Hairy Frogs Have Unusual Defense Mechanism
by Weird Science
When I think about frogs, I usually picture the cute, little ones hopping around the lake near my house. Well, there are many types of frogs and one in particular is almost the stuff of nightmares! Not only is it a super duper hairy creature but it has a peculiar defense mechanism that has intrigued scientists.
Trichobatrachus robustus – as the frog is formally named – breaks its own bones to create special claws that force their way through the frog’s toe pads. It’s thought that this action is performed when the frog is threatened. While we already know that salamanders do something similar by pushing their ribs through the skin to create spiky barbs, the frog’s maneuver is unique! Not only that, but the closest action we’ve seen from other frogs involves bony spines that stick out from the wrist. The difference, however, is that the bones project out naturally, which is different from the hairy frog where the claws force their way out as a form of defense…
(read more: Weird Science) (photo: Gustavo Carra)
