Page 34 - World of Animals - Issue #29

50 fabulous frogs

28. The frog that acts 30. Modest
30
. Modes
t
like Xmen’s Wolverine know how to
mossy frogs
The hairy frog (Trichobatrachus robustus) from disappear
western Africa knows all about standing out from the
crowd. For one thing, during the breeding season, While some species like to stand

males develop hundreds of fine filaments of skin – out, mossy frogs (Theloderma

that at first glance look like hairs – across its sides and corticale) do everything they can
legs. It’s believed these augment their lung power by to blend in. From their bumpy
absorbing more oxygen, enabling the devoted dads skin to their varied shades of
to remain underwater for longer to guard their eggs. green – even in their eyes – they
If that weren’t incredible enough, these frogs have are very hard to spot in their
also evolved a unique defence mechanism: the ability mossy habitat.
to thrust the pointy tips of their own toes through
the skin to act as claws. After a few days, the broken 31. and 32.
bones re-fuse and the skin heals over, once again There are two
concealing its superhero-like weapons.
marathon
hoppers
A couple of European frogs
may not have the bright colours
or bizarre biology of some of
their more tropical cousins, but
they do share the distinction
of performing the longest
migration of any amphibian. Both
green frogs (Rana esculenta) and
pool frogs (Rana lessonae) have
been documented travelling as
far as 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) in
search of mates.
33. Some frogs
like to come
out of their
shells
If you’re ever in Western
Australia and think you see a
turtle missing its shell, there’s a
good chance you’ve encountered
a turtle frog (Myobatrachus
gouldii). It sometimes even
acts more like a reptile than
an amphibian, burrowing
forward with its short muscular
legs, whereas most frogs dig
backwards.
34. Four-eyed
frogs are
proud to be
buttheads
The Pleurodema genus of
29. Glass frogs have nothing to hide frogs from South America has
evolved a clever way of putting

Although from above, glass frogs might be Living in vegetation near fast streams, these off predators. Two large yellow
mistaken for just another green frog, from below frogs are extremely territorial and are willing to and black poison glands on their

it’s a whole different story. Indeed, the skin on wrestle with any rival males that venture too close back look very similar to eyes,
their bellies is so translucent that you can see to their patch. A€er mating, females lay a clutch of so when it feels under threat

right through to their internal organs. There are around 30 eggs onto the underside of a leaf. Both it simply raises its rear end to
some 140 species of glass frog, ranging from parents tend to the young while they develop but make it look like its head, giving
Argentina to Mexico, though the northern, or for the father, duties include urinating on the eggs the impression it is much bigger
Fleischmann’s, glass frog pictured here appears to ensure they don’t dry out. Once they hatch, the than it really is.
no further south than Ecuador. tadpoles drop into the water below.
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