What Is A Frog?

Frogs are amphibians that belong to the order Anura.  This order includes amphibians that are commonly referred to as toads as well as frogs.  Biologists make no firm distinctions between ‘frog’ and ‘toad’.  Frogs are highly adaptive little creatures that can be found in most regions around the world apart from the most extreme conditions of the Arctic and Sahara Desert.

Most people can comfortably identify a frog due to their unique physical traits.  Frogs are tailless – which is unusual for an amphibian – and they have proportionately long and muscular hind legs that are ideally adapted for jumping rather than walking.  They have webbed feet to make them excellent swimmers, their eyes are protruded, and they have moist and often shiny or glistening skin.  Some frogs have smooth skin and others have quite bumpy skin.

The term ‘toad’ is usually reserved for the rough-skinned amphibians in the Anura order with the smooth-skinned relatives deemed to be ‘frogs’.  Some creatures that belong in the family Bufonidae are referred to as ‘true toads’ because they have a number of toad-like traits, while ‘true frogs’ are considered to be those belonging to the family Ranidae.  There are a number of other families, however, within the order Anura that are also considered to be frogs.

Most frogs are known to be aquatic although a number of species are also equally comfortable living on land and will only return to the water to breed.  Frogs are known for their incredible range of vocalizations, which endear them to humans.  Some frogs are capable of long periods of hibernation, an ability that is extremely helpful for those species that live in more severe climates. 

Frogs vary in size quite significantly.  They can be up to 30 cms (a foot) in length and as small as less than 10 mms (1/2 inch) in length.  Frogs eat a variety of insects, worms, and small animals.  Frogs absorb much of their oxygen through their skin as other amphibians do.  Frogs that live in tropical rainforests often have striking vibrant colours that are meant to serve as a warning to their predators because these frogs are often poisonous.  A number of frogs have adapted by developing poisonous glands to protect them from predators.  A number of cultures have traditionally used frog’s poison for hunting.

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Here I have provided you with wikipedia's definition of a frog. en.wikipedia.org

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Any of various tailless stout-bodied amphibians with long hind limbs for leaping; semiaquatic and terrestrial species.

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