Beelzebufo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BeelzebufoTemporal range: Upper Cretaceous, 70 mya
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Beelzebufo
Evans, Jones, & Krause, 2008
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Beelzebufo was a giant frog discovered in Madagascar. It lived during the Upper Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago. People sometimes called it the 'Devil Toad' or 'The Frog From Hell'.
This amazing frog was huge, about 16 inches (40.5 cm) long. That's bigger than any frog alive today! It weighed around 9-10 pounds (4.5 kg).
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What Kind of Frog Was It?
The Beelzebufo belonged to a group called horned toads. This group is known as the Ceratophryinae. Today, you can only find living horned toads in South America.
But long ago, they lived in many more places. Both South America and Madagascar were once part of a giant supercontinent. This supercontinent was called Gondwana. It broke apart during the Cretaceous period.
Its Skull and Body
The bones on top of Beelzebufo's skull were rough and bumpy. This suggests that parts of its head might have had hard, bony plates. These plates would have been like armor!
How Did It Live?
Beelzebufo was an ambush predator. This means it would hide and wait for its food. Then, it would suddenly jump out to catch its prey.
What Did It Eat?
This frog had a very wide mouth. This allowed it to eat animals that were quite large. It might have even eaten young dinosaurs!
Where Did It Live?
Beelzebufo probably lived in warm places. These places would have had dry seasons. They also had pools of water that appeared sometimes. Its relatives today live in similar areas. They can even dig into the ground to stay safe and cool.
Images for kids
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Life restoration of Beelzebufo eating a theropod
