New Harlequin Frog Discovered

Rare species spotted in Peru

Unfortunately we are losing frogs at a fast pace due to habitat destruction, deadly fungal diseases that wipe frogs out and other reasons, but scientists were still able to discover a new species of Harlequin Frog that remains critically endangered.

Scientists hope that the fact that new species can still be found even when they are obviously so rare may be an indicator that the animals will make it despite the adversity they face. It feels like a fragile hope, especially considering that frog numbers have largely been on the decline for years, but nothing is impossible.

Have you read any other frog news lately? Share it in the chat.

Klat Categories: 
Animals

How do frogs see the world?

It's always interesting to consider a new perspective!

Have you ever stuck your head into one of those animal-shaped heads that give you the same view of a fly or a bee? Our local nature center has a couple of these and they are really fun to check out. Many animals see the world differently than we do, and frogs are a prime example.

Frogs have the largest eyes in relation to the rest of their bodies of any other vertebrate. Scientists are really just beginning to discover how important a frog's vision is and how it works. It turns out that quite a bit of energy is devoted to their vision alone. Check out how scientists are studying frog eyes.

What do you think they will learn? Share your predictions in the chat.

Brazilian Frog Not Extinct After All

The wonders of technology

eDNA testing, animal and plant identification apps and other modes of technology have really revolutionized science. I won't argue that it's always for the better--I'm not a fan of cloning or human/robot hybridization, for example--but it sure has helped a lot in general. Case in point: the re-discovery of a rare Brazilian frog that was believed to be extinct.

The frog, Megaelosia bocainensis, was written off as an extinct species in the 1960s and we probably wouldn't know that it still exists today without the eDNA testing that made it possible to analyze the amphibian's biological makeup to determine that it is, indeed, the lost species!

Do you know of any other cool ways in which tech has helped frog populations? Share them in the chat!

Klat Categories: 
Animals
Amphibians

The Muppets Are On Netflix!

Get your Kermit fix

Rejoice and behold, the Muppets are on Netflix! Both the first and second (recent) films are on the streaming service right now and my family had a wonderful time re-watching them this week. I love the scene where Piggy beats Constantine up in the second film and when he says, "What a woman!" Kermit interjects, "Yeah, MY woman!" It's so adorable.

Does anyone else just think Kermit and Piggy will get back together eventually, like they've always done in the past? I hope so. And I hope they continue to evolve them both into more loving, considerate partners if they do. It's 2020 and it's high time for pigs to stop steamrolling and punching frogs, and for frogs to stop hem hawwing and be honest about their feelings. Hmph!

What do you think of the Muppets movies? Are you a big Kermit fan?

Klat Categories: 
Entertainment

How Frogs Help Monitor Water

Students follow the frogs to check plant's health

We've long known that we can learn about the health of an area by studying its frogs. Since frogs have such thin skin, they become permeated with anything affecting their environment, rendering them living barometers of what's going on in any ecostystem.

Students who are using frogs to listen and find out whether or not populations are increasing or decreasing are very much aware of this phenomenon. They know that if frogs are abundant, the ecosystem on a local level is likely doing well--and vice versa. Teams just listen and record the number of different frogs they hear in order to obtain data.

Have you read any other science news? Share it in the chat. 

Klat Categories: 
Animals

Frog Watching

Do you do any frog watching in your spare time?

Life has slowed down for a lot of people this year, granting a wish that many of us have made even if it wasn't made in the way we'd hoped. In this time, many of us have developed new hobbies to enjoy during our time at home, such as frog watching.

People who have ponds, live near wetlands or simply see a lot of frogs in their yards are enjoying watching frogs leap at bugs at nighttime, which I have to say isn't nearly as pathetic as they claim. It's a pretty cool hobby, especially if you participate in Frogwatch while you're at it.

Do you do any frog watching? Do you combine it with any scientific volunteering? Share your experiences in the chat.

Klat Categories: 
Animals

Unique Frog Products

Share what you find!

As a culture, we have a lot of love for frogs. Many of us hail them as our favorite animals, and they can be found on everything from t-shirts to stickers and so forth. But there are some really interesting frog products on the market as well.

For example, have you heard of Frog Spit, the anti-fogging cleaner? There are frog-shaped items like alarm clocks, Magic 8 Balls and even shower heads, too!

What is the strangest froggy product you've ever found? Share it in the chat.

Frogs Everywhere!

Share your stories in the chat!

The other day we went out and left surprises on our loved ones' porches, something we do now and again during Covid, and when we got to the gas station there was a little frog visitor on the back windshield! Who knows how long he took a ride with us? We were distracted by a praying mantis on the front shield and didn't even notice him until we stopped!

Frogs are everywhere right now as little spring tadpoles are growing up and this one was super tiny and cute. I'm excited to see more frogs around!

Have you seen any frogs lately? Share your stories in the chat! 

Another New Species!

This one is from the Philippines

How many of you are just living for the good news stories this year? Me, too, and I totally count new frog species as good news! This week a new species was discovered in the Philippines. Check this out to see a photo!

Isn't this frog the cutest? It has Kermit eyes, spots on its belly, an almost mint-green color... It's so pretty! Biologists were able to see eggs of the species in the wild, too, which I take as a good sign.

What cool frog news have your read lately? Share it in the chat!

Tadpole Season

Have you run across any?

There seem to be tadpoles everywhere lately! I've found them in cups, in still water that I've had to dump to keep the mosquitoes at bay... I've tried to move them the best I can, but what do you do when you don't want mosquitoes and you don't have any moving water available? Is moving water even safe?

Plenty of people just dump them, but I'd really hate to do that. We take them to a creek near our house, but it is a pain to get to. When I was a kid it was nice and clear but now it's surrounded by brush. I'd love an easier way, or even better, to watch them grow!
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What do you do with tadpoles in your yard or pool?

Klat Categories: 
Animals
Amphibians
Wild

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