Herpetology

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/herpetology

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Herpetology is a branch of zoology
2. What animals do herpetologists study?Herpetologists study amphibians like frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts, and reptiles such as lizards, snakes, turtles, tortoises, crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gharials, and the special tuatara. They also look at caecilians, which are worm‑like reptiles.
3. Why are amphibians important for the environment?Amphibians have skin that can feel changes in water and air, so they show when the environment is getting hurt. Scientists watch amphibian health to warn about pollution and climate change.

Tetrapods: Vertebrates possessing four limbs, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Bio-indicators: Organisms whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects the condition of an ecosystem.
Amniotic Egg: An egg laid by reptiles, birds, and early mammals, characterized by a protective shell and membranes that support the embryo on land.