About Rainforest Frogs
Rainforests are areas of abundant animal and plant life. Rainforest frogs rank among the most diverse rainforest animals. Diverse in color, shape and size, they are highly specialized creatures. They adapt well to the rainforest and many have lifespans ranging between two and ten years. Many rainforest frog species are listed as endangered, due to rainforest destruction as well as natural and human predators.
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Scientific Information
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Frogs are amphibians of the Anura order. A majority of rainforest frogs are characterized by short, fleshy bodies, the absence of a tail, long hind legs, webbed digits and protruding eyes. They are excellent jumpers, owing to their powerful legs. Frogs "drink" water and absorb oxygen directly through their permeable skins. They require ample moisture to survive, which is why they are most commonly found in humid or aquatic areas.
Geography
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Rainforest frogs are abundantly found in the moist rainforests of Central and South America, Australia and New Guinea.
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Characteristics
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Most rainforest frogs share some typical characteristics. They are tiny and typically range in size between 1 and 3 inches. Rainforest frogs are generally brightly colored and it is not uncommon to see bright-red, yellow and blue colored species with characteristic large, protruding, often red-colored eyes. Some rainforest frogs, such as the poison dart frog, are highly toxic, with a poisonous film that covers their epidermis, offering additional protection against rainforest predators. Frogs eat a varied diet and prefer small insects like beetles, flies, ants and crickets. Some frogs exhibit cannibalistic dietary habits and routinely eat members of their own species.
Types
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Rainforest frogs come in numerous shapes and colors, depending on their environment and species. Some of the most common types of rainforest frogs around the world include tree frog, poison-dart frog, Panama-golden frog, tomato frog, glass frog, monkey frog, Boophis tree frog, acid frog, Mantella frog, white-lipped tree frog, bumpy rocketfrog, Australian lacelid, Lesuer's frog, ornate frog, waterfall frog, northern red-eyed tree frog and yellow and brown toad.
Importance
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Rainforest frogs are studied for their medicinal potential. Epibatidine, an extremely potent alkaloid and a powerful analgesic, exists naturally in the skin of the poison-dart frog. Epibatidine is more than 200 times as potent as morphine. It is currently being studied for its potential as a therapeutic drug. Other poisons extracted from the skins of rainforest frogs are being studied for their potential HIV-resistant properties.
Considerations
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Rainforest frogs are rapidly declining worldwide due to pollution and deforestation. Many rainforest-frog species are listed as endangered, owing to the combined effects of natural predators (snakes, birds, bats, fish and tarantulas), excessive pesticide and fertilizer use and environmental hazards, such as acid rain. The common mist frog, for instance, is an example of an endangered rainforest creature.
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References
- Photo Credit Poisonous frog, Ronario Frog Pond, Costa Rica image by Oren Sarid from Fotolia.com
