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Fun Frog and Toad Facts: Why Frogs Sing, Have Spots or Stripes, and Other Tidbits

© Mary M. Alward

Frogs are amphibians, and together with reptiles make up a large group called Herps. The scientists who study this group are called Herpetoculturist. One single creature is a herptile. If you breed herptiles as a hobby, your hobby is herpetoculture.

Here are some fun facts about frogs:

• The eyes of a frog can be gold, silver, brown or green. The pupils can be round, horizontal or heart shaped. You may even see star-shaped or triangular eyes.
• Frog teeth are small and cone-shaped, and are found on the upper jaw. Frogs also have teeth on the roof of their mouths. The teeth hold prey before the frog swallows it whole.
• There are 6 to 14 frogs species in the world that have no tongues. One of these is the African dwarf frog. 
• Frogs can jump 20 times their body length. They launch themselves with strong, back legs.
• All toads are really frogs from a different family of species.

Why Frogs Sing and have Spots or Stripes

Some frogs have vocal sacs that stretch like balloons. Other frogs sing without a vocal sac. Only male frogs sing in some species, while in others both males and females sing. Frogs sing for a number of reasons. They may want to keep other frogs out of their territory, to signal changes in the weather, or to look for a mate.

The Chilean four-eyed frog has poisonous glands on its behind that look like eyes to fool enemies. Some frogs have stripes down the middle of their backs that make them look as if they are “split in two.” This confuses their enemies and keeps them from becoming someone’s lunch. 

Unusual Frog Facts 

• Bullfrogs leave tracks with their bellies and toes.
• In the town of Villa Angel Flores in Mexico, a tornado picked up the frogs from a lake and "rained" them over the city.
• The longest life span of a frog was 40 years. It was a European Common Toad.
• The eyes of a frog flatten down when it swallows its prey.
• Frogs drink and breathe through their skin.
• Frogs hear using big, round ears on the sides of their heads.
• Frogs that live in northern and cold regions hibernate?
• The earliest known frog appeared 190 million years ago during the Jurassic Period.

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