Jerdon's bullfrog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jerdon's bullfrog |
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Rana malabarica Kelaart, 1853 – junior homonym of Rana malabarica Tschudi, 1838 |
The Jerdon's bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus crassus) is a type of frog found across many parts of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It is also known as the South Indian bullfrog. This frog lives in flat, open areas. It might also be found in nearby countries like Bhutan and Myanmar.
What Jerdon's Bullfrogs Look Like
Jerdon's bullfrogs have special features that help them dig. They have a shovel-shaped part on their back foot called a metatarsal tubercle. This helps them dig into the ground.
These frogs also have longer back legs compared to a similar frog, H. tigrinus. If you stretch a Jerdon's bullfrog's leg along its body, its ankle joint would reach somewhere between its ear and eye.
Female Jerdon's bullfrogs are usually a bit bigger than males. Females can grow to about 8 to 10 centimeters (about 3 to 4 inches) or more. Males are smaller, usually around 5 to 8 centimeters (about 2 to 3 inches) long.
Where Jerdon's Bullfrogs Live and How They Behave
Jerdon's bullfrogs are land animals. They live in dry grasslands that get flooded sometimes, open plains, and dry areas. You can also find them in farms and near places where people live.
Adult frogs often dig burrows and live underground. They can even go into a deep sleep, called aestivation, during very dry times. This helps them survive when there isn't enough water.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Jerdon's bullfrogs breed in water, usually when the rainy season begins. Male frogs have two vocal sacs on the sides of their throats. When they call, it sounds a bit like a goat bleating.
Their calls can last for a few minutes. Each call is made up of 2 to 4 groups of bleating sounds, with 13 to 18 bleats in each group.
These frogs can handle a little bit of salt in the water. They can live in water that is 25% seawater for a while. However, they cannot survive for more than a week if the water becomes too salty, like 35% seawater.
Young frogs, called tadpoles, are thought to eat algae. Algae are tiny plant-like organisms that grow in water.
