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Frogs are the largest group of amphibians in the world. Their sizes vary from being tinier than a human fingertip to being more prominent than a man’s foot. Learn more about fascinating frog facts and how they navigate the world.
Including their toad relatives, frogs dominate the amphibian species in terms of numbers. However, most kids, even grown humans, fear these creatures due to their jumpscare tendencies. While it’s understandable, we can’t help but be curious about their way of life – the various species and their role in the ecosystem. Discover fascinating frog facts with your children right here.
As you read through the book The Ladybug and The Bully Frog by Caroleann Rice, you can understand how frogs navigate the world a little bit more. And while learning about fascinating frog facts, you are ready to answer a child’s questions that may pertain to frogs as you read the book to them. This is because they can learn many lessons from animals like them.
The difference between frogs and toads
People often confuse frogs and toads due to their similarity in build. However, toads fall under the category of frogs. What makes a toad different is a few distinct features like shorter hind legs and rounder bodies. Toads are also poisonous to touch as a way of warding off predators. Their bodies also emit a weird smell.
Besides the often mixed-up features of frogs and toads, the primarily latter live in drier environments. Their skin is also dry and bumpier than a constantly moist frog living in rainforests or swamps.
Fascinating frog facts
Frogs have varying shapes, sizes, and colors.
Among the fascinating frog facts, this is a given. The Goliath Frog is the largest specie so far and is native to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. They can measure up to 1.1 feet or 34 centimeters and weigh up to 7.3 pounds or 3.3 kilograms. That’s already the same weight as a human baby!
On another note, the world’s smallest frog is the Paedophryne amanuensis, which originated from Papua New Guinea. There are other cute and super tiny frogs called the Gardiner’s Seychelles frog, which is only 11mm small. Unfortunately, climate change turned them into endangered species facing extinction.
Frogs have the spectacular physique.
Apart from their diverse shapes and sizes, other fascinating frog facts like their different jumping skills, although not all frogs hop. For example, waxy monkey tree frogs walk and grip along tree branches, hence their name. Their behavior resembles that of how monkeys cling to trees. Waxy monkey tree frogs produce dermorphin, an organic opioid more potent than morphine. The drug has been used for illegal horse racing enhancements.
If you haven’t heard of glass frogs, they are one spectacular species you must take note of. Humans can see their internal organs through their translucent green skin. It works to their advantage because predators can see through them.
However, their transparency was dispelled because a 2020 study showed they’re not. Instead, their camouflage is flexible enough to adapt to their environment. Additionally, these frogs may appear bright or dark according to the background, hence the seemingly transparent look.
Frogs can hide from their predators.
Another fascinating frog fact is this: they utilize camouflage to escape predators. Blending in their surroundings has proven effective for hiding and being unnoticeable. The Vietnamese mossy frogs look so much like moss; no one would be able to tell them apart from the real ones.
The famous poison dart frogs are also known as the “jewels of the rainforest” due to their colorful bodies. Contrary to the camouflage frogs who hide in plain sight, poison dart frogs are not afraid to show themselves. Additionally, their colors serve as a warning to predators that they’re toxic and inedible. At the same time, they can still use their colors as camouflage to hide among bright and equally colorful rainforests.
There are countless new species to be discovered.
If there are any fascinating frog facts you should know, it’s this: thousands of frog species have been recorded. And many more are yet to be discovered. In April 2022, six new species from Mexico were so tiny they could fit on your fingertip.
The only place where frogs are not inhabiting is Antarctica. Even though they need a large body of water to reproduce, they won’t survive in icy weather conditions. However, their habitats vary greatly, as some species, such as the poison dart frogs, live in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. Northern leopard frogs inhabit the Northern American marshlands, bushlands, etc.
Species like Vietnamese mossy frogs are unique since they live among mossy, flooded caves. They’re also found along rocky mountain streams. Some species, like desert rain frogs, are only found in white dunes in Namibia and South Africa. They dig through the sand during the daytime, then feed at night, making them nocturnal creatures.
Hopefully, these fascinating frog facts will help you know more about these fantastic creatures and advocate for their conservation and protection.
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