Frogs and Toads.

Frogs and Toads. How far can you jump? A frog can easily jump the length of its body or farther. The frog just gets its strong hind legs ready, pushes off, and away it goes! A frog's hind legs are made for leaping. Frogs and toads are very much alike. They are both amphibians. Amphibians are animals that spend part of their lives in water and part on land. FROG OR TOAD? There are some differences between frogs and toads. Many species (kinds) of frogs have smooth skin and live near water. Toads have rough, bumpy skin. They often live in drier areas. There are other differences in their bodies. Frogs usually have long legs. Toads have shorter legs. Frogs have teeth in their upper jaw. Toads have no teeth at all. Sometimes the differences are not that clear. Some animals that are called toads actually are more like frogs. Some animals are like a mixture of a frog and a toad. Frogs and toads do not drink water. They soak up all the water they need through their skin. KINDS OF FROGS AND TOADS There are more than 4,000 species of frogs and toads. The giant, or cane, toad is about 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) long. The gold frog is about 0.4 inch (about 1 centimeter) long. The largest frog is the West African goliath frog. It is 12 inches (30 centimeters) long and weighs more than 7 pounds (more than 3 kilograms). WHERE DO FROGS AND TOADS LIVE? Frogs live almost everywhere in the world except near the North and South poles and on some islands in the ocean. Frogs that spend a lot of time in water have webbed feet that help them swim. Frogs that live in trees have sticky disks on the ends of their fingers and toes. These sticky disks help them climb trees. Toads live all over the United States. In winter, they hibernate (become inactive). Some frogs hibernate, too. HOW DO FROGS AND TOADS REPRODUCE? Frogs and toads gather in groups to find mates. They always gather near some kind of water. Frogs like to mate in rainy weather. Male frogs croak and say ribbet. They make these sounds to attract females. Female frogs and toads lay eggs. Toads lay eggs in water. Some frogs lay eggs in water. Other frogs lay eggs in wet places on land. Some frogs guard their eggs. The female marsupial frog carries her eggs in a pouch on her back. In one Australian frog species, the female swallows the eggs and the young develop in her stomach. Most frogs and toads don't care for their young. The young can grow up on their own. TADPOLES Most frogs and toads go through two stages of life. First, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles breathe through gills and swim like fish. Then, the young tadpoles slowly change into grown-ups that look totally different. The tadpoles grow legs and lungs for breathing. This change is called metamorphosis. WHAT DO FROGS AND TOADS EAT? Frogs and toads are meat eaters. They usually eat insects, worms, spiders, and centipedes. Instead of chasing their food, frogs and toads let their dinner come to them. Frogs and toads have long, sticky tongues. When something that looks tasty comes by, the frog or toad flicks out its tongue. It catches the prey with its tongue and pulls the prey into its mouth. Frogs and toads usually swallow their prey whole. When a frog or toad swallows, its big bulging eyes sink back through holes in its skull. The eyes help push food down the throat. WHAT THREATENS FROGS AND TOADS? Frogs and toads are disappearing in many parts of the world. One reason for their disappearance is that people are clearing land and destroying places where frogs and toads live. However, some frogs and toads seem to disappear for no reason. The golden toad of Costa Rica and the gastric brooding frog of Australia have become extinct. Both animals lived in wilderness areas. Some frogs with abnormal bodies have been discovered. Scientists worry that pollution is harming these frogs. To help frogs, some countries have passed laws attempting to protect the places where frogs live. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.