1 Marsh Monitoring Program 1 Background Amphibians are delicate members of the Vertebrate class of which we all belong. Including frogs, toads, newts and salamanders, the amphibians bridge the evolutionary gap between the wholly aquatic fish and the mainly terrestrial reptiles. Amphibians are characterized by their need for water for at least some of their life cycle.
All amphibians lay eggs in aquatic system.
Although they may leave the water for most of their adult lives, their skin remains delicate and in need of moisture, so amphibians only occupy moist or protected environments. Amphibians world wide are currently on the decline. Although not all species are affected, many amphibian species have experienced severe population declines, or seem to have disappeared although. Examples of the latter include the golden toads of Manteverde National Park in Costa Rica. This park, located in the cloud forest on the continental divide in Costa Rica, was originally established because of the thriving population of unique golden coloured frogs.