.

Among the food items there are many insects - pests of fields, vegetable gardens and gardens and other harmful animals. Therefore, amphibians and reptiles play a significant role in limiting the number of various pests. The useful activity of animals increases in places where they gather in large numbers, which is often observed in frogs. The latter themselves serve as food sources for many valuable commercial fish, birds and mammals, and are also widely used for various laboratory studies. In the fauna of our region, both amphibians and reptiles, due to their abundance, play a noticeable role, although they do not have such a variety of species as other vertebrates. Interesting story Evgenia Romana will dispel some well-known myths and expand your horizons.

AMPHIBIDES

Of the ten species of amphibians we meet, two are representatives of the order caudate, and the rest are tailless. The first group includes common and crested newts. In the floodplains of the Dnieper, crested newts are more common. From early spring to mid-summer, it lives in lakes and river backwaters, where it lays eggs and intensively feeds on mosquito larvae and other insects, crustaceans, worms and other small animals. After two weeks, larvae emerge from the eggs, grow quite quickly and after 125-130 days turn into adult animals, and the young a little later come to land, where they continue to actively feed on caterpillars, worms and adult insects. On earth they lead night look life, and during the day they hide in various shelters. Here, in burrows, under tree roots or in other secluded places, newts spend winter months, being in a state of stupor.
With the first spring warmth animals awaken and go into reservoirs to reproduce. At this time, males develop a high, jagged crest along the body and on the tail, and the orange lower part of the body becomes brighter. After reproduction, the ridge disappears and the color fades.

The common newt is less common among us. It is one and a half times smaller than the crested one and has a lighter color, the length of its body together with the tail does not exceed 10-11 cm, the male’s crest at the base of the tail is not interrupted. In terms of lifestyle, both types of newts are very similar, only the common newt comes to land a little earlier in the summer and goes to winter a little earlier; it is less cold-tolerant than the crested newt.

We will begin our acquaintance with tailless amphibians with red-bellied toad. This is one of our smallest amphibians: its body length does not exceed 5 cm. It is dark brown on top, and its abdomen is carrot-colored with dark spots. Little toads spend almost their entire lives in water and only spend the winter, as a rule, on land - in burrows, under roots, in deep holes. They prefer old shallow reservoirs with a dark muddy bottom, including small swamps among woody vegetation. Here they reproduce and get their food - beetles, mosquitoes, flies and other small insects.

The red-bellied toad has few enemies, since the mucus secreted by its skin glands is poisonous for many animals and greatly irritates the walls of the digestive tract. Some frogs and newts, if they are placed in one small vessel with toads, die quite quickly from their mucus. The bright color of the toad's abdomen seems to be a warning: “don't touch it - I'm poisonous!” Many animals with protective poisonous secretions have similar warning colors.

Very numerous in rivers, lakes, ponds and other fresh water bodies in our region lake and pond frogs. They are also our most major representatives amphibians: the pond frog has a body length of up to 10, and the lake frog even up to 15 cm. The color of the upper part of the body of the lake frog is dominated by brown tones, the resonators of the males are dark, the color of the pond frog's back is more bright green, the resonators are light. Otherwise these species are very similar. The first croaking of frogs in spring can be heard already in early April. At this time, they accumulate in large masses in small reservoirs well warmed by the sun, including temporary puddles, where they lay eggs. Frogs are distinguished by their high fertility: one female lays several thousand eggs (in the toad - up to a hundred, in newts - several hundred). Within a week, tadpoles emerge from the eggs, which after 2-2.5 months turn into frogs.

Frogs get their food both in the water and on the shore near the water. Their food is varied and includes terrestrial and aquatic insects and their larvae, sometimes they eat fish fry and even their fellow tadpoles and frogs, which is more often observed in large lake frogs. Only in ponds where fry are artificially reared valuable fish, frogs can cause some harm, but in other natural areas they are certainly useful.

In spring and the first half of summer, pond and lake frogs stay mainly in the water; in the second half of summer and especially in autumn, they are found on the shore near the water and, when in danger, jump into the water. At the end of October or beginning of November, frogs go to the bottom of reservoirs, where they spend the entire winter among plants, under the rhizomes of water lilies and egg capsules, buried in silt.

In the floodplains of the Dnieper, in areas covered with meadow vegetation, you can often find small frogs (6-7 cm), colored light brown, with a slightly yellowish abdomen and a clearly visible black stripe running from the eye to the base of the front leg. This is a sharp-faced frog. Here in the grass she gets food for herself - various insects and their larvae, and immediately hides from enemies. Sharp-faced frogs can be found in water only in the spring during the period of laying eggs; most of them spend the winter at the bottom of reservoirs. They spend the rest of their time on land in damp places and do not go into water. Sharp-faced frogs are especially noticeable at the beginning of autumn - at this time they come out to more open spaces, often bask in the sun. Already in early or mid-October, earlier than other amphibians, they leave for the winter. Sharp-faced frogs are widespread in more northern regions, and penetrate into our region along the Dnieper valley.

Among the tailless amphibians in our fauna there is one representative of a special family of woodworts, widespread in the forests of the warm zone of all continents. Wood frogs or tree frogs, have suction cups on the tips of their fingers, with the help of which they hold tightly to the branches and leaves of trees and shrubs. Our tree frog is usually colored bright emerald green color, has a yellowish belly and throat, but is capable of quite quickly changing color to match the background on which the animal is located. There is a known case where tree frogs living in a terrarium made of fine mesh developed a net-like pattern on their backs. But most often, tree frogs are colored to match the green leaves among which they spend all their time. Only during the breeding season do tree frogs go into the water, where they lay eggs. The development of embryos and tadpoles occurs in water, which usually lasts three months. Tree frogs very cleverly hunt for various insects, spiders, and ticks. They carefully creep up to them, and then with a lightning-fast throw they grab their prey. The cry of a tree frog is similar to a quack or a crack; it can be heard in the floodplains of the Dnieper not only in the spring during the breeding season, but also in the fall before the animals leave for the winter. The tree frog is the smallest amphibian of our fauna: its body length usually does not exceed four centimeters. These cute and very useful animals need special protection and care, because... their numbers are noticeably decreasing.

In the Lower Dnieper sandy arena lives a little noticeable amphibian - common spadefoot. It is active only at night, and during the day it hides in deep burrows. The spadefoot has a body length of 6-7 cm, a convex forehead and is colored dirty green with dark spots.

After sunset, when the heat subsides, spadefoot moths leave their shelters to hunt. They feed on grasshoppers, various beetles, caterpillars and other animals, including many pests. Before sunrise, having “bathed” in the pre-dawn dew and thus replenishing water reserves in the body (the skin of all amphibians absorbs water like a sponge), spadefoot spadefoots climb into burrows, where during the day the air is always more humid and the temperature is lower than on the surface. This way of life makes it possible for spadefoots to live in the dry sandy steppe far from bodies of water. Here they spend the winter in burrows. But only in early spring Spadefoot spadefish move into the water for a short time to lay eggs.

The development of the embryo and larvae lasts about four months, after which young, fully formed spadefoots settle over long distances from their place of birth. At this time - usually at the end of July - they can sometimes be seen after sunset, in large groups, galloping away from the nearest body of water.

Widely distributed in our area green toad, it can be found in fields and gardens, in tree and shrub plantations and in the steppe; This is the only species of our amphibians that likes to settle in populated areas near humans. The toad has highly keratinized, “warty” skin, the dorsal side is colored dirty green, and the abdomen and throat are grayish.

Its dimensions usually do not exceed 10 cm, although sometimes larger (older) specimens are found. Toads have well-developed lungs, and skin respiration is less important than in other amphibians. Like spadefoot toads, toads are nocturnal, and during the day they hide in holes, under stones, in pits, cellars and other secluded places with high humidity and relatively low temperature. Thus, toads turn out to be well adapted to life on land.

In April, after waking up, the toads begin to reproduce. To lay eggs, they use various bodies of water and very often temporary puddles. The fertility of toads is very high: one female lays up to ten or more thousand eggs. Such high fertility is explained by the fact that toads have a lot of eggs and especially tadpoles, which die in drying up puddles before the end of development, although the development of the embryo and tadpole in them is much faster than in other amphibians, and lasts a little more than two months. As soon as small toads develop limbs, they rush to leave water bodies and move to land, where the toads feel safer and where there is plenty of food for them.

Green toads are usually active until the beginning of November, and then go to winter, hiding deep in holes, holes and other places where frosts cannot reach them. They often winter in groups of up to a dozen or more.

Toads are very voracious. They feed on various insects, slugs, worms and other small animals, among which there are many pests of fields, gardens and vegetable gardens; in populated areas they often eat cockroaches and flies, and like to hunt under street lamps, where masses of nocturnal insects flock. In many countries there is a custom of bringing and releasing toads into gardens and personal plots for pest control. Toads are also especially valuable because they hunt for nocturnal insects when the main consumers of pests, birds, are sleeping.

In the northern regions of our region, another species is very rarely found - common toad. It settles in ravines and other relatively damp places overgrown with trees and shrubs. Its biology has a lot in common with the green toad. The common toad is distinguished by its larger size, dark brown coloration of the back and even more “warty” skin.

It was said above that all our amphibians need water for reproduction, where they lay their eggs and where embryos and larvae develop. But after spawning, many of them live and get their food in various places. Three ecological groups can be distinguished here. The first is aquatic forms, which includes the toad, the second is semi-aquatic, these include lake and pond frogs, and the third is terrestrial forms, which is represented by the sharp-faced frog, spadefoot and toads, as well as the tree frog, which is sometimes classified as a special group of arboreal amphibians. Newts lead an aquatic lifestyle in the first half of summer, and then switch to a terrestrial existence, leaving water bodies until spring. The best adapted amphibians for a terrestrial lifestyle are the spadefoot and toads, which can live in dry steppes and even in shifting sand, as long as there is food.

REPTIENTS

Reptiles living within our region belong to three orders: cryptonecked turtles - 1 species, lizards - 4 species and snakes - 6 species. Evgeniy Roman writes about this in his article.

Swamp turtle- a common, although not numerous, inhabitant of the Dnieper flood plains is found in lakes, swamps, and in quiet backwaters of rivers and streams. Loves reservoirs with well-developed aquatic and surface vegetation, overgrown with trees and bushes along the banks. If you carefully approach such a body of water, you can notice turtles resting on the trunks of trees fallen into the water, hummocks or steep coastal slopes. At the slightest disturbance, animals dive and hide at the bottom of reservoirs. In the marsh turtle, the toes are connected by a swimming membrane, so that only the sharp and rather large claws remain free, which they use when they climb out onto snags, steep banks and hummocks and when they dig holes for laying eggs. Swimming membranes help turtles move quickly in the water.

During the entire cold season (about five months), marsh turtles hibernate. In the spring, usually at the end of March or early April, when the weather is relatively warm and the sun is already warming well, turtles awaken from their winter torpor. At this time, they are especially willing to take “sunbathing” and therefore often catch your eye. When it becomes summer-like, the turtles begin laying eggs. At this time, they move tens or even hundreds of meters away from the shore in search of dry places well warmed by the sun. The female, before laying eggs, digs a pear-shaped hole up to 10 cm deep, moistens it with water brought in special anal bladders, and then freezes over the hole, retracting her head under the shell. The oviposition process itself takes place very quickly - just a few minutes, and at the bottom of the hole there are 5-6, and sometimes up to ten white eggs, shaped like large oak acorns, covered with a white shell.

Then the female covers the eggs with soil, compacts and “smoothes” the soil with her lower shell, so the place where the eggs are laid becomes invisible. This is where all care for the offspring of turtles ends. One female makes 2-3 clutches during the summer. The duration of incubation depends on the temperature: the warmer it is, the faster the embryo develops. In hot and dry weather, the first young turtles appear at the end of July - beginning of August, that is, 2-2.5 months after laying eggs. At the end of summer and at the beginning of autumn, baby turtles move from their nest-holes to bodies of water; True, some of them (those that hatched late) remain in their burrows for the winter and enter water bodies only in the spring.

Swamp turtles feed on a variety of small aquatic and water-living animals: mollusks, worms, insects and their larvae, crustaceans, sometimes tadpoles and small fish. Adult turtles are reliably protected from enemies by a strong shell, but eggs and young turtles often become prey for foxes, raccoon dogs and other small predators. High damage Both adult and young turtles are harmed by people when they catch them and bring them home, seemingly with good intentions - to support these cute and harmless animals. Once in an environment that is foreign to them, turtles sooner or later die. Human “love” turns into tragedy for them.

In late autumn, marsh turtles bury themselves in the silt at the bottom of reservoirs, pull their head, tail and limbs under their shell, and spend the entire winter in a state of torpor, only to begin active life again in the spring. Swamp turtles become sexually mature at 6-7 years of age. They live for a very long time: several dozen, and some specimens up to hundreds of years.

In the fauna of our region, the most numerous lizards are foot and mouth disease is colorful and fast. As for the other two species - Crimean and green lizards, they are very rare in our country: the first lives in small numbers in the Belozersky and Berislavsky districts of our region, and green lizard so far found only on the island of Dzharylgach.

There are many similarities in the biology of lizards. These are very active diurnal animals; they love dry, well-lit places covered with herbaceous vegetation or sparse trees and shrubs; they avoid damp areas of floodplains and do not live permanently in cultivated fields of grain crops; some species are found in orchards and vineyards and in shelterbelts. It feeds mainly on insects.

Foot-and-mouth disease multi-colored. This is the smallest of our lizards: the length of which usually does not exceed 12-13 cm, half of which is on the tail. The favorite habitats of multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease are the Lower Dnieper sands, covered with sparse herbaceous vegetation, as well as young pine plantings on these sands; It does not avoid bare sand dunes; it is numerous on the Kinburn Spit.

Already in early April, as soon as the spring sun warms up, they awaken from winter hibernation. At this time, they can often be seen basking in the sun near their burrow, where they quickly hide at the slightest danger. They spend the night in burrows, and in cloudy, cool weather they also sit during the day. Foot and mouth disease activity increases with the onset of warm days. On his hunting area, which covers an area of ​​up to two hundred square meters, one foot-and-mouth disease has up to a dozen or more small burrows and other shelters where it hides in case of danger. In this area, the animal obtains food for itself - ants, grasshoppers, small beetles, caterpillars, grass bugs and other insects, immediately the females lay 2-4 eggs in the forest, from which after 1.5-2 months young hatch, about 3 cm foot and mouth disease. In mid-October, and at very warm weather and later, foot and mouth diseases go deep into burrows for the winter.

Fast lizard. The body length usually does not exceed 20-23 cm (larger specimens are very rare), and 2/3 is the tail. In our region, sand lizards live in areas with well-developed herbaceous vegetation, in shelterbelts and other tree and shrub plantings; shifting sands with sparse vegetation are avoided, therefore they are almost never found together with multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease. Sandy lizards have a very diverse coloring, and males are green or mixed with green, and females are dark gray, light brown or brown with various dark spots, stripes and other patterns; sometimes there are lizards of the same color without spots. The large, bright green male sand lizards are sometimes confused with green lizards. (In green lizards, the throat is colored bluish, especially bright in males; they have relatively long tail, and they are found here, as mentioned above, very rarely in limited places).

Agile lizards awaken early from hibernation: often already at the end of March they can be found basking in the rays of the spring sun. True, at this time they are inactive, hardly feed, and when cold weather go into holes. Already in mid-May, lizards begin breeding. The female usually lays 6-8 eggs in a shallow hole and covers them with earth. Under the influence of natural heat and sunlight, the embryo develops, which lasts about two months. In mid-July, the first young lizards, about 4 cm long, appear. Lizards feed mainly on grasshoppers and beetles, and less often eat other small invertebrate animals. In October they go into hibernation.

All lizards are very useful animals and deserve every possible protection.

From the squad snake We have 6 species, 5 of which are representatives of the snake family and 1 of the viper family.

Already ordinary. This is a medium-sized snake (large ones are up to a meter or a little more in length) - the most common species in our fauna. In the floodplains of the Dnieper, in the steppe, where there are at least small reservoirs or wet lowlands, along the outskirts settlements— Everywhere you can find the common grass snake, which can be easily distinguished from other snakes by its yellow temporal spots. It crawls quickly on land, among thick grass and bushes, and swims and dives well.

The favorite food of ordinary snakes are various amphibians, both adults and their larvae (tadpoles), they also eat mice, large insects, and sometimes small fish. They get their food both on land and in water. Such a varied diet allows snakes to live in different places.

Snakes awaken from hibernation in early April and immediately become very active and active. In the spring, before breeding begins, grass snakes molt. Like all snakes, their horny cover first grows and then peels off old skin, from which the animal crawls out, like from a stocking, turning it inside out. The transparent horny scales covering the eyes are also replaced with new ones. At the end of May, snakes begin to breed. The female lays her eggs, of which there are from 10 to 20 or even more, in heaps of rotting plants or manure, where the temperature is always higher and more constant than in the air. This apparently explains the faster development of the embryo of snakes compared to other reptiles. Young cones are born within a month, grow quickly and double in size by autumn.

Snakes usually overwinter in deep rodent burrows, under old stumps and in other shelters, and one shelter is used by a whole group of snakes living in the neighborhood.

Already aquatic. It differs from the ordinary one, primarily in details of coloration, as well as habitat. It does not have yellow temporal spots; the color of our water snakes varies.

In sea bays, snakes with a single-color dark gray olive or even black color are more often found. In the floodplains of the Dnieper, water snakes are brown in color with a copper-red tint and clearly defined black spots on the back, arranged in a checkerboard pattern, while monochromatic ones are much less common. Water snakes are so called because they are closely associated with bodies of water. They get their main food in water - small fish, as well as newts, frogs and their larvae, rest on the shore near the water and immediately lay eggs on higher ground and well-warmed by the sun. When in danger, they always try to go into the water, where they can hide for a long time at the bottom or among algae. Water snakes overwinter in deep burrows or under tree roots in small groups, often several hundred meters from the reservoir.

copperhead. It is less common in our area than snakes, maximum dimensions- 60-70 cm. The body is dark gray or brownish with a copper-red tint, which is especially pronounced on the belly in males. Prefers dry steppes and thickets of bushes, avoids water. The copperhead is a very mobile, dexterous snake. In spring and autumn it is active all day, and in summer, when it is hot, it goes hunting in the morning and before evening; when pursued by a person, the copperhead first hides, squeezing into a tight ball, and then actively defends itself and tries to bite. This aggressiveness, apparently, is the reason why many consider the copperhead dangerous snake, although its bite is completely harmless to humans.

Copperheads feed mainly on lizards, as well as mouse-like rodents, locusts and other large insects. By destroying agricultural pests, it brings benefits.

The copperhead belongs to the so-called ovoviviparous animals.

The female does not lay eggs outside, but carries them in the oviducts until the embryo is fully developed. Young copperheads are hatched either while still inside the mother’s body or, more often, at the time the eggs are released. The development of the embryo occurs only due to the nutrients of the egg. This method of reproduction has some advantages compared to laying eggs in the external environment. First of all, the eggs are safer and in relatively constant conditions; it is also important that the female finds a more favorable temperature, can bask in the sun, etc.

Yellow-bellied and four-striped snakes. These are our largest snakes: their body length reaches two meters (there is a known case of a four-striped snake 207 cm long being caught on the Kinburn Spit) and both of them are often called “yellow-bellied”, although this name refers only to the first species. Snakes are very agile snakes; they move quickly on the ground, among thick grass and bushes, and the four-striped snake very deftly climbs trees and easily moves along branches.

Awakens from hibernation in mid-April. They are active during the day, and at night they climb into holes and other shelters. At the beginning of June, the snake lays up to a dozen rather large (about 5 cm) oblong eggs under leaves and piles of dry grass, from which young ones hatch after 2-2.5 months.

In our region, yellow-bellied snakes are found more often on the right bank of the Dnieper, and there are especially many of them along the banks of the river. Ingulets, in old quarries, along ravines and gullies overgrown with bushes.

The yellow-bellied fish differs from its fellow species by the monochromatic dark gray color of the dorsal side of the body and the bright yellow, almost orange, belly. The head scutes are yellow-brown or beige in color. The yellowbellied snake is a very aggressive snake, it boldly attacks a person, even chases him, trying to bite him, although his bite is not dangerous: snakes do not have poisonous glands. They feed on mouse-like rodents, gophers, lizards, toads, large insects, bird eggs and other animal food.

Four stripe runners They are distributed mainly in the left bank part, where they occupy forest groves, depressions, overgrown with bushes; there are quite a lot of them on the Kinburn Spit, in the grove forests of the Black Sea Nature Reserve. The color of the upper part of their body is heavy yellow with dark spots on each scale; in addition, there are large, almost black, blurry spots on the back and sides; the belly is light yellow. Four-striped snakes feed on a variety of animals, but during the nesting period of birds they switch to feeding on eggs and chicks, and they destroy bird nests both on the ground and in trees. They cause great damage to starlings nesting in birdhouses, and sometimes climb into chicken coops for eggs. In contrast to yellow-bellies, they are not aggressive and always try to hide somewhere from their pursuer.

Steppe viper. The only poisonous snake in our fauna.

She has special poisonous glands on the sides of her head, the ducts of which open at the base of her poisonous teeth, which have a canal inside. With the help of these teeth, the poison is injected into the wound of the bitten animal and quickly spreads through the blood throughout the body. The bites of our viper are very painful for humans, but there are no known deaths from the effects of their venom, although the venom of the small animals that vipers feed on subsides within a few minutes.

The number of steppe vipers in our region is continuously decreasing, even on the territory of the Black Sea Nature Reserve, where in the recent past they were very numerous. They are not found at all on cultivated lands; they are not found in the floodplains of the Dnieper, since they do not like damp, dark places.

Steppe vipers- inactive, when pursued they try to hide in some kind of shelter. They awaken from hibernation early, with the onset of the first warm days, and the timing of their first spring appearance depends on the weather; the same can be said about the timing of hibernation. They feed on various small animals: mice, lizards, chicks and eggs of small birds, beetles, grasshoppers, etc., but most of all they eat insects and mouse-like rodents, especially when they appear in large numbers.

Vipers are viviparous snakes. Females carry their testicles for 3.5 months in the oviducts, from which vipers about 15 cm long emerge at the end of summer; There are up to ten or more of them, but more often there are 4-8. Young vipers differ from old ones not only in size, but also in darker color or brownish tint. Adult steppe vipers are gray in color and have a clearly defined dark zig-zag line along the back. Their sizes usually do not exceed 40-45 cm. It is interesting to note that steppe vipers living on the islands of the Black Sea Nature Reserve, where thousands of colonies of gulls and other birds nest, are very large in size (more than 60 cm), heavy weight and twice the fertility (up to 28 eggs per female). Steppe vipers, as useful animals, deserve friendly treatment and protection.

All our reptiles can be divided into two ecological groups: aquatic and terrestrial. Aquatic include marsh turtle and the water snake, to the terrestrial ones - all other species. The common snake feels equally good on land and in water, but most often obtains food in the water.

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