Frogs and toads have always been something of a mystery to humans. Today, encounters with frogs seem nearly unavoidable - in popular culture, zoos, museums, and the environment around us - but our ancestors had frequent encounters too. Amphibians were, after all, the first vertebrates to invade the land and frogs probably “fathered all of the vertebrae music on earth” One reason frogs have such and enigma is their ability to change from one life form to another. Some ancient societies saw this transformation as an omen and worshiped frogs for their mystical power; others however regarded them as harbingers of bad fortune.

To the Egyptians, frogs were a symbol of fertility. Egyptian women wore gold amulets with depictions of frogs, hoping to incur the god’s favor of fruitfulness. And in Egyptian tombs, embalmed frogs were laid to rest beside human mummies. In Asian cultures however, frogs and toads were believed to be a sign of bad luck. A wrinkled toad for example was believed to be the reincarnation of an ugly or evil old man, and when the “toad in the moon” managed to swallow itself, the result was an eclipse.

To Australian aborigines and North American Indians, the croaking of frogs was a portent of rain, and on occasion Americans and Europeans reported that the heavens “rained” frogs ( which were transported, scientists speculate by tornadoes or water sprouts that sucked up the frogs and brought them miles from their homes).

In Shakespeare’s day, people believed that the glittering eyes of frogs and toads betokened a precious jewel or “toad stone”, within the animals head; if worn, one of these stones purportedly would protect the wearer from poisons or other evils. Some also believed that if one were to place a frogs tongue on the head of a sleeper, it could induce the individual to talk in his or her sleep.

Witches, shamans and scientists have all been drawn to the unusual features of frogs and toads. The “weird sisters” - or witches - in Shakespeare’s Macbeth chant about “eye of newt and toe of frog” as they stir the boiling, bubbling contents of their cauldron. And who can forget all of the frog fables? The “Frog Prince” most certainly rings a bell.

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A hairy frog: During breeding season, the males of the west African rained frog ( colloquially called the hairy frog) develop hair like filaments of epidermis along their sides and legs. This increases the surface area involved in oxygen transfer so that the frogs can remain underwater near the egg clutches for longer periods.

A tailed frog: The so-called tailed frog of the pacific northwest has an extended copulatory organ that suggests a tail. Tailed frogs are the only frogs that internally fertilize eggs.

The largest frog: The West African Goliath frog is the world’s largest frog. This species attains a snout-to-vent length of 11 7/8 inches (30 cm) and a weight of more than 6.5 pounds

The smallest frog: The world’s tiniest frog is the Brazilian brachycephalid toad. Its largest recorded SVL is about 3/8 of an inch (9.8 mm). This species has no common name. Only slightly larger is the Cuban Leptodactylid, which is about 7/16 of an inch.

A poisonous frog: The deadliest skin secretions are produced by the tiny arrow- poison frog.

A poisonous toad: Marine or giant toads, produce a toxin in the shoulder glands that is so potent that it will debilitate or kill mammalian predators.

Lung less frog: The Titicaca frog, has no lungs, it respires through its baggy, highly vascularized skin.

The northernmost frog: Wood frogs, range above the Artic circle in Alaska

Turtle Frog: The amazing turtle frog, of arid Western Australia burrows deeply beneath the ground. Its egg clusters have been found nearly 4 feet deep in the earth. It undergoes direct development, having no free-swimming tadpole stage.

A “flying” frog : Many tropical old-world and neotropical tree frogs are assisted in gliding jumps by extensive webbing between the fingers and toes.

Vibrations for Communication: Besides audible calls, the Puerto Rican white-lipped frog, produces vibrations by tapping its vocal sacs on the ground.

Egg protection: The males of the Argentine Darwin’s frog, gather their soon-to-hatch eggs into their mouth. The eggs are then moved into the proportionately extensive vocal sac, where the tadpoles hatch, grow, and undergo metamorphosis, to finally emerge as youngsters. In a variation of the above theme, the females of the ( possibly extinct) Australian gastric-brood-ing frog, carry and brood their young in their stomach. Chemicals produced by the tadpoles inhibit the production of the female’s digestive enzymes. The young are forcibly disgorged following their metamorphosis!

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