Startling Varieties of Frogs

When someone refers to a frog, the idea that many people may get is the common variety that we see in ponds and so forth. If you study on it, you will see that there are many types in diverse areas. (Saddle up for a ride in the desert, you may notice that there are some living out there as well.) Then there are tree frogs, and others. When I was reading this article, I expected something mundane, and almost croaked out "Oh, no". Then I realized that I had better hop to it and write it up for all y'all.

"Enough of the frog puns, Cowboy Bob!"

It's a good thing you toad me, or I might continue. So anyway...

Credit: Freeimanges / Robert Badgley

Frogs and toads live in different environments, as I have mentioned. They are able to survive harsh conditions (some frogs can freeze solid and "come back to life" when warm weather returns), and even have interesting defensive mechanisms. Ever hear of "toad licking"? Some owlhoots extract the defensive skin venom of the Colorado River Toad and process it so they can get high. Others actually lick the critters. This is pushing the toads toward extinction, and can lead to the extinction of some individuals. Helpful hint: better keep away from poison dart frogs, Ferdinand.

The reproduction methods of frogs varies. Tadpoles are the young 'uns, looking very different from their parents for a spell, but they have the genetic information programmed by the Creator to grow up into what we expect to see.

Seeing a familiar frog afresh is a wonderful way to be more stunned by the exotic forms. So what is this familiar frog? For the US citizen, it is usually a member of the true frog family (Ranidae) that resides around ponds, lakes, and streams. As a rule, these frogs sit at the water’s edge, have slimy skin, plunge into the water at the least disturbance, and lay gobs of jelly-coated eggs in clusters. These eggs hatch into tadpoles that primarily eat algae and aquatic plants. Many of us have taken them home in a bucket to rear into frogs, an attempt that was sometimes successful if our mother dutifully kept us on task. These typical frogs are a nice, predictable platform from which we can be flabbergasted at fantastical frog life.

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