Word Origin & History. moniker 1849, said to be originally a hobo term (but attested in London underclass from 1851), of uncertain origin; perhaps from monk (monks and nuns take new names with their vows, and early 19c. British tramps referred to themselves as in the monkery).
northern American bull frog (female) Frogs, toads, and salamanders belong to a class of animals called Amphibians. They are vertebrates (back-boned animals) with smooth (moist) or warty skins. They lay unshelled eggs, usually in water, and most species have a gilled, swimming larval stage (such as a tadpole).
Most salamanders are just a few inches or less, but the largest salamanders are in the Giant Salamander family which live only in the water and may be more than 5 feet (1.5 m) long! They eat crayfish, snails, and worms. They may live almost 30 years in captivity, but probably less in the wild.