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Amphibia
- Amphibians:
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General Information

Animals of the class Amphibia. They are poikilothermic ("Cold-blooded" but actually with varying body temperature).

They differ from fish in having four pentadactyle legs typical of tetrapods, hip girdle connected to the vertebral column at the sacrum, and an ear drum connected to the inner ear by a rod of bone (columella auris), which crosses the middle-ear. They differ from reptiles in that fertilization is not accomplished by coition (sexual intercourse), and the eggs are unprotected by a shell and embryonic membranes.

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References

Primary References at the level of this taxa
B87 Norman Frank and Erica Ramus
A Complete Guide to Scientific and Common Names of Reptiles and Amphibians of the World
B79 Lynn Margulis and Karlene V Schwartz
Five Kingdoms - An Illustrated Guide to the Phyla of Life on Earth, 3rd Edition
B73 Eleanor Lawrence
Henderson's Dictionary of Biological Terms, 11th Edition

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