Why I like frogs

Posted May 14, 2024

Frogs are my favorite animals. There are so many different kinds, and they all have unique little lives. As a kid I often hung out at this little ditch that frequently had tadpoles and little toads; I loved watching them do their thing. Frogs are so important to the environment, controlling insect populations, providing environmental indicators, and contributing to beautiful diversity. I learned about chytrid fungus several years ago, and it angers me how much humans have contributed to the spread of this disease. I think the large majority of people do not think about frogs enough, so this blog is my attempt at exploring the uniqueness of the many different frog species.

Glass Frogs

Posted April 21, 2024

Edited May 1, 2024: added more info

Glass frogs are cool, not only because you can see everything, but there are over 150 species of glass frogs alone! Their transluscent skin makes them nearly impossible to spot in the rainforests they inhabit. A common feature of predator animals is forward-facing eyes, and glass frogs are no exception; their diet consists of smaller frogs and insects (depending on the species). Glass frogs are native to Central America,but the exotic pet trade has brought them to Europe and North America. This trade is highly illegal due to their endangered status, and it propagates the spread of chytrid fungus. Science.org has a fascinating article about how exactly glass frogs are able to camoflauge so well. As it turns out, they store almost all their red blood vessels in their livers, making them almost transparent. Male glass frogs are known to guard the eggs for females, and some even continue to care for the babies after birth!

Amau Frogs

Posted April 23, 2024

Edited May 6, 2024: added more info

The Amau frogs (Paedophryne amauensis), aka one of the smallest terrestrial vertebrate species, inhabit tropical forests in Papau New Guinea. Spotting this species can be difficult due to their size(7.7 millimetres avg), but the IUCN ranks them as Least Concern for extinction; they are stated as being "extraordinarily abundant". Additionally, there is NO chytrid fungus on Papau New Guinea as of 2020, hopefully we can keep it that way. Amau frogs are a type of narrow-mouthed frogs, and they are surprisingly carnivorous, consuming smaller invertebrates. Amau frogs skip the tadpole stage, instead hatching as "hoppers." Here is a link to the research report documenting their discovery.

Beelzebufo

Posted April 29, 2024

Beelzebufo was a prehistoric, massive frog. First discovered in 1993, the giant frogs found their home in Madagascar some 70 million years ago. The bones found indicate a "16-inch, 10-pound" beast that fed on smaller animals of any kind. This "devil frog" is actually related to the modern day pacman frog of South America! Something interesting about these frogs is that they had sharp, curved teeth and a crushing bite of roughly 2,200 Newtons--stronger than a crocodile!

Wyoming Toad

Posted May 10, 2024

Anaxyrus baxteri, common name Wyoming Toad, is a critcally endangered species of North American toad. As its name would suggest, the toads are native to a small area in Wyoming, just outside Medicine Bow National Park. The toads are similar in appearance to the common toad, with bumpy warts and a ridged head. They protect themselves by secreting poison from glands on their head, making them an unappetizing meal to predators. Speaking of predators, Wyoming Toads are! They eat beetles, ants, and other small invertebrates. While many toads have been released back into the wild, they struggle to thrive due to pollution, chytrid fungus, and predation. Still, several facilities operate conservation efforts to keep the toads alive, and their efforts are improving conditions for frogs and toads across North America.

Here is a link to a blog from a researcher dedicated to the revival of this species: Link