Animal WorldFish, Amphibians, and Reptiles |
What does the word “amphibian” mean? |
The word “amphibian,” from the Greek term amphibia, means “both lives” and refers to the animals’ double life on land and in water. The usual life cycle of amphibians begins with eggs laid in water, which develop into aquatic larvae with external gills; in a development that recapitulates its evolution, the fishlike larva develops lungs and limbs and becomes an adult.