Amphibians Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Amphibians - Assignment Example This paper shall attempt to assess how amphibians developed breathable skin.   Before they had breathable skin  the amphibians were four legged fish that swallowed air into their lungs. About three hundred million years back, there was a dawn tadpole that resembled more of a crocodile (Robinson, 2009). It is in the latter years that the Eryops developed stronger legs and jaws. These amphibians have a great correlation with the present day ones. The amphibians were to later look like reptiles that were more of snakes. The development saw a three foot long reptile with a developed skull. Their skin later became thicker and scalier (Robinson, 2009). In the process of adaptation, the amphibians slowly developed a waterproof skin referred to as amnion that would help them breathe (Robinson, 2009). Though this skin, they would also get protection from sunstroke, as well as allow their offspring achieve to the full development prior to hatching. Robinson (2009) also argues that the amphibians required a step forward in procreation that would allow them come up with species that would allow high chances of survival. This adaptation minimized the chances of extinction as the skin allowed for the transportation of oxygen that allowed for respiration. With the skin of the first amphibians being too scaly as opposed to moist, it is apparent that there was a requisite for the consequent amphibians to protect themselves from dehydration (Strauss, 2014). Through the skin, the amphibians could also live underwater, and the thin skins can also protect their young ones. Conclusively, it is, therefore, arguable that the breathable amphibian skin developed as a result of the need to keep out water from their bodies but still allow air to pave in (Strauss, 2014). Despite the amphibians’ skin looking frail, its role has come in handy for these