• What are frogs?
• Characteristics of the frog
• Where do frogs live?
• What do frogs eat?
• How do frogs reproduce?
• How long do frogs live?
• Poisonous frogs

We explain everything about frogs, where they live, what they feed on and other characteristics. Also, what are poison frogs.

The most agile species are usually called frogs and toads those that live more on the ground.

What are frogs?

Animal species are known by the name of frogs or toads amphibians belonging to the order of the anurans (anura), that is, devoid of glue. They are recognized by their compact body, their sticky protruding tongue, and their powerful hind legs, with which they can jump of different sizes.

It is the largest group of all known amphibians, with around 6,600 species described in 54 different families, and with a presence in practically the entire planet.

There is no universal technical differentiation for when to speak of a frog and when of a toad, although the first name is usually used for the most agile, climbing, slender and colorful species, and the second for the less agile species, with rough skin and dark, which tend to live more on the ground.

Frogs are very ancient animals, the first species of which emerged sometime in the Triassic Period, around 250 million years ago. They have an important presence in different cultures, often as an icon of ugliness and disgust, but also as a symbol of transformation, given the metamorphosis that marks the transition from juvenile aquatic life to adult terrestrial life.

Characteristics of the frog

The frog's tongue can be quickly shot forward.

Broadly speaking, frogs are characterized by the following:

• They are amphibian animals, that is, they live on the border between the Water and the land, performing some functions exclusively in each of these habitats. Depending on the species, they may be more or less likely to spend their entire day in the water, as their skin tends to dry out.
• In general they are small animals, but their size can vary immensely depending on the species, from 8.4 millimeters to 30 cm in wingspan (the Goliath frog, the largest in the world).
• They are cold-blooded animals, unable to regulate their temperature body, so they require exposure or shelter from the solar energy to warm up or cool down.
• Their bodies are compact, wide-mouthed with or without small teeth, particularly large, bulging eyes, and four limbs. The two rear ones are particularly robust, since they allow you to jump with more or less power, as well as swim very quickly.
• They have a protractile tongue, that is, it can be fired rapidly forward and in which the prey are attached, which are immediately dragged towards the mouth.
• Although his breathing It is produced by lungs (and gills during its larval stage), its skin is capable of exchanging gases with the environment. Many species are also capable of secreting certain contact toxins capable of irritating or poisoning their attackers.

Where do frogs live?

Many species of frogs have adapted to arid regions.

Frogs are present practically all over the world, except in Antarctica, almost always in regions close to fresh water (rivers, lagoons, lakes, etc.), when not directly in the water. However, many species have adapted to arid regions and are able to survive further away from water, returning to it only for spawning. They are particularly numerous and diverse in the regions tropical jungle.

What do frogs eat?

Frogs are predatory, and their diet is generally made up of arthropods small (insects, arachnids, etc.), snails, worms and larvae, although larger species can also hunt small reptiles, amphibians and even small rodents. In general, they are very unspecific in their diet.

How do frogs reproduce?

The fertilized eggs are deposited in the environment by the female.

The reproduction of frogs is normally sexual Y oviparous, that is, it depends on the copulation of the male and the female, and the latter then deposits in the environment a set of fertilized eggs. The latter may have a different shape and different fixation mechanisms in the environment, depending on the species. Some frogs even carry fertilized eggs on their backs, awaiting the birth of their young.

However the Lifecycle of the frog undergoes an important metamorphosis, since the young, called tadpoles, hatch from the egg ready for an aquatic life. They are elongated, equipped with gills and a tail that allows them to swim.

Once they reach a certain size, they prepare to leave the water, exchanging their gills for lungs and losing their tails, until they become fully adult frogs.

How long do frogs live?

The longevity of a frog depends largely on its species: the largest ones live longer than the smallest, and their life span can range from 4 to 10 years.

Poisonous frogs

Poison frogs generally have bright, colorful skin.

The skin of many frogs and toads is capable of secreting certain toxins for its defense, which when in contact with the skin or mucous membranes of an attacker produce irritation, burning or even poisoning. Generally, these frogs have a bright and colorful skin, which in the language of the nature serves as a warning.

Most of these frogs belong to the dendrobatid family (Dendrobatidae), popularly known as darthead frogs or arrowhead frogs, and which consist of around 200 species, mostly native to Central America and South America.