They have worldwide distribution with the exception of the polar regions, some oceanic islands, and the driest of deserts. Frogs and toads, also referred to as anurans, represent the largest of the three amphibian groups. or The water in the frog’s cells freezes and is replaced with glucose and urea to keep cells from collapsing. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience and for our, How the Sixth Mass Extinction Affects the U.S. Economy, 10 Extinct or Nearly Extinct Amphibians to Know More About, Reptile or Amphibian? California Do Not Sell My Info The teeth are used to hold prey in place until the frog can swallow it. 10 Facts About Frogs . Frogs don’t need to drink water as they absorb it through their skin. 5 ) When a frog swallows its prey, it blinks, which pushes its eyeballs down on top of the mouth to help push the food down its throat. 14 ) The red-eyed tree frog lays it eggs on the underside of leaves that hang over water. 17th Annual Photo Contest Finalists Announced. I have since discovered many amazing, surprising, disgusting and flat-out weird facts about frogs, and have collected the 14 best to share here with you: 1 ) One gram of the toxin produced by the skin of the golden poison dart frog could kill 100,000 people. It lives in West Africa and can measure more than a foot in length and weigh more than 7 pounds – as much as a newborn baby. Terms of Use A frog’s call is unique to its species, and some frog calls can be heard up to a mile away. Newts and salamanders (Order Caudata), Caecilians (Order Gymnopiona), and frogs and toads (Order Anura). When I started working on this frog blog post (inspired by the adorable yet deadly poison dart frogs at the National Zoo), my knowledge of frogs was limited to Mr. Toad from The Wind in the Willows and Kermit. Laura Klappenbach, M.S., is a science writer specializing in ecology, biology, and wildlife. 11 ) Most frogs have teeth, although usually only on their upper jaw. 13 ) There’s a type of poison dart frog called the blue-jeans frog; it has a red body with blue legs. Her skin swells around the eggs until they become embedded in a honeycomb-like structure. Continue 7 ) A group of birds is called a flock, a group of cattle is called a herd, but a group of frogs is called an army. 14 Fun Facts About Frogs #4: When Darwin’s frog tadpoles hatch, a male frog swallows the tadpoles The Glass Frog (Centrolenella colymbiphyllum) has skin so … When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water below. 8 ) The glass frog has translucent skin, so you can see its internal organs, bones and muscles through its skin. There are approximately 4,800 species of frogs around the entire world.. Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica.. Frogs typically live in forested and wetland areas. He then proceeds to cough up tiny, fully formed frogs. Frogs are the most familiar group of amphibians. An Identification Key, M.S., Applied Ecology, Indiana University Bloomington, B.S., Biology and Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They are known for their jumping abilities, croaking sounds, bulging eyes and slimy skin.. The wax prevents the skin of the frog from drying out in sunlight. When temperatures fall, the wood frog’s body begins to shut down, and its breathing, heartbeat and muscle movements stop. There are three groups of amphibians. When there’s a thaw, the frog’s warms up, its body functions resume and it hops off like nothing ever happened. 4 ) When Darwin’s frog tadpoles hatch, a male frog swallows the tadpoles. Some frogs can jump over 20 times their own body length; that is like a … 12 ) The biggest frog in the world is the Goliath frog. Advertising Notice Cookie Policy 6 ) The wood frog of North America actually freezes in the winter and is reanimated in the spring. 3 ) A frog completely sheds its skin about once a week. 2 ) The female Surinam toad lays up to 100 eggs, which are then distributed over her back. 10 ) The waxy monkey frog secretes a wax from its neck and uses its legs to rub that wax all over its body. It is also sometimes called the strawberry dart frog. Privacy Statement Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. Give a Gift. Long Before Trees Overtook the Land, Earth Was Covered by Giant Mushrooms, Melting Ice in Norway Reveals Ancient Arrows, The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020, How the Story of "Moana" and Maui Holds Up Against Cultural Truths, Hegra, an Ancient City in Saudi Arabia Untouched for Millennia, Makes Its Public Debut, The Myths of the Thanksgiving Story and the Lasting Damage They Imbue, The True Story of the ‘Free State of Jones’, Medicinal Plant May Have Evolved Camouflage to Evade Humans, Why the Myths of Plymouth Dominate the American Imagination, A History of Felines, as Narrated and Illustrated by a Cat, The True Story of 'The Trial of the Chicago 7', The Inspiring Quest to Revive the Hawaiian Language, The New Science of Our Ancient Bond With Dogs, Why Seagrass Could Be the Ocean's Secret Weapon Against Climate Change. Frogs belong to a group of animals called amphibians.. After 12 to 20 weeks, fully formed young toads emerge by pushing out through the membrane covering the toad’s back. Amazing Facts About the Frog. Frogs belong to the Order Anura, the largest of the three groups of amphibians. He keeps the tiny amphibians in his vocal sac for about 60 days to allow them to grow. You can even observe its heart beating and its stomach digesting food. Vote Now! Keep up-to-date on: © 2020 Smithsonian Magazine. There are over 5,000 species of frog. Obviously, I had a lot to learn. After it pulls off the old, dead skin, the frog usually eats it. Smithsonian Institution, (Carl C. Hansen, Smithsonian Institution). 9 ) There is a frog in Indonesia that has no lungs – it breathes entirely through its skin.