Herpetology is the branch of zoology which is concerned with the study of amphibians including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, caecilians and reptiles (including snakes, lizards, turtles, terrapins, tortoises, crocodilians). Thus, the definition of herpetology can be more precisely stated as the study of ectothermic (cold-blooded) tetrapods.