National Frog Month
Photo of Pierre the frog via Managing Editor Emma Mincer
April is National Frog Month, so I am going to take this opportunity to spew some random facts about frogs that you may not have known. Get ready—I am about to turn the Opinion section into National Geographic. This article is also written in honor of Managing Editor Emma Mincer’s frog Pierre Beannard Mincer, who is a White’s tree frog.
Let’s do a weird one first: there is a frog that is known as the Gastric Brooding Frog. This frog originates in Australia and has a very unique way of reproducing. The reproduction of this frog is quite typical until the female lays the eggs and they are fertilized. Once these eggs are fertilized, the female frog swallows them and then incubates them in her stomach for about six weeks. Once fully developed, the baby frogs leave the mother’s stomach through her mouth.
In a role reversal of sorts, I want to look at Darwin’s frog. After the female frog has laid the eggs and the male fertilizes them, the male waits by the eggs for approximately three weeks until the embryos develop. Once the embryos are able to wiggle inside their eggs, the male frog scoops them up and stores them in a sack near his vocal cords where they become tadpoles. Some days later, the tadpoles have become little frogs and they jump out of their father’s mouth and join the world.
It turns out frogs can get lonely! Many species of frogs prefer to live in groups known as armies or knots. By living in a group, the frogs are able to find mates and ward off predators more easily. A White’s tree frog, like Mincer’s frog Pierre, can live both independently and in a small group.
Bullfrogs are a weird and wild amphibian. Bullfrogs eat just about anything they want to as long as it fits in their mouth. This includes birds, bats, fish, and other things that may fall into their habitat. Bullfrogs are considered invasive in Western American states. In states like California and Oregon, people are encouraged to trap and kill the species as they cause great damage to local environments.
Another odd frog is the Bornean Flat-Headed Frog. This frog lives on the island of Borneo, and, has no lungs! This frog absorbs the oxygen it needs through its skin. Scientists believe that this adaptation evolved as air filled lungs made it difficult for the frog to sink to the bottom of the riverbed in quick flowing water. Scientists have also come to the conclusion that this evolution was only possible as the rivers in the area have highly oxygenated water.
Now it is time for some completely random frog facts:
Frogs absorb their needed water intake through their skin.
In captivity, frogs require calcium supplements in order to meet their dietary needs. Our Managing Editor Emma Mincer dusts crickets in calcium before feeding an eager Pierre.
People in many parts of the world eat frog legs.
Frogs can live up to 30 years!
The more colorful the frog, the more dangerous it is! Colorful frogs like the Poison Dart Frog are highly poisonous and can inflict toxins on their prey with a single touch.
I hope you enjoyed this article and all of the random knowledge that came along with it. Frogs are amazing creatures, so they rightfully receive a whole month of recognition.
