Tree Frogs Can Undergo Cryopreservation
Wealthy individuals around the world are searching for ways to freeze their bodies and wake up centuries later to enjoy future advancements, but so far, success has been elusive. However, many frog species can do this naturally, without cryo-capsules— they bury themselves in frozen soil, enter a state of suspended animation, wake up in spring, and go about their lives. Simple.
For example, species like tree frogs, marsh frogs, three-striped frogs, and gray tree frogs are capable of this. This ability is especially crucial for amphibians living in Alaska.
These frogs can survive even when 70% of the water in their bodies is frozen. Their organs resemble dried meat, and the liquid in their bodies turns to snow. Yet, once the sun warms these amphibians, they come back to life and resume hunting to restore their energy.
The freezing of amphibians is being closely studied by scientists. Researchers believe that frogs’ extraordinary abilities could help extend the preservation of human organs for transplantation.
The Atelopus Zeteki Communicates Through Gestures
It’s well-known that frogs croak during the mating season to attract females. But some species have more advanced communication mechanisms than others.
For example, the Atelopus Zeteki (or Panamanian golden frog) can defend its territory from hostile males by sending signals not only with its voice but also with its limbs. Aggressive waves of its front limbs warn others that they have entered someone else’s territory.
The Atelopus literally shows rivals through gestures what it will do if they don’t leave its land.
It’s possible that the frog’s ability to gesture is an evolutionary mechanism that reduces intraspecific aggression. It’s much better to intimidate an opponent than fight— that way, both will survive and maintain their territories.
By the way, the Atelopus is highly poisonous. So, if you’re in the Amazon jungle and see a small, angry yellow creature waving its limbs at you in warning, don’t pick it up.
The Male Darwin’s Frog Raises Tadpoles in Its Throat
Typically, the organ called a “vocal sac,” located in the frog’s throat, is used to amplify croaking. However, some amphibians find more original uses for it.
For example, male Darwin’s frogs— amphibians that live on the slopes of the Andes in southern Chile and Argentina. After fertilizing the female’s eggs, they wait for her to lay them, then swallow the eggs. The eggs end up in the vocal sac of the proud father, where they fuse with blood vessels and are nourished by his body.
Tadpoles hatch inside, live there until they fully transform into little frogs, and only then does the father spit them out.
You Can See Through the Body of the Glass Frog to Its Organs
Glass frogs of Central and South America aren’t named for their fragility but for their translucent bodies. Through the skin of this amphibian, you can see its internal organs: the heart beating, the stomach digesting food, and the bones beneath the muscles.
This structure helps these amphibians protect themselves from predators. When they sit on a leaf, they’re almost impossible to spot. Their camouflage is straight out of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man.
Glass frogs aren’t just masters of camouflage, they are also excellent parents. The males take care of the offspring. One single father can fertilize up to seven females. He then gathers the egg clusters in one place to keep an eye on them and protect them from predators until the young frogs hatch.
The Terrible Golden Poison Frog Becomes Toxic Due to Its Diet
The terrible poison dart frog is a tiny frog, only 6 centimeters long. But despite its small size, this animal is aptly named: it can produce one of the most potent poisons in the world.
It’s enough to simply touch a poison dart frog to suffer from batrachotoxin, which is secreted through the creature’s brightly colored skin. Contact with the frog causes convulsions, drooling, muscle spasms, and shortness of breath. If held for longer, it can lead to paralysis, fibrillation, heart failure, and death.
Indigenous tribes of the Colombian rainforest use the poison of poison dart frogs to make the tips of their arrows lethal.
Despite this, many terrarium enthusiasts keep these amphibians as pets without any fear of poisoning. The fact is, poison dart frogs produce their batrachotoxin by consuming certain poisonous ants, mites, and other invertebrates. The frog instinctively knows which insects to eat and in what quantity, so it doesn’t poison itself.
However, poison dart frogs raised in captivity are entirely safe. In Colombia, they are bred in large numbers for export to vivarium owners worldwide.
The Two-Colored Phyllomedusa Bicolor Secretes Hallucinogens
Not all frogs are as deadly as the terrible poison dart frog. The toxins secreted by the skin of the two-colored phyllomedusa aren’t strong enough to kill, but they can cause vivid hallucinations and leave the victim dazed and confused. This amphibian is also known as the waxy monkey tree frog because its toxic secretion resembles whitish wax.
This is also an effective defense mechanism. A predator grabs the frog, intending to eat it, but suddenly falls into an altered state of consciousness. The clever amphibian hops away, leaving the confused attacker gazing at the sky and wondering why the trees have started growing upside down.
Tribes in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru use phyllomedusa venom in initiation ceremonies, allowing young men and women to experience the “lightness” of being and speak to the spirits of their ancestors. However, the price for such an experience is steep: once the frog enthusiast comes to their senses, they are greeted by severe tachycardia, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Amazonian shamans and healers believe that rubbing oneself with the frog’s secretion can cleanse the body of all impurities. However, in reality, overuse of this alternative medicine leads to damage to the kidneys, pancreas, and liver. So the two-colored phyllomedusa is not as harmless as it might seem.
