Main Characteristics of Frogs
- There are nearly 8,000 species of frogs.
- Frogs are the most diverse order among amphibians.
- Frogs are categorized into three groups: true frogs, toads, and fire-bellied toads.
- True frogs are slender creatures that move by jumping and have moist skin.
- Toads, on the other hand, are stockier and more robust, walking on all fours with drier, warty skin.
- Fire-bellied toads are small and flat, often adorned with colorful spots on their bellies.
- Frogs hatch from eggs as larvae and eventually grow from tadpoles into adult frogs.
- This transformation is referred to as metamorphosis.
- During metamorphosis, organs and body parts are restructured. Arms and legs develop, the tail regresses, and the gills transform into lungs.
- As tadpoles, they are herbivorous, but after metamorphosis, they become carnivorous.
- The largest frog is the goliath frog, which can reach lengths of up to 14.5 inches (36,83 cm) and weigh as much as 8.06 pounds (3.66 kg).
- The smallest frog is the Brachycephalus pulex, measuring only 0.25 inches (6.2 mm).
- The most poisonous frog is the poison dart frog.