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Frog

Frogs are a diverse group of tailless amphibians known as Anura. They range from tropical to subarctic regions, with the greatest diversity in tropical rainforests. Frogs account for 88% of amphibian species and are one of the most diverse vertebrate orders. Adult frogs have stout bodies, protruding eyes, folded limbs, and no tails. Their skin varies in color and texture for camouflage or toxicity. Frogs lay eggs in water that hatch into tadpoles, then metamorphose into adults on land or in trees, where they eat small invertebrates or plant matter.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
41 views1 page

Frog

Frogs are a diverse group of tailless amphibians known as Anura. They range from tropical to subarctic regions, with the greatest diversity in tropical rainforests. Frogs account for 88% of amphibian species and are one of the most diverse vertebrate orders. Adult frogs have stout bodies, protruding eyes, folded limbs, and no tails. Their skin varies in color and texture for camouflage or toxicity. Frogs lay eggs in water that hatch into tadpoles, then metamorphose into adults on land or in trees, where they eat small invertebrates or plant matter.

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Leticia
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A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless

[1]
amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally without tail in Ancient Greek). The oldest
fossil "proto-frog" Triadobatrachus is known from the Early Triassic of Madagascar, but molecular
clock dating suggests their split from other amphibians may extend further back to the Permian, 265
million years ago. Frogs are widely distributed, ranging from the tropics to subarctic regions, but the
greatest concentration of species diversity is in tropical rainforest. Frogs account for around 88% of
extant amphibian species. They are also one of the five most diverse vertebrate orders. Warty frog
species tend to be called toads, but the distinction between frogs and toads is informal, not from
taxonomy or evolutionary history.
An adult frog has a stout body, protruding eyes, anteriorly-attached tongue, limbs folded underneath,
and no tail (the tail of tailed frogs is an extension of the male cloaca). Frogs have glandular skin, with
secretions ranging from distasteful to toxic. Their skin varies in colour from well-camouflaged
dappled brown, grey and green to vivid patterns of bright red or yellow and black to show toxicity and
ward off predators. Adult frogs live in fresh water and on dry land; some species are adapted for
living underground or in trees.
Frogs typically lay their eggs in water. The eggs hatch into aquatic larvae called tadpoles that have
tails and internal gills. They have highly specialized rasping mouth parts suitable for herbivorous,
omnivorous or planktivorous diets. The life cycle is completed when they metamorphose into adults.
A few species deposit eggs on land or bypass the tadpole stage. Adult frogs generally have a
carnivorous diet consisting of small invertebrates, but omnivorous species exist and a few feed on
plant matter. Frog skin has a rich microbiome which is important to their health. Frogs are extremely
efficient at converting what they eat into body mass. They are an important food source for predators
and part of the food web dynamics of many of the world's ecosystems. The skin is semi-permeable,
making them susceptible to 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 in
their breeding season, and exhibit many different kinds of complex behaviors to attract mates, to
fend off predators and to generally survive.

Credits: Wikipedia

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