Frogs

(From Kids InfoBits, a Gale online resource)

Frogs are found all over the world, except in Antarctica. People sometimes confuse toads with frogs. Frogs have bulging eyes and big hind legs. Their skin can be smooth or slimy. Toads have stubby back legs and dry, bumpy skin. There are more than 400 species, or types, of frogs and 300 types of toads.

Frogs have tails when they are tadpoles, or babies. They lose these tails as they become adults. Their strong back legs are webbed like the feet of ducks. This helps them swim fast and jump high. Frogs are usually some shade of green or brown. They sometimes have spots that help them blend in with the ground and tall grasses. Frogs do not have ears, but they can hear. Their eardrums are on the sides of their heads. Frogs have very tiny teeth, but only on the top jaw and roof of their mouths. These teeth work together with the sticky tongue to catch food. Frogs eat insects, fish, worms, and even small mammals.

The smallest frog is the Gold frog, which measures less than an inch long. The biggest frog is the Goliath frog, which grows to be 12 inches (30 centimeters) long. That is the size of a ruler. This size does not include their legs, which are another 12 inches long. Frogs like to sing. That is how they talk to each other. Frogs sing to mark their territory or to call to a mate. They also sing right before it rains. In some species, only the male sings.

It is not known exactly how long frogs live. The oldest frog on record lived for 40 years. Scientists believe most frogs live between 4 and 15 years.