Select the one animal that has all of the amphibian traits listed above.
Red salamanders do not have lungs! They can breathe through their moist, smooth skin. Adult red salamanders live near rivers or ponds. They lay eggs with no shells under rocks or logs. The baby red salamanders live underwater. Great blue herons have two wings with bluish-gray feathers. Their eggs also have bluish shells. Great blue herons use their beaks to catch and eat small fish, crabs, and other small animals.
Amphibians are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify amphibians:
They spend part of their lives in water and part on land.
They have moist skin.
They make eggs with no shells. Observe the animals and read the descriptions.
Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group.
To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Amphibians have the following traits:
They spend part of their lives in water and part on land.
They have moist skin.
They make eggs with no shells.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A great blue heron has the following traits:
It has feathers.
It has wings.
It has a beak.
It makes eggs with shells.
A great blue heron does not have all of the traits of an amphibian. A great blue heron is a bird.
A red salamander has the following traits:
It spends part of its life in water and part on land.
It has moist skin.
It makes eggs with no shells.
A red salamander has the traits of an amphibian. A red salamander is an amphibian.