Entry #2- The Tiny World of Frogs

     Frogs are found almost everywhere in the world and have been living on Earth for thousands of years. From being a small dwarf frog (smaller than a dime!) to the Goliath frog growing up to one foot long, frogs are a unique species of short-bodied and tailless amphibians. I decided to write this blog about frogs as it connects to my topic for the first major essay in class! Frogs come in different sizes, colors, and different characteristics. In this blog, I'll be discussing three different, unique frog species; including, the glass frog, Amazon milk frog, and desert rain frog. 

    Up to 150 different species of glass frogs are native to South and Central America. Glass frogs are known for their translucent skin which their organs are displayed! Scientists discovered the frogs had adapted this as it helps them blend into their environment and avoid predators. According to Treehugger.com, these frogs are nocturnal carnivores as their diets consist of tiny spiders, ants, crickets, and sometimes smaller frogs. Glass frogs are found in trees in rainforests and mountains. These little critters get up to 25 millimeters and live up to 14 years in the wild. It's noted that there is possibly more species of glass frogs in the wild, but unknown since they are rare to find.

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    Similar to the Glass frogs, Amazon Milk frogs or Mission Golden-Eyed tree frogs are found in rainforest trees in South America. Amazon Milk frogs are known as milk frogs due to a sticky "milk" substance they create that is poisonous to potential predators when threatened. Milk frogs are also nocturnal carnivores eating insects and other small invertebrates. These frogs have blue coloring on their mouths and feet, overall a pale blue-gray color, and black or brown brands. One of the facts stated by Thoughtco.com , as the frogs get older in age their skin begins to started becoming bumpy and speckled. Amazon Milk frog can grow up to 2.5 - 4 inches and live up to 8 years. These frogs can also be great pets as they are easy to take care of with limited handling.

    Unlike the Glass frogs and Amazon Milk frogs, the Desert Rain frogs cannot jump and live in the sand dunes of Namibia and South Africa. Contradicting to common frogs with small bodies and long limbs, Desert Rain frogs have a large, yellow, light-brown body with small limbs. Also known as, Boulenger's short-headed frog or frog web-footed rain frog, they are nocturnal omnivores eating insects and larvae. During the day, Desert Rain frogs spend their daytime burrowed in the sand to avoid the sun. Similar to Glass frogs, Desert Rain frogs also have a transparent patch of skin, in which their internal body organs can be seen.

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    Overall, there are thousands of different frog species throughout the world and more to be discovered! All frog species are unique in many ways to help them survive in their environments like the Glass frogs, Amazon Milk frogs, and the Desert Rain frogs.