Frog than eats? Types of frogs. Frog in the nature

The frogs associated with each person with loud croaking and warm seasons refer to the tailless - the largest group of amphibians. The habitat of some individuals is exclusively land, other species of frogs recognize habitat only in water, some - both. Also there are tree frogs living on trees and able to plan for a distance of up to 15 meters.

The most comfortable for amphibians are places with increased dampness - wet forests, meadows, marshes, shores of freshwater reservoirs. Almost every corner of the earth is inhabited by these eager creatures, which on the planet there are more than 5,000 species. The highest density is recorded in the tropical zone. Many lovers of nature have always been interested: what is it, a frog? Than eats? Where does he live?

External description of the frog

Frogs are characterized by a short body. The absence of the neck as such allows the tailless animal to tilt the head slightly, at the top of which there are two bulging eyes and nostrils. What does the frog eat in the pond? What way of life leads? And why often blinks? The organs of the frog's vision are protected by centuries: the upper - the leathery - and the lower - the transparent and mobile. Private blinking, characteristic of them, is due to the protection from drying out the surface of the eyes, which are wetted by the damp skin of the eyelids. This feature is caused by the terrestrial lifestyle of the frog. For comparison, fish - permanent residents of a moist environment - do not have eyelids, so do not blink at all. The visual feature of frogs is their ability to simultaneously see all that is happening ahead, at the top and side. At the same time, never, even during sleep, they do not close their eyes for a long time.

Outside, behind each eye, is located the outer ear, covered with skin - the tympanic membrane. The internal organ of the frog hearing is placed directly in the skull.

Properties of frog skin

The air the green frog inhales with the lungs, which are poorly developed, and the skin, which is of great importance in the respiratory process. For this species of amphibians, an absolutely dry environment is disastrous, as it causes drying of the skin and a true death as a result of this. In the aquatic environment, the frog completely switches to breathing with the skin.

Our ancestors believed that the frog skin possesses bactericidal properties, so they threw these animals into milk, so that it does not get sour. By the way, the frog does not drink at all, and water from the external environment penetrates into its organism with food and through the skin, which, due to skin secretions of the mucous consistency, is constantly moist. Proceeding from the above, the following questions arise: "What is the difference between the rest of the representatives of fauna and the common frog? What do you eat, how does it prey on prey?"

The frog has well formed limbs, each of which consists of three main sections, interlocked by means of moving joints. In the front paws, this shoulder, forearm and hand, ending with 4 fingers (the fifth - underdeveloped). The back part consists of a foot with 5 fingers, connected by a swimming membrane, shins and thighs. The hind legs, which play the main role in movement, are several times stronger and longer than the forelegs, while the forelimbs serve as a kind of softening shock absorbers for jumping.

The body temperature of the amphibian directly depends on the temperature of the environment, rising in warmer times and falling in the cold. Like fish, frogs are cold-blooded animals. Therefore, when they become cold, they lose their activity and tend to take shelter in a warmer place, and in winter they hibernate.

Frog: what feeds on

The diet of these taillesses is quite extensive and consists of individuals surrounding it. Therefore, by logical thinking and careful observation, one can understand what the frog feeds in the pond. Basically, these are beetles, mosquitoes, flies, spiders, worms, snails, caterpillars, small crustaceans and sometimes fry. Some of the victims have a hard shell, with which the frog copes with the help of teeth. The frogs hunt exclusively for mobile prey, sitting in a secluded place and patiently awaiting a future dinner. Noticing the potential victim, the huntress throws out of her mouth a long, wide tongue to which she sticks.

Frog: Species

The tailless amphibians are divided into three types: frogs, toads and tree frogs.

Frogs are characterized by a smooth, slightly tuberculate skin, swimming membranes on the hind limbs and teeth located on the upper jaw. The most solid representative of this species is the Goliath frog, which predominantly inhabits West Africa. Its length is up to 1 meter, and the weight is about 3 kg. Impressive dimensions! A frog is struck by this look. What feeds on such a large individual, capable of jumping for a distance of up to 3 meters? The Goliath frog feeds on its small brethren, spiders and scorpions and is able to live up to 15 years. The lack of a voice resonator is compensated by an excellent hearing.

The size of the smallest frogs inhabiting Cuba is between 8.5 and 12 mm.

Pond frog

In the central regions of Europe, the pond green frog is the most common, except for its smaller size. The abdomen devoid of blemishes has a white or yellowish color, the color of the back is gray-green or bright green. A favorite habitat is small ponds with standing water and near-water flora. She prefers a daily life, feels comfortable both on land and in water, which allows her to consume oxygen equally through the skin and lungs. To travel overland, he uses fast jumps, he tries to hide from danger in a pond. Winter hibernation usually occurs in April-May, when the external temperature is 12 ^о С of heat, and the temperature of water is 10 ^о С. The beginning of awakening their activity is low, after two to three weeks, as the water warms up, reproduction begins in the pond. One female can lay up to 3000 eggs, of which within a week the larva of the frog develops. The full cycle of its reincarnation into an adult is about 2 months.

Life of a frog in nature

The tadpole of the frog feeds on microscopic algae, a little later - larvae of insects. Sexual maturity of the frog is reached in the third year of life. The duration of their life in natural conditions reaches 6-12 years. With the onset of a cold snap, frogs leave for the winter, preferring to burrow into the mud. Sometimes they can hide on land, say, in a burrow of rodents. For example, herbal frogs spend the wintering at the bottom of ice-free water bodies, in the sources of streams and rivers, gathering in tens and hundreds of individuals. Ostromordaya frog for wintering chooses cracks in the earth's crust.

Toads and frogs: differences

Toads are characterized by a lack of teeth and a skin covered with tubercles, which is darker and drier than the frog. The largest specimen in the world - the toad-aga - is also one of the most poisonous among its brethren. Its weight can reach 2 kg. The smallest frog has a length of 2.4 cm. Representatives of this species prefer to exist on land, descending to the water only during the mating season.

Quaksa are the smallest representatives of the three described species of frogs. From the others differ presence on fingers of the expanded disks helping them to climb upwards. Some species can fly, which helps them escape from enemies.

Amazing kinds of frogs

Like many fauna, among the frogs there are unique specimens.

So, in India there is an iridescent frog, which is the object of worship. She lives in the house of Reggie Kumar. Its singularity consists in constantly changing coloring, attracting a large number of people who want to look at this miracle and pray to it.

The internal structure of the frog can easily be studied by the dying out species - Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum. Otherwise it is called glass, or transparent, because through the skin you can see its insides.

Of woodworkers in Central and South America, I want to highlight a dyeing dyer, in particular, its blue subspecies. Unlike the other brethren, it manifests activity even in the daytime and almost always has a vivid color. Many dwarfs are on the verge of extinction. Dartworms are to some extent toxic, than the American Indians used successfully , using their poison for their arrows.

The Vietnamese swamp frog living in tropical and subtropical forests is often the subject of domestic exotics, in value terms it is estimated at $ 45 to $ 75. It is also called moss in connection with the unusual structure of the skin, which looks like rock moss. Also this appearance is an excellent disguise.