Look at this cool article I happened across online, this week. Apparently, they’ve actually discovered three new species of frog in Papua New Guinea. Well, Mother Nature certainly has a gift for the unexpected, doesn’t she?
These new frogs are tiny little guys -- among the tiniest known as a matter of fact. The photo in the article shows how one of these wee froggies can fit on the surface of a dime with room left over for two or three of his friends. By contrast the biggest known frog, the “Goliath Bullfrog”, can grow to be as big as a house cat!
I’ve discovered there are all sorts of things to know about the frog family.
General Frog Facts:
Frogs in the Kitchen
So, the next time you’re strolling down a secluded country road on a warm, spring evening and you hear the sound of a million chirrup-de-chirrups from the local pond, stop for a minute to just listen.
These new frogs are tiny little guys -- among the tiniest known as a matter of fact. The photo in the article shows how one of these wee froggies can fit on the surface of a dime with room left over for two or three of his friends. By contrast the biggest known frog, the “Goliath Bullfrog”, can grow to be as big as a house cat!
I’ve discovered there are all sorts of things to know about the frog family.
General Frog Facts:
- There are about 4500 known frog species, not including the three new guys!
- A group of frogs is an “army”, while a number of toads are known as a “knot”.
- A frog can leap up to ten times it’s body length. This is like a 6-foot man being able to clear two end-to-end city buses in a single hop.
- The Australian Green Tree Frog secretes a substance that is effective for treating high blood pressure in humans.
- The Malabar Flying or Gliding Frog is named this way because his exceptionally large, webbed feet, acting like parachutes, allow him to glide up to 9 to 12 meters.
- The Javan Horned Frog resembles a dead leaf.
- The Paradoxical or Shrinking Frog has tadpoles that are almost two times the size of the adults.
- The American Bullfrog has a tremendous appetite, eating anything from small mammals, birds, turtles and even other frogs!
- The Golden Poison Dart Frog, although he is only two inches long, carries enough poison to kill ten people!
- Doris Swanson’s Poison Dart Frog exists in a patch of cloud forest only about 0.5 square kms.
- The branch of the family known as glass frogs are called that because the skin on their bellies is so translucent that you can actually see its inner organs right through it!
How about some unusual frog names?
Frogs Who Don’t Know What Chapter of the Animal Encyclopedia They Belong In
- Bird-Voiced Tree Frog
- Barking Tree Frog
- Squirrel Tree Frog
- Dusky Gopher Frog
- Pig Frog
- Turtle Frog
Frogs in the Kitchen
- Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Also sometimes known as the Blue Jeans Frog)
- Tomato Frog
- Parsley Frog
So, the next time you’re strolling down a secluded country road on a warm, spring evening and you hear the sound of a million chirrup-de-chirrups from the local pond, stop for a minute to just listen.
And appreciate.
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