Name four characteristics of amphibians that explain why amphibians need moist habitats?

Answer 1

1) When they are juveniles, they are in an aquatic larval or 'tadpole' stage that need water to breathe thru their primitive gills. 2) Amphibians have smooth, scaleless skin which is permeable to water. Water can evaporate easily from the skin, and an amphibian can dry up and die in a few hours if it does not have access to water. Thus amphibians tend to be active at times when evaporation is minimized: at night and when it rains.However, this same skin permeability makes it possible for amphibians to obtain moisture from sources besides pools of water. This means that amphibians can live in very dry climates, like deserts, and when the dry season arrives, they just burrow underground and pull in moisture from the surrounding soil. Despite this, the amphibian's tie to water remains: their eggs must be laid in water in order to survive. Reference: http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/herps/herps.html

Answer 2

amphibians have a protective skin which contains mucous glands to keep it moist and pigment cells to regulate its color, has a nictitating membrane or a membrane that covers the amphibians eye underwater, and the Eustachian tube which allows pressure within the ear equal out with the pressure outside.