ABC Wednesday: Frog (American Bullfrog - Lithobates catesbeianus)

"F" is for Frog.

In this case, an American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus or Rana catesbeiana), sitting at the pond's edge and waiting for prey to come within range.

Food:  Bullfrogs are carnivores.  They will eat anything they can subdue and swallow, including insects, fish,  snakes, small mammals and other frogs.  They often use their front legs to help shove food down their throats.  Bullfrogs (and other frogs) even retract their eyes as an aid to swallowing.  (Eye retraction helps push the prey toward their esophagus.)

Range:  The native range of bullfrogs was eastern North America.  However, they've been introduced and naturalized throughout much of the continental US, and as far south as Mexico and Cuba. They have even found their way to Europe, South America, and Asia.  Introduced bullfrogs often cause ecological problems because they eat all the native frog species.  In the wild, bullfrogs can live up 7-9 years and a female can lay as many as 20,000 eggs.

Habitat:  Freshwater ponds, lakes, and marshes.  The bullfrog in the photo above was in a small stock pond on our neighbor's cow pasture.

Respiration:  Frogs in the family Ranidae absorb oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide through their moist skin, the lining of the mouth, and the lungs.

Territory:  Males are highly territorial and will aggressively guard their plot of pond.

Hearing:  The circular disc on the side of the frog's head is a tympanum which functions like a eardrum.

Human uses:  Fried frog legs and dissection specimens for school biology labs. 

Visit ABC Wednesday.

.

ABC Wednesday: Frog (American Bullfrog - Lithobates catesbeianus)