Frog Surprisingly Found to Live Underground
by Douglas Main
The Iberian frog (Rana iberica), like most of its hopping ilk, is commonly found above ground, dwelling among the streams of Portugal and Spain. But new research shows the animals can, and do, make a living underground.
The study found that Iberian frogs can breed and live their entire lives in cavelike chambers, the first time this has been seen for a frog in Western Europe. The creatures were observed breeding in underground drainage compartments built beneath Portugal’s Serra da Estrela Natural Park; aboveground the animals are also found in “small ponds, humid meadows and soaked fields,” the authors wrote in a study.
Although frogs and toads are known to inhabit caves during certain parts of their life cycles, or to seek their moderate, consistent temperatures, no frog in the world is known to live solely underground, according to the research…
(read more: Live Science) (photo: Gonçalo M. Rosa)
