How far can you jump? A frog can easily jump
the length of its body or farther. The frog just gets its strong hind legs
ready, pushes off, and away it goes! A frog’s hind legs are made for leaping.
Frogs and toads are very much alike. They are
both amphibians. Amphibians are animals that spend part of their lives in water
and part on land.
FROG OR TOAD?
There are some differences between frogs and toads.
Many species (kinds) of frogs have smooth skin and live near water.
Toads have rough, bumpy skin. They often live in drier areas.
There are other differences in their bodies. Frogs
usually have long legs. Toads have shorter legs. Frogs have teeth in their
upper jaw. Toads have no teeth at all.
Sometimes the differences are not that clear. Some
animals that are called toads actually are more like frogs. Some animals are
like a mixture of a frog and a toad.
Frogs and toads do not drink water. They soak
up all the water they need through their skin.
KINDS OF FROGS AND TOADS
There are more than 4,000 species of frogs and
toads. The giant, or cane, toad is about 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) long.
The gold frog is about 0.4 inch (about 1 centimeter) long.
The largest frog is the West African goliath
frog. It is 12 inches (30 centimeters) long and weighs more than 7 pounds (more
than 3 kilograms).
WHERE DO FROGS AND TOADS LIVE?
Frogs live almost everywhere in the world except
near the North and South poles and on some islands in the ocean. Frogs that
spend a lot of time in water have webbed feet that help them swim. Frogs that
live in trees have sticky disks on the ends of their fingers and toes. These
sticky disks help them climb trees.
Toads live all over the United States. In
winter, they hibernate (become inactive). Some frogs hibernate, too.
HOW DO FROGS AND TOADS REPRODUCE?
Frogs and toads gather in groups to find mates.
They always gather near some kind of water. Frogs like to mate in rainy
weather.
Male frogs croak and say ribbet. They
make these sounds to attract females. Female frogs and toads lay eggs. Toads
lay eggs in water. Some frogs lay eggs in water. Other frogs lay eggs in wet
places on land.
Some frogs guard their eggs. The female marsupial
frog carries her eggs in a pouch on her back. In one Australian frog species,
the female swallows the eggs and the young develop in her stomach. Most frogs
and toads don’t care for their young. The young can grow up on their own.
TADPOLES
Most frogs and toads go through two stages of
life. First, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles breathe through gills and
swim like fish. Then, the young tadpoles slowly change into grown-ups that look
totally different. The tadpoles grow legs and lungs for breathing. This change
is called metamorphosis.
WHAT DO FROGS AND TOADS EAT?
Frogs and toads are meat eaters. They usually
eat insects, worms, spiders, and centipedes.
Instead of chasing their food, frogs and toads let
their dinner come to them. Frogs and toads have long, sticky tongues. When
something that looks tasty comes by, the frog or toad flicks out its tongue. It
catches the prey with its tongue and pulls the prey into its mouth. Frogs and
toads usually swallow their prey whole. When a frog or toad swallows, its big
bulging eyes sink back through holes in its skull. The eyes help push food down
the throat.
WHAT THREATENS FROGS AND TOADS?
Frogs and toads are disappearing in many parts
of the world. One reason for their disappearance is that people are clearing
land and destroying places where frogs and toads live. However, some frogs and
toads seem to disappear for no reason. The golden toad of Costa Rica and the
gastric brooding frog of Australia have become extinct. Both animals lived in
wilderness areas.
Some frogs with abnormal bodies have been
discovered. Scientists worry that pollution is harming these frogs. To help
frogs, some countries have passed laws attempting to protect the places where
frogs live.