ZOOLOGICAL INFORMATION
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTH'S WE WILL BE
PRODUCING MORE FACT PAGES
NATURAL HISTORY LECTURE SERVICE.
SOME AMPHIBIAN FACTS
EGGS AND TADPOLES.
1. SOFT JELLY EGGS. LAID IN WATER OR SLUNG UNDER BRANCHES OF TREES, SOME LAID IN ROCK CREVICES. SOME FROGS SWALLOW HER EGGS, THE MALE MIDWIFE TOAD CARRY THEIR STRING OF EGGS AROUND THERE HIND LEGS OTHER FROGS HAVE POUCHES IN THERE SKIN AND THE FROGS AND SOME TOADS WILL CARRY THE EGGS IN THESE FOLDS OF SKIN.
2. TADPOLES. WHEN BORN SIMPLY HAVE AROUND HEAD FAT BODY LONG TAIL AND GILLS. THESE CREATURES CAN REMAIN TADPOLES FROM A FEW HOURS TO TWO YEARS, WHEN METAMORPHOSESTARTS TO TAKE PLACE WE SEE THE BACK LEGS APPEAR FIRST THEN THE FRONT, SLOWLY THE TAIL IS ABSORBED AND IN SOME TADPOLES THE GILLS DISAPPEAR.
3. MOTHERS. ALL THOUGH MOST TADPOLES HAVE TO SURVIVE ON THERE OWN SOME HAVE MOTHERS TO HELP THEM LIKE, POISON ARROW FROGS WHO WILL CARRY THE YOUNG ON THERE BACKS TO THE NURSERY POOLS. DARWIN'S FROG WILL HOLD THEM IN MOUTH POUCHES, AND THE BROODING FROG WILL CARRY THE TADPOLES IN HER STOMACH UNTIL THEY TURN INTO FROGLETS, WHEN SHE WILL SPIT THEM OUT. SEVERAL SPECIES OF TOADS WILL CARRY THE YOUNG IN SKIN POUCHES ON THERE BACKS.
WHAT ARE FROGS AND TOADS.
1. FROGS AND TOADS HAVE LARGE HEADS BULGING EYES AND SHORT FAT BODIES,
2. THEY ARE COVERED WITH SKIN AND HAVE NO SCALES OR FEATHERS, AND THEY HAVE NO FUR. THEIR IS NO NECK OR TAIL.
3. FROGS HAVE A MOIST SKIN, TEETH, ABILITY TO JUMP, LAY A GROUP OF EGGS, AND ONLY A FEW ARE POISONOUS.
4. TOADS HAVE A LUMPY SKIN, LONG TONGUE, CRAWL AND HOP, EGGS ARE LAID IN A STRING OR A CHAIN, ALL
TOADS ARE POISONOUS.
5. BOTH FROGS AND TOADS BREATH THROUGH LUNGS AND ALSO THROUGH THEIR SKIN. THEY HAVE BRIGHT EYES TO SEE FOOD WITH AND A ROUND DISC BEHIND THE EYES TO HEAR WITH.MOST FROGS AND TOADS WILL SING OR CALL IN THE MATING SEASON THE LIMBS OF THESE AMPHIBIANS ARE VERY STRONG THE FRONT LEGS ARE SHORT FOR LANDING AND FOR FEEDING,
THE BACK LONG FOR JUMPING. THE FROGS HAVE DIFFERENT FEET. STICKY TOES FOR CLIMBING,
WEBBED FEET FOR SWIMMING, AND POINTED TOES FOR DIGGING. THERE ARE A FEW TOADS THAT ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT FEET TO SUIT THERE HABITAT.
BURROWING FROGS.
MOST FROGS AND TOADS CAN BURROW BUT SOME ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS. NATTERJACK TOADS USE THERE FINGERS WHICH HAVE HARD TIPS ON THEM. SOME TOADS USE THEIR BACK LEGS TO BURY OTHERS USE BOTH FRONT AND BACK LEGS, SEVERAL SPECIES HAVE SHARP SNOUTS WHICH THEY PUSH INTO THE GROUND AND GO HEAD FIRST. RAIN FROGS WILL SPEND UP TO 11 MONTHS UNDERGROUND COMING OUT ONLY IN THE RAINY SEASON. STONY FROGS SIT ON THE FLOOR OR JUST UNDER THE FALLEN LEAVES CREATING A SLIMY WET STONE LOOK.
TREE FROGS.
THESE FROGS WILL SPEND ALL THEIR LIFE IN TREES, NEVER COMING DOWN TO THE FOREST FLOOR. EATING, DRINKING, SLEEPING, FINDING A MATE, AND LAYING EGGS ON LEAVES OR BRANCHES. STICKY TOES TO HOLD ON WITH AND SOME HAVE WEBBED HANDS TO HELP THEM GLIDE WITH. QUITE A FEW FROGS WILL CREATE A WAXY LOTION TO COVER THERE SKIN WITH TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE SUN, OTHERS WILL HIDE IN WATER OR UNDER LEAVES.
AQUATIC FROGS AND TOADS.
ALL FROGS AND TOADS CAN SWIM BUT SOME WILL STAY IN THE WATER ALL THERE LIVES AND NEVER COME OUT. MOST FROGS AND TOADS THAT LIVE IN WATER ARE FLAT TO HELP THEM MOVE MORE EASILY FEW HAVE HAIRY BODY'S TO HELP THEM BREATHE WHILE THEY SWIM FAST SOME BURY IN THE FAST WATER ONLY COMING OUT WHEN THE WATER DROPS ITS LEVEL TO A SLOW PACE.
EDUCATION. CONSERVATION. RESEARCH.
