Criptic's Page On Herps - Amphibians - General Care

In most anurans, the skeletal structure is fundamentally simple and typified by long, powerful folded hind limbs, shorter forelimbs, a short backbone containing six to ten vertebrae, and an open, flat skull. Hind limbs are well developed with four external segments, which gains them an advantage in leaping and swimming. Anurans also have modified girdles attached to their rear legs.

Most frogs have teeth on the upper jaw. These teeth form a row and are pin like projections. Eyes of frogs are well developed and able to see both color and patterns. The shape of the pupil tells whether the animal is nocturnal (horizontal or vertical) or diurnal (round, heart shaped, or triangular). Eyes are constantly washed by secretions from the lower eyelids. Most frogs use sight to hunt

Tongues of frogs are highly specialized. It is connected to the lower jaw, and covered in a sticky mucus. The tongue is flicked out to snatch its prey. Dicoglossids have rigid tongues and must jump at their food. Some aquatic frogs don't have tongues. They use their specialized forearms to scoop prey into their mouths.

Frogs are among the first animals to have true voices. Males have more developed vocal sacs. Frogs vocalize by filling their lungs full of air, closing their nostrils and mouth, and forcing the air forward past vocal cords into their vocal sac. The air is then forced back across the vocal cords into the lungs.

The ear is just behind the eye, and is usually marked with a circular area. This is a thin stretched skin called the tympanum. Female frogs hearing is well developed. Females can tell the difference of the calls from her own species, no matter how small the difference.

Most frogs breath into lungs. Their lungs have no muscular action, so air is pumped in and out through the nostrils by raising and lowering the floor of the mouth.

Anuran eggs have an embryo and thick layer of protective jelly. There are multiple ways embryos develop and larvae grow. This is beyond the scope of this section and will be covered under the specific species section.

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