Glossary

A feature or behaviour that helps an animal survive in its habitat, like a gecko's sticky toe pads or a toad's camouflage.

A cold-blooded vertebrate with soft, moist skin that usually starts life in water and moves onto land as an adult — frogs, toads, salamanders and newts.

Able to live both in water and on land.

The 'piggyback' hug male frogs and toads use to hold onto a female while she lays her eggs.

A medicine made to treat someone who has been bitten by a venomous animal.

Living in trees. Many geckos and tree frogs are arboreal.

Lying in the sun to warm up. Reptiles bask because they cannot make their own body heat.

The huge variety of different living things in a place — plants, animals, fungi, and tiny microbes all counted together.

A deep, sleepy rest that reptiles go into during cold weather, similar to hibernation in mammals.

Colours and patterns that help an animal blend into its surroundings so predators cannot see it.

The leafy roof of a forest, high up where the tallest trees spread their branches.

An animal that eats other animals.

A single opening at the back end of reptiles, amphibians and birds used for going to the toilet and for laying eggs.

Another word for ectothermic — an animal whose body temperature changes with its surroundings.

Looking after wild animals, plants and habitats so they survive for the future.

A snake that squeezes its prey tightly, like a boa or python, instead of using venom.

Active during the day.

An animal that relies on outside heat, like sunshine, to warm its body. All reptiles and amphibians are ectotherms.

A species with very few individuals left in the wild, at high risk of disappearing forever.

Found naturally in only one place in the world. Golden mantella frogs are endemic to Madagascar.

The slow change of living things over many generations, allowing them to fit their environment better.

When every single member of a species has died out and none are left anywhere on Earth.

The long, sharp teeth some snakes use to inject venom into their prey.

Feathery body parts that let tadpoles and fish breathe underwater by taking oxygen out of the water.

The natural home of an animal or plant — the place where it finds food, shelter and a mate.

A baby animal that has just come out of its egg.

An animal that only eats plants.

The scientific study of reptiles and amphibians. A scientist who does this is called a herpetologist.

A long deep sleep some animals use to survive cold winters when food is hard to find.

An animal that mostly eats insects, like most frogs and small lizards.

The world's most important list of animals and plants, showing how close each species is to becoming extinct.

A special smell sensor inside the mouths of snakes and lizards. They flick their tongues to catch scents and press them onto this organ.

The tough material that makes reptile scales, bird feathers, and your own hair and fingernails.

The young, water-living stage of an amphibian before it turns into an adult. A tadpole is a larva.

The full journey of an animal from egg to adult and back to laying its own eggs.

The big body change from a tadpole or larva into an adult frog, toad or salamander.

When a harmless animal copies the look or sound of a dangerous one to trick predators into leaving it alone.

Belonging naturally to a place — not brought there by humans.

Active at night. Many geckos and toads are nocturnal.

An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

Laying eggs that hatch outside the mother's body. Most reptiles and amphibians are oviparous.

The two large lumps behind a toad's eyes that ooze a bitter chemical to keep predators away.

An animal that hunts and eats other animals.

Able to grip or grab, like the curled tail of some geckos and the fingers of tree frogs.

An animal that is hunted and eaten by a predator.

A cold-blooded vertebrate with scaly, waterproof skin. Snakes, lizards, turtles, tortoises, crocodiles and the tuatara are all reptiles.

Small tough plates covering a reptile's skin, made of keratin.

When a reptile sheds its old skin as it grows. Snakes usually peel off theirs in one long piece.

A group of living things that look alike and can have babies together, like all leopard geckos.

The jelly-covered clumps of eggs frogs and toads lay in water.

A baby frog or toad. Tadpoles live in water, breathe with gills, and have a tail for swimming.

Living on the ground rather than in trees or water.

The way an animal controls its body temperature — for reptiles, this means moving between sun and shade.

A poisonous chemical made by some animals for defence. Many brightly coloured frogs are toxic.

A harmful liquid injected by fangs or a sting to hurt prey or attackers. Different from poison, which has to be swallowed or touched.

An animal with a backbone. Reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds and mammals are all vertebrates.

A special glass or plastic tank set up to look after a reptile or amphibian.

A watery habitat like a swamp, marsh, or bog. Lots of amphibians live in wetlands.

A very dry habitat, such as a desert. Leopard geckos live in xeric places.

The yellow food store inside an egg that feeds the growing baby animal.

The science of studying animals.