What is a frog?
A: A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of
short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura.
Frogs are widely distributed, ranging from the tropics
to subarctic regions, but the greatest concentration of species diversity is
where?
A: In tropical rainforest.
Frogs account for what percentage of extant amphibian
species?
A: around 88%.
Warty frog species tend to be called toads, but the
distinction between frogs and toads is what?
A: Informal, not from taxonomy or evolutionary history.
Frogs have glandular skin, with secretions ranging from
distasteful to what?
A: Toxic.
Their skin varies in
color from well-camouflaged
dappled brown, grey and green to vivid patterns of bright red or
yellow and
black to do what?
A: To show toxicity and ward off predators.
Adult frogs live in fresh water and on dry land; some
species are adapted for living where?
A: Underground or in trees.
Where do frogs typically lay their eggs?
A: In water.
The eggs hatch into what?
A: Aquatic larvae called tadpoles that have tails and internal gills.
They have highly specialized rasping mouth parts
suitable for what?
A: Herbivorous, omnivorous or planktivorous diets.
The life cycle is completed when they do what?
A: When they metamorphose into adults.
A few species deposit eggs on land or bypass what?
A: The tadpole stage.
Adult frogs generally have a carnivorous diet
consisting of what?
A: Small invertebrates, but omnivorous species exist and a few feed on plant
matter.
Frog skin has a rich microbiome which is important to
what?
A: Their health.
Frogs are extremely efficient at converting what they
eat into what?
A: Body mass.
The skin is semi-permeable, making them susceptible to
what?
A: Dehydration, so they either live in moist places or have special
adaptations to deal with dry habitats.
Frogs produce a wide range of vocalizations,
particularly when?
A: In their breeding season.
Frogs exhibit many different kinds of complex behaviors
to do what?
A: To attract mates, to fend off predators and to generally survive.
They are seen as environmental bellwethers, with
declines in frog populations often viewed as what?
A: Early warning signs of environmental damage.
Frog populations have declined significantly since
when?
A: The 1950s.
More than one third of species are considered to be
threatened with extinction and how many are believed to have become extinct
since the 1980s?
A: Over 120
The number of malformations among frogs is on the rise
and an emerging fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, has spread where?
A: Around the world.
Many frogs have webbed feet and the degree of webbing
is directly proportional to what?
A: The amount of time the species spends in the water.
Exceptions include flying frogs in the Hylidae and
Rhacophoridae, which also have fully webbed toes used in what?
A: Gliding.
A frog's skin is protective, has a respiratory
function, can absorb water, and helps control what?
A: Body temperature.
It has many glands, particularly on the head and back,
which often exude what?
A: Distasteful and toxic substances (granular glands).
How often is the skin shed?
A: Every few weeks.
