Difference Between Reptile and Amphibian
Vertebrates represent the largest Sub-phylum of Chordates, consisting of organisms ( both aquatic, terrestrial and aerial), that have a vertebral column. Reptiles as well as Amphibians are the two class under Vertebrates, that are closely related to each other and are placed on e after the other in history of evolution. It is believed that the amphibians evolved from fishes and the reptiles from amphibians, and so a high degree of similarity between the two is expected. However, certain noticeable differences do lie between these two classes.
Amphibian – Amphibians represent that class of cold-blooded vertebrates that require both land as well as water, in order to complete their life cycle. This is because of two reasons. Firstly, the adults’ skin needs to remain moist in order to facilitate diffusion of adequate quantity of oxygen for the purpose of respiration, and secondly, the Young ones that hatch out of the eggs have lungs like that of a fish, and require water in order to breathe in oxygen.
Reptile – Reptiles, that are said to have evolved from the amphibians, are cold-blooded animals with three chambered heart(exception crocodile) , that need external source of heat to keep themselves warm, due to their inability to control, as well as maintain proper body temperatures. They also need a proper amount of heat to regulate their body metabolism and so, these animals are frequently found to bask under the sun, idly. The reptiles breathe in through proper lungs and lay eggs in order to reproduce. Reptiles’ skin show a scaly appearance and these scales are water tight. Turtles, gecko, snakes, Lizards and crocodiles are some of the creatures that belong to the class of reptiles.
Difference between Reptile and Amphibian
One of the main basic differences that Reptiles show from the amphibian is in the mechanism of breathing as well as reproduction. An amphibian needs water to survive and breathe, both in its young as well as the adult stage. This means water is a necessity in the life of an Amphibian, without which, it may end up dying. This however is not the case with the Reptiles, as their life cycle is free from any dependency on water. When the amphibian egg hatches, it small fish shaped larva, having gills, comes out, while, the egg of a reptile, on hatching gives rise to a miniature adult, minus the fully developed reproductive organs. The embryo of a reptilian egg is protected by the outer shell which is leathery as well as hard while the amphibian eggs lack the outer membrane, are soft and are the females lay them in water bodies that are adjacent to water plants. We should not kill the reptiles or amphibians just due to the fact that they have scales or slimy, because these organisms also have a purpose just as we do.