Page 16 - Amphibian

Colors and markings

Amphibians have an incredible range of colors and markings, from
bright blues, reds, and yellows to muddy browns and greens, with a variety
of stripes and spots. Many amphibians are darker on top, with a completely
different color and pattern on their belly. Like most animals, amphibians
either blend in with their surroundings for camouflage (pp. 20–21), or are
brightly colored to show predators that they are poisonous to eat (pp. 56–57).
An amphibian’s color may also help absorb or reflect heat, or attract a mate
THE FROG PRINCE
The story of the (pp. 32–35). The main color and markings in an
princess who kisses a
frog, magically turning amphibian’s skin are produced by three different
him into a handsome color pigment cells – white, yellow, and brown-
prince, is a well-known
fairy tale. In the 1815 black – which are found deep in the skin.
version by the Brothers There is no green or blue pigment – a frog
Grimm, the princess
dislikes the frog, but he looks green when the blue part of white light is
tricks her into caring for absorbed by yellow cells. Brown-black pigment
him, breaking the
wicked witch’s spell. cells can expand to darken, or contract to
lighten, the animal’s skin. An amphibian’s White’s tree
color varies with humidity and temperature frogs from
Australia
– it may become pale when warm and (above) and
dry, darker if cold and damp. Indonesia (left)

THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT …
The intricate patterns on the upper
surfaces of the head, body, arms, and Darker
legs of these two primarily green muddy
horned frogs from South America give green color
them their common name of “ornate”
horned frog (pp. 44–45). The small DARKEN DOWN, LIGHTEN UP!
individual differences in skin colors A change in the background color of an
and markings (left and below) are amphibian is a response to changes in light,
common within a species. temperature, moisture, or even mood. Light green
is the usual color for these White’s tree frogs
(pp. 50–51), but if they move away from a
Short, leaf’s sunlit surface to a cool, shady, or
sturdy leg
damp place, they may change from
green to light brown.
Enormous
mouth for
grabbing
large prey Pattern breaks
up frog’s shape
Three ornate
horned frogs
(left) from
South America,
– from 3.5–5 in
(9–13 cm) long

DIFFERENT COLOR,
DIFFERENT SPECIES
This brown form of horned frog (left) was thought to belong
to the same species as the two green ones, but it was
recognized as different in 1980. Although the pattern is
similar, they are found in different, but nearby, habitats and
do not interbreed in the wild. They are not polymorphic
forms because they are not members of the same species.
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