The frogs characters3/30/2023 ![]() In most species, cutaneous gas exchange (that is, breathing through the skin) supplements the oxygen taken in by the lungs however, the lungless Barbourula kalimantanensis of Borneo obtains all its oxygen through its skin. The opposite extreme is found in the small arboreal (tree-dwelling) frogs of the tropical American family Centrolenidae, in which the skin on the underside is so thin and transparent that the heart and viscera can be seen through the skin. Frogs of many other families have rough tubercular skins, usually an adaptation for life in the less humid environments. Toads of the genus Bufo are familiar as “warty” amphibians, the skin being highly glandular and covered with tubercles (small, round nodules). Many frogs and toads have smooth moist skins. However, the West African goliath frog, Conraua goliath, has a body length of nearly 300 mm (12 inches). Many frogs are tiny animals perhaps the smallest is the Brazilian Psyllophryne didactyla, adults of which measure 9.8 mm (0.4 inch) or less in body length (with legs drawn in). General features Size range and diversity of structureĪlthough all frogs are readily recognizable, there are great varieties of sizes and of structural modifications. The biologist interested in evolution finds a vast array of interesting and often perplexing problems in the study of frogs, such as the relatively sudden decline of many frog species since the late 20th century. ![]() Certain South American Indians use the poisonous secretions of some kinds of frogs for poison arrows and darts ( see poison frog), and now biochemists are studying the possible medical uses of the constituents of the poison. ![]() People in various parts of the world eat frog legs, and some kinds of toads are used in insect control. Students become familiar with frog anatomy and embryology in biology courses. One of the first biology lessons many children receive is through the rearing of the larvae, known as tadpoles or pollywogs, in science classes. There are roughly 7,300 species of living frogs and toads.įrogs are used as teaching tools from grade school through college. The familiar members of the family Bufonidae may be distinguished as “true toads.” In this article, frog is applied generally to all members of order Anura and toad to those for which it has traditionally been used. The name toad is applied so unevenly that one member of a family may be called a toad and a closely related member a frog. The name frog is commonly applied to those forms with long legs and smooth mucus-covered skins, while toad is used for a variety of robust short-legged forms, especially those with rough skins.
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