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Frogs are amphibians. Like all amphibians, they live in water and on land. Most of the 6,000 kinds of frogs are amazing leapers, with some being able to jump over 20 feet.
Have you ever played leapfrog? It’s a game where the players crouch down on hands and knees one behind the other. The last person places their hands on the next person’s back and leaps forward, swinging their legs around the person. With what you know about frogs already, you can probably figure out how the game got its name.
◀ Frogs have some unusual features. They absorb water and breathe through their skin (although they also have lungs). Their tongue is attached to the front of their mouth so they aren’t able to use it to move food to their throat. Instead, when they’re ready to swallow something, their bulging eyes push down to get the job done.
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▲ Male frogs croak to communicate danger, to defend their area, and to find other frogs. To croak, they take air into their lungs and then force it over their vocal cords. Their vocal cords vibrate to make a sound that passes into their vocal sacs. These balloon-like pouches swell and make the sound louder. That’s the croaking sound you hear.
Frogs go through metamorphosis, a big change. It starts with an egg in water. A baby frog, called a tadpole, hatches from the egg. It has gills and a tail. Soon, legs grow. Then its tail shrinks, its gills disappear, and lungs develop. It’s a froglet now and ready to spend time in the water and on land. ▶
▲ Most frogs hibernate in winter. Their heart rate and breathing slow down, and they stop eating. Many stay at the bottom of ponds or lakes, or dig holes in mud. Some even stay under ice. Wood frogs produce a sugar in their blood called glucose. The glucose acts like an antifreeze. It keeps the frog alive even in freezing temperatures.
Cool Frogs
The Goliath frog of western Africa is the biggest in the world. It’s about 12 inches long and may weigh up to 7 pounds.
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What’s the difference between a frog and a toad?
Frogs and toads may look alike, but they’re quite different. Frogs have smooth, moist skin and spend much of their time in water. They use their long hind legs to leap long distances and are good swimmers. Toads have dry, bumpy skin, live mostly on land, have short legs, and hop or walk instead of leap.
