Frogs and toads are probably the most common amphibians on our planet. They are so diverse that we didn’t even suspect the existence of some.

Very poisonous, even one touch causes allergic reaction. Males panama frog They make a whistle and a loud, long-lasting sound that can be heard throughout the entire forest. An interesting thing is that frogs communicate with each other using the semaphore system - a system of gestures and touches. It is believed that this species of frog has evolved such unusual shape communication due to strong noise in reservoirs. To attract attention, frogs wave or raise their paws.

One of the largest representatives of the amphibian world. The frog reaches an average length of 20 cm, and average weight- half a kilogram. But there are real giants - in 1949, in the US state of Washington, a fish weighing 3 kg 250 grams was caught. An interesting fact is that the bullfrog is one of the top ten on Earth.

An extremely poisonous frog. The Indians of Peru and Ecuador catch dart frogs and dip their arrows in their poison. Fertilized eggs are laid in moist soil. When tadpoles are born, they are attached to the male's back and he carries the babies to trees, where water collects in leaves and flowers. The male dart frog guards the pools with tadpoles, the female feeds them with unfertilized eggs.

Razor-faced frog or marsh frog- the back is light brown, olive in color. From the eyes and almost to the shoulders there is a dark stripe, which narrows towards the end. The muzzle is pointed. It seems like an inconspicuous frog, but... but during mating season she turns blue.

normal state

during the mating season

Hairy frog- from the name it is clear that the frog has an unusual appearance. During the breeding season, the body of males is covered with patches of skin, like hair. The hairy amphibian is distinguished not only by its bizarre appearance, but also the ability to release “claws” like a cat. In times of danger, the bones on her fingers pierce the skin and form peculiar claws.

Paradoxical frog. Lives in South America. The adult individual does not differ in anything peculiar - small size- about 6 cm, green. But the tadpole of the paradoxical frog grows up to 25 cm in length.

Scutopum, also known as . It has an unusual body shape - it is perfectly round. At the moment of danger, it takes in air and becomes spherical, while straightening its legs, puffing its lips and making loud, frightening sounds. Tadpoles practice cannibalism - they eat each other.

Vietnamese moss frog or lichen copepod- the owner of the most camouflage skin among frogs. She almost completely blends into the outside environment, even her eyes seem camouflaged among the moss.

It has not only a bizarre appearance, but also an unusual way of raising offspring. The female lays eggs in a puddle, but when the embryos begin to move, the male swallows them. The eggs with tadpoles are located in a special pouch in the male’s throat. When the offspring grows up and is ready to independent life, the baby frogs begin to jump in the male’s throat, after which he spits them out.

Nosoha toad or big-nosed toad- eater of ants and termites. Outwardly, it is very similar to a mole, and just like a mole, it spends almost its entire life underground and digs tunnels. The long-nosed toad's tunnels and burrows lead to anthills and termite mounds - the frog's only food source.

Frogs, which every person associates with loud croaking and the warm season, belong to the anurans - the largest order of amphibians. The habitat of some individuals is exclusively land, other species of frogs recognize living only in water, some - both. There are also those living in trees and capable of gliding at a distance of up to 15 meters.

The most comfortable places for amphibians are places with high dampness - wet forests, meadows, swamps, and the banks of freshwater bodies of water. Almost every corner of the earth is inhabited by these big-eyed creatures, of which there are more than 5,000 species on the planet. The highest density was recorded in tropical zone. Many nature lovers have always wondered: what kind of frog is it? What does it eat? Where does he live?

External description of the frog

Frogs are characterized by a short body. The absence of a neck as such allows the tailless animal to only slightly tilt its head, in the upper part of which there are two bulging eyes and nostrils. What does a frog eat in a pond? What kind of life does he lead? And why does he blink so often? The frog's organs of vision are protected by eyelids: the upper one is leathery and the lower one is transparent and mobile. The frequent blinking characteristic of them is due to protection from drying out the surface of the eyes, which are moistened by the moist skin of the eyelids. This feature is caused by the frog's terrestrial lifestyle. By comparison, fish - permanent residents of humid environments - do not have eyelids, so they do not blink at all. A visual feature of frogs is their ability to simultaneously see everything that is happening in front, above and to the side. At the same time, they never close their eyes for a long time, even during sleep.

Outside, behind each eye, there is an external ear, covered with skin - The internal ear of the frog is located directly in the skull.

Properties of frog skin

Air green frog inhales with her lungs, which are poorly developed, and with her skin, which is of great importance in respiratory process. For this type of amphibian, an absolutely dry environment is disastrous, as it causes drying out of the skin and certain death as a result. IN aquatic environment The frog switches entirely to skin breathing.

Our ancestors believed that frog skin had bactericidal properties, so they threw these animals into milk to prevent it from turning sour. By the way, the frog does not drink at all, and the water from external environment penetrates into her body with food and through the skin, which, thanks to the skin secretions of mucous consistency, is constantly moist. Based on the above, questions arise: “How does the common frog stand out among other representatives of the fauna? What does it eat? How does it hunt prey?”

The frog has well-formed limbs, each of which consists of three main sections linked to each other using movable joints. In the front legs, these are the shoulder, forearm and hand, ending with 4 fingers (the fifth is underdeveloped). The back part consists of a foot with 5 toes connected to each other by swimming membranes, a lower leg and a thigh. The hind legs, which play the main role in movement, are several times stronger and longer than the front legs, while the forelimbs serve as a kind of softening shock absorbers when jumping.

The body temperature of an amphibian directly depends on the temperature of the external environment, increasing in warm time and descending into the cold. Just like they are cold-blooded animals. Therefore, when it gets colder, they lose activity and tend to take refuge in a warmer place, and in winter time hibernate.

Frog: what does it eat?

The diet of these anurans is quite extensive and consists of individuals surrounding it. Therefore, by logical thinking and careful observations, you can understand what the frog eats in the pond. These are mainly beetles, mosquitoes, flies, spiders, worms, snails, caterpillars, small crustaceans and sometimes small fish.

Some of the victims have a hard shell, which the frog copes with using its teeth. Frogs hunt exclusively for moving prey, sitting in a secluded place and patiently lying in wait for a future meal. Noticing a potential victim, the hunter quickly throws out a long, wide tongue from her mouth, to which it sticks.

Frog: species

Tailless amphibians are divided into three types: tree frogs.

Frogs are characterized by smooth, slightly lumpy skin, swimming membranes on the hind limbs and teeth located on the upper jaw. The most respectable representative of this species is the goliath frog, predominantly found in West Africa. Its length is up to 1 meter, and its weight is about 3 kg. Impressive sizes! Such a frog amazes the eye. What does such a large individual, capable of jumping up to 3 meters, eat? The Goliath frog feeds on its small cousins, spiders and scorpions, and can live up to 15 years. Her lack of a vocal resonator is compensated by her excellent hearing.

The smallest frogs found in Cuba range in size from 8.5 to 12 mm.

pond frog

IN central regions In Europe, the most common pond frog is the green frog, which differs from its counterparts only in its smaller size.

The abdomen, devoid of spots, has a white or yellowish color, the color of the back is gray-green or bright green. Favorite habitat is small bodies of water with standing water and near-water flora. She prefers a diurnal lifestyle and feels comfortable both on land and in water, which allows her to equally consume oxygen through the skin and lungs. Used to move on land fast jumps, from danger tries to hide in a pond. From hibernation usually come out in April-May, when the external temperature is 12 o C and the water temperature is 10 o C.

At the beginning of their awakening, their activity is low; after two to three weeks, as the water warms up, reproduction begins in the reservoir. One female can lay up to 3,000 eggs, from which a frog larva develops within a week. The full cycle of its transformation into an adult is about 2 months.

Life of a frog in nature

The frog tadpole feeds on microscopic algae, and a little later on insect larvae. Frogs reach sexual maturity in the third year of life. Their lifespan is natural conditions reaches 6-12 years. With the onset of cold weather, frogs go to winter, preferring to bury themselves in the mud. Sometimes they can hide on land, for example, in a rodent hole. Eg, grass frogs They spend the winter at the bottom of ice-free reservoirs, at the headwaters of streams and rivers, gathering in tens and hundreds of individuals. For wintering it chooses cracks in the earth's crust.

Toads and tree frogs: differences

Toads are characterized by a lack of teeth and bumpy skin that is darker and drier than a frog's. The world's largest individual, the aga toad, is also one of the most poisonous among its fellows.

Its weight can reach 2 kg. The smallest toad is 2.4 cm long. Representatives of this species prefer to live on land, going down to the water only during the mating season.

Tree frogs are the smallest representatives of the three described frog species. They differ from the others by the presence of expanded discs on their fingers, which help them climb up. Some species can fly, which helps them escape from enemies.

Amazing species of frogs

Like many representatives of fauna, among frogs there are unique specimens.

Thus, in India there is a rainbow frog, which is an object of worship. She lives in Reggie Kumar's house. Its unusualness lies in its constantly changing color, which attracts a large number of people who want to look at this miracle and pray to it.

It can be easily studied by its endangered species - Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum. Otherwise, it is called glass, or transparent, since its insides can be seen through the skin.

Among the dart frogs of Central and South America, I would like to highlight the dye dart frog, in particular its blue subspecies. Unlike other brothers, he is active even in daytime and almost always has a bright color.

Many dart frogs are on the verge of extinction. Dart frogs are poisonous to some extent, which has been successfully exploited by using their poison for their arrows.

Vietnamese marsh frog, found in tropical and subtropical forests, often an item of domestic exotica, in terms of value it is estimated from 45 to 75 dollars. It is also called mossy due to the unusual structure of the skin, which looks like rock moss. This appearance is also an excellent camouflage.

Real frogs (lat. Ranidae)- a family of tailless amphibians. Distributed almost everywhere (with the exception of South America, southern Australia and New Zealand). The most common types of frogs in Russia are herbal (Rana temporaria), which is distinguished by black triangular spots on the sides of the head, and pond (Rana esculenta) green in color with a yellowish belly. Here is a list of the most unique frog species in the world. Red frog Mantel This frog is native to Madagascar. This is a small frog of orange-red color, reaching only 2.5 cm in size.
Toxic frogs Poisonous frogs are usually sapphire blue in color and are native to Central and South America. The toxicity of the venom of representatives of this family depends on their species and population. Most species poisonous frogs are listed in the Red Book, because they are considered endangered.
Frog pillow The cushion frog can grow up to 10cm in length. It lives in Uruguay, Brazil and northern Argentina. Looking at it, you might think that it is slow and not agile, but frogs of this species are fast in attack. They feed on lizards, mice, birds and other frogs.
Darwin's frog Frogs of this species live in deciduous forests and have an unusual way of laying eggs. Unlike other frogs, in frogs of this species the eggs are laid not by the female, but by the male. Tadpoles begin to hatch approximately eight days after the eggs are laid. Darwin's frogs appeared quite frequently until about 1978, but they rarely appear these days and are likely extinct. Vietnamese frog This frog was discovered in Vietnam. Habitat habitats - subtropical and rainforests with high humidity. They live in fresh water and rocky areas. The general name of these frogs is moss frogs, because. their skin is covered with dark green speckles that resemble moss growing on rocks. This is an effective form of camouflage.
Venezuelan glass frog The frog has such thin skin that you can easily see internal organs, including eggs with future tadpoles. Harlequin frog It is known by many names, such as the clown frog or the Costa Rican harlequin toad. Whatever you call it, it is a neo-tropical frog that used to be a fairly common species in Costa Rica and Panama. Now this species is listed in the Red Book; frogs of this species live today mainly in Panama.
Goliath frog The largest surviving species of toad on Earth. Its dimensions reach 33 cm in length from the muzzle to the cloaca, and it weighs up to 3 kg. This species lives mainly in western Africa, near Gabon. The Goliath frog can live up to 15 years. They feed on scorpions, insects and small frogs. These frogs have excellent hearing, but do not have a vocal resonator. Here's an albino frog
And finally. Find three frogs. ( South American comb toad reached high altitudes in the art of camouflage)
Updated 30/03/11 19:45: I really liked the goliath frog. Such a chubby little thing. http://img1.liveinternet.ru/images/attach/c/2//72/631/72631759_giant_frogs_01.jpg Updated 30/03/11 19:45:

Frogs belong to the largest order of amphibians - tailless ones. There are thousands of varieties, this issue contains 10 of the strangest and most unusual.

The rainbow frog is an object of worship in India. Hundreds of people flock to Reji Kumar's house in India every day to pray and ask for miracles. The frog was shimmering white when Reggie, from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala in southern India, first saw it. Then it glowed yellow and then turned gray. A frog that constantly changes color is considered a god in India.

Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum - Also called the glass frog or transparent frog due to its transparent skin through which its insides can be seen. Unfortunately, this is an endangered amphibian species.

The harlequin frog is known by many names, such as the clown frog or the Costa Rican harlequin toad. Whatever you call it, it is a neo-tropical frog that used to be a fairly common species in Costa Rica and Panama. Now this species is listed in the Red Book; frogs of this species live today mainly in Panama.

The northern leopard frog is considered an unusual species, reaching a length of up to 9 cm. The colors on its back range from brown to dark green, and the round spots are distinguished by a white line.

It is believed that the higher the geographic altitude, the larger the animal living there. However, the smallest frog in the world lives precisely at altitude - in the Andes of southern Peru at an altitude of 3 - 3.19 meters.

The paint dart frog, like this blue subspecies, is the common name for a group of frogs in the poison dart frog family, which is native to Central and South America. Unlike most frogs, this species is active during the day and almost always has brightly colored bodies. Although all dart frogs are poisonous to some extent, levels of poison vary depending on the subspecies and population. Many subspecies are in danger of extinction. American Indians used their poison for their arrows and darts. (Gail Shumway/Getty images 2007)

The Goliath frog is the largest surviving species of toad on Earth. Its dimensions reach 33 cm in length from the muzzle to the cloaca, and it weighs up to 3 kg. This species lives mainly in western Africa, near Gabon. The Goliath frog can live up to 15 years. They feed on scorpions, insects and small frogs. These frogs have excellent hearing, but do not have a vocal resonator.

Theloderma corticale, or Vietnamese marsh frog, is a species of frog in the copepod family. It can be found in Vietnam and possibly China. Typically found in tropical and subtropical moist forests, intermittent freshwater swamps and rocky areas. The frog is also often called the moss frog due to the fact that its skin resembles moss growing on a rock, which, incidentally, provides it with excellent camouflage. Some people keep such a frog at home. The price of this miracle is approximately 45-75 dollars.

As the name suggests, the Mantella frog is red/orange in color. These are small frogs, reaching a length of up to 2.5 cm. They live in Madagascar.

This horned frog can grow up to 15 cm in length and is native to Uruguay, Brazil, and northern Argentina. Although this hulk looks like a cake (or a pincushion, if you prefer), it reacts very quickly when a lizard, small rodent, frog or bird flies by.

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