Time To Learn More About Bullfrogs

Have you ever seen a bullfrog? Do you want to learn more about them? Read this article and you will know more about bullfrogs.

Bullfrogs, Rana catesbeiana, come from the family Ranidae, and live in most parts of North America. They are also called the American Bullfrog. They can be found in medium or large sized ponds, lakes or swamps. During days of rain, bullfrogs, just like other amphibians, go overland and they can be seen in large numbers on the roads of North America.

Bullfrogs have a natural characteristic of living longer in warm weather. Bullfrogs grow up to an average of about 9-15 with their legs adding an additional 17-25 cm. Female bullfrogs have an eardrum the same size as their eyes while males’ eardrums are larger relatively. Bullfrogs absorb oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide through their moist skin, the lining of their mouths and their lungs. When on surface, as opposed to underwater, a bullfrog continuously ventilates itself by continuously elevating and lowering its mouth, also known as the buccal cavity.

Bullfrog eggs hatch in 3-5 days and the time of metamorphosis ranges from a few months to 3 years in northern parts of the continent. Maximum lifespan of bullfrogs is estimated to be around 8-10 years but a captive bullfrog is on record to have lived for a full 16 years.

Research indicates that the Bullfrog feeds on any animal that it can overpower and stuff down its throat, including its own species. Bullfrog stomachs have been found to contain rodents, small turtles, bullfrogs, even bats as well as other invertebrates that are normally the routine food of ranid frogs. These studies conducted on bullfrog dietary trends also reveal that bullfrogs have a unique diet amongst North American Rana to capture and feed on to large and strong aquatic animals. The relative ability of the bullfrog to capture submerged prey versus the green frog, leopard frog and wood frog has been demonstrated in laboratories for understanding purposes.

Human uses of bullfrogs include keeping them as pets. Also, the American bullfrog is used as a specimen for dissection purposes in many medical schools.

Additionally, adult bullfrogs consume insects, annelids, crustaceans et cetera and help in the control of insect pests. Owing to this advantageous ability, bullfrogs have been introduced into many countries of the world, however in South Korea; the American Bullfrog has become a nuisance to the country’s ecology because of its appetite!