Frogs are amazing

[Ganoderma]

very cool!!!! what is the specie or genus name?

[ramanand]

i studied this quotation ib a Development biology book (BY Scott F. Gilbert)

"Theories comes and theories go, but frog remains".

[Michaelangelica]

Early exposure to common weed killer impairs amphibian development

Tadpoles develop deformed hearts and impaired kidneys and digestive systems when exposed to the widely used herbicide atrazine in their early stages of life, according to research by Tufts University biologists. (2008-04-16)

Reptile & Amphibian News Blog Archive Early exposure to common weed killer impairs amphibian development

[Galapagos]

 

Found this cool dude outside by the porch light and decided to bring him in the house, thought I'd share some pics with you guys..

 

I first thought it was a Barking Tree Frog(because of its dark color), but after further inspection I have determined it is indeed an invasive Cuban Tree Frog, judging by the large toes, warty skin, and the fact that its skin is fused to its skull in between the eyes.

I'm a bit disappointed; the Cubans are very easy to find in my area and have pushed out our other native tree frogs for the most part, and I thought I had found something unique for once.

[Michaelangelica]

A great web site worth a look.

Amphibian Ark

An online petition is also 'on the go'. Please sign.

Online Petition

[Michaelangelica]

I just got a " Your post will not be seen until amoderator sees your post"

What is that about?

[freeztar]

I just got a " Your post will not be seen until amoderator sees your post"

What is that about?

 

I'm not exactly sure. For some reason, your post was marked as spam. In any case, it's fixed now.

[Michaelangelica]

I'm not exactly sure. For some reason, your post was marked as spam. In any case, it's fixed now.

Thankyou.:)

[Moontanman]

I just got a " Your post will not be seen until amoderator sees your post"

What is that about?

 

They figured you out dude, I swear I didn't tell......:)

[Michaelangelica]

LOL

 

Bacteria could stop frog killer

The disease that is devastating amphibian populations around the world could be tackled using "friendly" bacteria, research suggests.

. . .

"In the group we exposed to chytrid, about 50% to 60% have died," he told BBC News.

 

"But of the ones where we added the bacterium (Janthinobacterium lividum) none have died, and we're about 140 days in now."

Chytrid-infected frogs often show a characteristic hunched posture

http://www.flixya.com/post/Omer89/815411/Bacteria_could_stop_frog_killer

 

"Interestingly, some of the probiotic agricultural products that you can buy from hardware stores contain pretty similar bacteria to what we're using," he said.

 

"Using them doesn't seem too controversial in an agricultural setting, although of course people get a lot more cautious when you're talking about national parks and so on.

 

"In something like Rana muscosa where the frogs pretty much stay put in ponds all year you might be able to add bacteria to soil or ponds and stay in front of the infection wave. It's harder to see how it would work in a tropical rainforest."

Golden frog. Image: BBC

The last few Panamanian golden frogs were taken into protective captivity

[Thunderbird]

I just got a " Your post will not be seen until amoderator sees your post"

What is that about?

 

mmmmmmmmmmm..Frog Spam

[Michaelangelica]

A Super Hero Frog?

The major amphibian that we can think of as having claws would be the African clawed frog, Xenopus Laevis, which is a very common laboratory model. They do grow keratinized claws, but the growth is very different, and many people believe that claw growth arose independently (Maddin 2007).

. . .

In frogs, claws are used as the last line of defense.

When they are caught and can no longer swim or jump away, they wriggle like mad, using their claws to scratch up whatever it is that caught them.

Apparently this is pretty effective, people who hunt the frogs used in this study for food use long spears to kill them, so that they don’t get scratched, and apparently the claws can cause “deep bleeding wounds” to people holding them. This study answers the question of why these frogs have claws and where they come from.

. . .

The scientists studied a genus of frog found in Cameroon, Trichobatrachus robustus, also known as the Hairy Frog. Apparently the frogs have bones inside the tip of their phalanges, and these bones are sharp, covered by another bony nodule, and suspended inside the skin of the frog’s toe with a suspendatory sheath, and padded on the bottom of the toe with lots of tissue. The bone is connected to an extensor muscle.

When the frog is stressed or caught (they don’t know what triggers it yet), the extensor muscle contracts, and the sharp bone BREAKS away from the nodule covering it, and then tears open the tissue of the frog’s toe to come out.

The bony claw remains anchored via strong collagen fibers, and might be able to retract once the extensor muscle relaxes. This is the only species found so far with claws that do not have a keratinous sheath covering them.

Weird Science: It’s Friday! Neurotic Physiology

Trichobatrachus robustus, also known as the Hairy Frog.

[Turtle]

Frogs are amazing! :bow_flowers:

 

An unusual Chinese frog can tune its ears to different sound frequencies, making it the only known animal that can actively dial up something like its local radio stations.

 

The species, called Odorrana tormota or concave-eared torrent frog, lives near the noisy Yellow Mountain hot springs in central China, and communicates by chirping audible and ultrasonic calls.

 

A new study found that the frogs have selective hearing, enabling them to listen to the high frequency range when the low frequency background noise of rushing water is too intense for them to pick out the calls of potential mates or rivals. ...

'Bizarre!' Frog Tunes Ears to Specific Frequencies | LiveScience

 

I was up in the mountains a couple weeks ago with the intention of trying to film the rare tailed frogs of the Pacific Northwest and/or their tadpoles, but alas I was tharted by technical difficulties. Fortunately I have learned the tadpoles may remain tadpolian for up to 3 years, so I may get another chance before Winter. :eek:

[Michaelangelica]

They figured you out dude, I swear I didn't tell......:shrug:

O God!

 

"Frog Spam" That's a dreadful pun. lol

Frog Future

 

Tuesday, 1 April 2008

 

At my old place we used to have heaps of frogs (or amphibians!) crowding on our windowsills at nights. But that could soon be a thing of the past. Environmentalists are saying that frog species are dying out quickly and that's not a good sign for our planet's health. So zoos from around the world have got together to make sure the humble frog doesn't croak.

 

Presented by Nathan Bazley (episode 7)

 

It may seem dramatic, but this is all we could be left with in our backyards, swamps and ponds if things don't improve.

 

This little guy is called a Corroborree frog and at last count, there's only fifty like him left in the wild.

. . . (some good news)

So with the help of breeding programs like these and all the others around the world, hopefully the only place we'll see frogs in danger is here.

Behind the News - Frog Future (01/04/2008)

.......................................

Atrazine

The impact of herbicides like atrazine on Australian frogs should be investigated, says one researcher, who says the amphibians are environmental 'canaries in the mine'

And he says the APVMA relied too much on US evidence and should have called for local studies to be carried out.

 

"Work should be done immediately in Australia on Australian species," says Tyler.

 

He says investigating the role of chemicals in the decline of frog species is important.

 

"Frogs are extremely sensitive to a wide range of pollutants and they give us an indication that there's something wrong with the environment when they begin to disappear."

Herbicide review 'fails' the environment (ABC News in Science)

[Michaelangelica]

Probiotics' could save frogs from extinction

"Probiotics" could be used to tackle a disease which is decimating amphibian populations around the world.

 

The idea, now tested in the lab, is to use naturally occurring bacteria that kill the fungus which causes the condition. Chytridiomycosis, as the disease is known, has been identified as one of the main threats to the survival of up to a third of the world's amphibian species (see Global frog crisis defies explanation)[/quote

]Article Error - New Scientist

Science news and science jobs from New Scientist

[Michaelangelica]

More frogs that kick ***

11 species of African frogs can morph toes into claws to kick predators

June 24th, 2008 - 3:22 pm ICT by ANI - Email This Post Email This Post

 

Washington, June 24 (ANI): A new research by biologists at Harvard University has determined that at least 11 species of African frogs can morph toes into claws, which they use to kick predators.

The unusual defense mechanism involves the different species puncturing their own skin with sharp bones in their toes, using the bones as claws capable of wounding predators.

11 species of African frogs can morph toes into claws to kick predators - Thaindian News

 

“If frogs become extinct, mosquitoes will increase.

Then the spread of diseases like malaria, dengue will be exacerbated.

I realise how every creature in the animal-chain is important.”

The frog population has declined in recent years due to fungal virus attack known as chytrid fungus and chytridiomycosis.

Kids in Coimbatore “leap-like-a-frog” to draw attention to conservation efforts - Thaindian News

[Michaelangelica]

Ultrasonic Frogs Can Tune Their Ears To Different Frequencies

 

ScienceDaily (July 22, 2008) — Researchers have discovered that a frog that lives near noisy springs in central China can tune its ears to different sound frequencies, much like the tuner on a radio can shift from one frequency to another. It is the only known example of an animal that can actively select what frequencies it hears, the researchers say.

Odorrana tormota is the only animal that is known to actively select what frequencies it hears. Researchers believe its unusual ears and ultrasonic calls are an adaptation to a noisy environment. (Credit: Photo courtesy of Albert Feng)