Today’s post is the first in a series I am calling Amazing Frogs. I will be covering a range of different Amazing & weird frogs. Whether they are the most toxic, have some weird mating rituals or defense or can switch sexes it should be pretty fun.

The first post in Amazing Frogs is the size edition. This will feature the smallest & largest frogs that are currently known.

The largest frog is fittingly called the Goliath Frog (Conraua goliath). These frogs can grow to be 12.5″ long from snout to butt (without the legs, which can easily be that long as well) and weigh up to 7.5 lbs! This is a similar size & weight of a newborn baby or a domestic cat. The long powerful legs of these frogs allows them to be able to leap over 10 feet in a single jump. Unlike most frogs, the Goliath frog does not have any vocal cords so it cannot produce any sounds during mating season. These frogs are also nocturnal. Goliath frogs are carnivores and eat fish, baby turtles, snakes and even bats. Predators of the Goliath frog are snakes, crocodiles & large lizards.

Image Source: Lynsey Gedye

The mating season for the Goliath frogs takes place from July to August. The males create a semi-circular pool near riverbanks, using gravel and rocks and then wrestle each other to show dominance. The female Goliath frogs lays thousands of eggs. Once the tadpoles hatch, they are on their own. Male Goliath frogs are larger than the females.

Image Source:Didyouknowblog.com

The smallest frog is the Paedophryne Amanuensis. This frog was discovered in August of 2009 and formally published in January of 2012. These frogs are 7.7mm in length and its small size also makes it the smallest known vertebrate! It is similar to the size of a housefly. These frogs have incredibly strong legs and can jump over 30 times longer than their body size. The Paedophryne amanuensis has a very high pitched call. Due to the small size, they eat very small insects and mites that no other predator eats. It is dark-brown & easily blends into the leaves of the forest floor. Below is a photo of the frog on a dime.

Image Source:Wikipedia

Stay tuned for the next Amazing Frogs Edition which will highlight the most toxic frogs.

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