amphibian

Term: ampibian

Origin: Anc Greek αμφί/amphe(-on both kinds) + βίος/bios(=life) à having a doubtful nature

Coined : by Carl Linnaeus who in 1758 in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae described theAmphibia as a polyphyletic group including amphibians, reptiles and several groups of "fishes”.  Linnaeus misconception was due to his observation that local reptiles in  Sweden, would be active even in the water. The correct taxonomy  for amphibians was established in 1931 by GK Noble’s book entitled “Biology of Amphibia” . 

Definition:

Class of a cold-blooded vertebrates that today are divided to three orders 1) Anura (frogs and toads), Caudata (salamanders and newts), and Gymnophiona (caecilians, limbless). Amphibians are the descendents of the first vertebrates and they seem to be the link between the fully aquatic fishes and the terrestrial amniotes. One of their characteristic is that they are having an aquatic early stage as larva with gills. The larva then transforms into an adult having air-breathing lungs.  

Comments:

The study of amphibians is called batrachology from Greek word βάτραχος/vatrahos(=frog)