Reptiles and Amphibians

Around 200 million years ago, the ancestors of reptiles and amphibians left the water and tried living on a dry land. This incredible feat required exchanging gills for breathing lungs.

Both reptiles and amphibians managed to perform this, but the reptiles did it much better.

The original reptiles had scaly skin which served as a protection against drying air. Their youngsters already had lungs upon being hatched. Additionally, many reptiles developed protective claws, unlike amphibians.

So, you might say that amphibian's need for water is a big handicap, but there are many species of frogs who can survive in deserts. Furthermore, frogs have lungs for breathing air as well as skin that can absorb oxygen from water.