Page 54 - Amphibian

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Male green tree frog’s GREEN SONGSTER
favorite calling site is in trees Tree frogs are the song-
high above the ground birds of the amphibian
world, and their favorite
calling sites are in trees high
above the ground. The green
tree frog has the typical tubby
body shape, long hind legs,
and sticky pads on the fingers
and toes of a tree frog.
Although many tree frogs
Bony Projecting look alike, differences in
head bony upper Sticky head shapes, colors, and
lip pad on markings are easily seen by
end of comparing this tree frog
finger Cream strip with European and White’s
from nose to tail tree frogs (pp. 50–51). GUESS WHO?
Kermit is probably
based on the green
A safe haven tree frog. Male tree
frogs sing to attract
The ancestors of modern tree their females just
Head of duck- like Kermit. But he
billed tree frog frogs were probably attracted to sings his love song
the safety of vegetation, which was to Miss Piggy!
mostly free from predators, and to
the more plentiful supply of insects
that lived around the plants. Early tree
frogs were probably better at grasping tall
grasses, twigs, leaves, and leaf stems than
other frogs. Many amphibians, particularly
frogs and toads (pp. 8–9), migrated from
life on the ground to life in the surrounding
DUCK-BILLED TREE FROG vegetation above during the course of their
Seen from the side, the head of this tree frog
from Belize has a very unusual shape. The evolution. Many modern tree frogs are vividly
snout’s bony ridges and “duck-bill” shape colored. Seen away from their natural habitat,
make the frog’s head look very similar to it is difficult to realize that their bright
that of the duck in this old engraving. They colors help to camouflage (pp. 20–21),
also make the frog look less froglike, and
the bony ridges help to camouflage it as well as warn, or confuse,
against tree bark. their enemies.

Skin’s green color
helps tree frog merge
into background

Dark markings on
frog’s back match
tree bark

Unusual
head shape
helps with
camouflage