Giant barred frog (Mixophyes iteratus)

Cute Frog of the Week: Nov. 28, 2011

The Houdini of Australia’s rainforest, the great barred frog, is an escape artist who has plenty of tricks to help it elude predators. Growing up to 8 centimeters in length, these frogs are often dark brown in color, which helps them blend in with the fallen leaves. To further camouflage themselves, barred frogs will stiffen and flatten their backs to avoid detection on the forest floor. If spotted, they have webbed feet on their powerful hind legs that allow them to leap great distances into streams and rivers where they quickly swim away. Even the youngsters have special gambits. After mating, the females deposit eggs along the river bank. Usually the first rain washes the eggs into the stream where the tadpoles hatch. However, the rains don’t always come before the eggs hatch and the tadpoles must make their way to the water by wiggling down the rocks without any arms or legs. How’s that for a magic trick?

Photo by Frank Lemckert via ARKive.

Every week the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project posts a new photo of a cute frog from anywhere in the world with an interesting, fun and unique story to tell. Be sure to check back every Monday for the latest addition.

Send us your own cute frogs by uploading your photos here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cutefrogoftheweek/