As its name implies, amphibians are animals that prevail on land and in the water. The title ‘amphibian‘ is derived from the Greek word for ‘both,’ as in ‘amphi.’
It’s crucial to understand, however, that this is more complex than what we were taught in primary school, just as it is with everything else.
Obviously, there are several classes of animals that could be described as amphibians but are not amphibians in any real sense.
As in the case of penguins and otters, who both live on the water & land and do not qualify for this classification cause they can survive in both environments.
Among the many characteristics that reptiles and amphibians share, it is extremely challenging to distinguish between them since they share so many of the same attributes & traits.
So how do you tell the distinction between the two? Are Turtles Reptiles or Amphibians? We will discuss about the same today.
What Makes Reptiles And Amphibians Special?
An animal with a backbone is a vertebrate, such as a human, a fish, or a bird. Insects and jellyfish, which lack a spine, are included in this group, as well as reptiles and amphibians.
Reptiles and amphibians are adapted to living on both land and water. Birds and mammals generally live on land, while fish live mostly in water.
In addition, reptiles and amphibians have a cold-blooded system, which means they can control their body temperature by interacting with their environment.
Contrary to that, humans are warm-blooded and forge their own heat, so they constantly need clothing to maintain their body temperature.
There are, however, some significant differences between reptiles and amphibians that can be seen between them, which helps identify them as two very distinct groups.
What Is An Amphibian?
Amphibians are creatures that live both on land and in water, and although the term “amphibian” can be used to describe creatures of both environments, the term refers more to their separate life stages than to the fact that an amphibian at any point of time can exist in either environment.
You must remember that we can swim and go swimming whenever we want, but that does not mean that we are also Amphibians.
However, a toad can lay a soft shell egg in water, as do a frog and a salamander, and then when the baby hatches, it will remain in the water until it becomes fully mature.
Because of this, the tadpoles that live in the water are thought to respire only underwater and live only in it.
also read: Do Barnacles Hurt Turtles?
What Is A Reptile?
In contrast to amphibians, reptiles lay their eggs only on land and predominantly hatch on land as well.
Unlike their amphibian cousins, these little guys never breathe underwater, making them stand out from their friends who make a break for the ocean. In fact, like humans, they always need oxygen from the air to survive.
Its existence on land and the fact that they breathe only through its lungs makes them have scaly skin compared to the slick and slimy skin on the outside that you usually associate with frogs when they are on land.
A few examples of reptiles include crocodiles, lizards, and snakes, but which category would you put turtles in? Are Turtles Reptiles or Amphibians?
Are Turtles Reptiles or Amphibians?
So, do turtles belong to the reptile or the amphibian families?
All the turtles belong to the reptile family as the eggs they lay are usually laid on land, and there is no larval stage (their tadpoles are not found). Rather than popping out of the egg, the babies emerge as mini-turtles and travel to their homes.
Some species of turtles reside in the ocean, and they also populate the rivers, lakes, and other water bodies, but the reality is that there are almost 356 species of turtles that exist on different mainlands throughout the globe. And all of them are specified as reptiles because of their characteristics.
Are Sea Turtles Reptiles?
Although sea turtles spend their whole lives in the ocean, they are also reptiles like their river-dwelling relatives.
However, there are exceptions to this, as they are observed to come out to the beach when they want to lay eggs and when the hatching process begins.
It is estimated that sea turtles have existed for millions of years, and ever since the dinosaurs were extinct 65 million years ago, they have endured partly because of their slow metabolisms and partly because of their ability to adapt to changing environments.
The reason we still have turtles is that they are reptiles, and their cold-blooded body makes them cold-blooded creatures that live in water.
Historically, being a reptile was of great help to turtles, but these days turtles are facing a lot of challenges that are really tough to overcome. The loss of habitat, climate change, and hunting are all contributing factors to the extinction of sea turtles.
Our goal should be to help them deal with the coming century in the best way possible so that they will be able to survive.
In addition to spreading the word about sustainable products, one of the most useful things you can do is purchase sustainable goods, particularly fish and other seafood.
By ensuring that your purchases do not harm sea turtles, you contribute to preserving the reptiles for the benefit of future generations so that they may live for millions of years.
