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How far can a frog jump?

Saturday, January 21st, 2012

This morning at the library I found a recently published book called FROGS: The Animal Answer Guide by herpetologists Mike Dorcas and Whit Gibbons (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011). The book is structured in the form of questions and answers, helping readers gain insight into amphibians and raising awareness about the importance of frogs and toads in our natural world.

FROGS: The Animal Answer Guide by Mike Dorcas and Whit Gibbons

Here are some questions posed in the book:

Do frogs sleep?

What color are a frog’s eyes?

How do some frogs stick to walls?

Why should people care for frogs?

What roles do frogs play in native cultures?

Do frogs have teeth?

The answers are easy to read and non-technical. While the book wasn’t shelved in the children’s room, it would be fine for kids ages 10 and up.

So here’s one question from the book:

How far can a frog jump?

Many frogs can jump at least 30 times their body length, and some smaller species of tree frogs can jump 50 times their length. This is the human equivalent of jumping the length of a football field without a running start. Some frogs in the genus Rhacophorus, flying or gliding frogs of Asia, can go even longer distances. These frogs have webbed toes that they use as parachutes to slow their fall and glide from one tree to the next, or to the ground. Jumping helps frogs avoid predators; the skeletons of some species are modified to absorb the shock when they land. Not all frogs are long jumpers. The narrowmouth toads of the southeast and or the Mexican burrowing toad can only hop a few inches.

Tags: books about amphibians, books about frogs and toads, flying frogs, frog anatomy, frog behavior, Frogs: The Animal Answer Guide, gliding frogs, how far can a frog jump, learn about frogs and toads, questions and answers about frogs, reading about frogs, Rhacophorus
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What’s the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad?

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

illustration copyright Arnold Lobel

Ever wonder what the difference is between a frog and a toad? At FROGS ARE GREEN, we thought we’d enlighten you so that when you’re hiking in the woods and someone says, “Look at that cute frog!” you’ll be able to say, “That’s not a frog, that’s a toad!”

Frogs and toads are both amphibians in the order Anura. Of the three major classifications of amphibians, frogs make up the vast majority, about 90 percent of all amphibian species (the other types of amphibians are salamanders and caecilians). Toads are a sub-classification of frogs, meaning that all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads (clear so far?).

WHERE DO FROGS AND TOADS LIVE

Both frogs and toads live near ponds, swamps, and marshes. Frogs can live on the ground or in trees. But toads live only on the ground.

SLIM VS. CHUBBY

Both frogs and toads have stubby front legs and they are both about the same size. But frogs have slimmer bodies and longer hind legs. These limbs are especially good for leaping from tree to tree and for swimming.

Toads are chubbier than frogs. They have shorter hind legs, good for hopping around on the ground, or walking and crawling. They are a bit slower and less active than their leaping frog cousins.

WEBBED FEET OR NOT?

Frogs usually have webbed hind feet, and some have webbed front feet. Some frogs, such as tree frogs, have pads on their toes that help frogs climb trees, or even stick to a glass window.

Most toads don’t have webbed feet or sticky toe pads. They move by a series of short hops on land.

SMOOTH VS. WARTY

Frog skin is usually smooth and moist. Toad skin is drier and bumpier. The bumps look like warts and its skin feels rough (don’t worry—you won’t get warts if you touch a toad’s skin!).

FROG AND TOAD EGGS

Frogs lay eggs in bunches, or clusters, which have a jelly-like substance around them. Toads lay their eggs in lines, or strands, on leaves of plants that live in the water.

These are the basic differences between frogs and toads, but things do get confusing. You can’t necessarily go by the common name of the frog or toad. In some parts of the world, especially tropical areas near the equator, frogs and toads often look alike. For example, the Harlequin frog is actually a toad. The only way to tell these frogs and toads apart is to look at the differences in their teeth and bones. Also, if a frog-like amphibian lives in a dry area, it is most likely a toad.

But for the most part, these guidelines will help you distinguish between the two types of amphibians. So this summer get your camera, your notebook, and binoculars and see if you can find some of these intriguing animals in the woods, near marshes and ponds, or even in your backyard.