Killer Frogs - toxic, run for hills people

-

Killer frogs found at golden gate in California - OMG! Run for the hills, save yourself and your baby - maybe the hubby if you think he is worth it. But by all means run, run, run!!

Wait...  Breaking news: killer frog is toxic only to animals not humans? Oh, so sorry for the scare. So what's the big deal and why did the news on google have titles like: Killer frogs found! I guess it's easier to attract visitors and views if you exaggerate a bit ( I'm guilty of that here).

So what is a killer frog? The killer frog is technically: the Cane Toad.

The cane toad (Bufo marinus), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad which is native to Central and South America, but has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania and the Caribbean. It is a member of the subgenus Rhinella of the genus Bufo, which includes many different true toad species found throughout Central and South America. The cane toad is a prolific breeder; females lay single-clump spawns with thousands of eggs. Its reproductive success is partly because of opportunistic feeding: it has a diet, unusual among anurans, of both dead and living matter. Adults average 3.9–5.9 inches in length; the largest recorded specimen weighed 5.8 lb with a length of 15 inches from snout to vent.

The cane toad is an old species. A fossil toad (specimen UCMP 41159) from the La Venta fauna of the late Miocene of Colombia is indistinguishable from modern cane toads from northern South America.[5] It was discovered in a floodplain deposit, which suggests the B. marinus habitat preferences have always been for open areas.[6]

The cane toad has poison glands, and the tadpoles are highly toxic to most animals if ingested. Because of its voracious appetite, the cane toad has been introduced to many regions of the Pacific and the Caribbean islands as a method of agricultural pest control. The species derives its common name from its use against the cane beetle (Dermolepida albohirtum). The cane toad is now considered a pest and an invasive species in many of its introduced regions; of particular concern is its toxic skin, which kills many animals—native predators and otherwise—when ingested.

read more on: Cane toad

Comments

Sheila Brown said…
That is one big toad! I'm glad we don't have them around here as I would have 2 dead dogs. My dogs love to chase toads. Great article!
March 7, 2015 at 7:47 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meaning of Words: Stupid, Dumb, Ignorant, foolish and Retarded

-
Image
Are you Stupid, Dumb, Ignorant, foolish or Retarded? I had an interesting conversation with my children and some teens the other day. I asked them what the following words meant to them: Stupid, ignorant, dumb, foolish, and retarded. It was really fun to watch them try to explain each word and how the discussion quickly became an argument over how each word basically meant the same thing - you are calling me stupid, that I am not smart. After one or two minutes had passed I politely interrupted and I said: “I believe that you guys are all ignorant of the true meaning of each word I presented you with.” They all turned to look at me, each with a disgusted look on their face. I asked them “What, what did I say?” My daughter was the first to speak up – “I am not stupid!” As I tried to keep a straight face I asked her “when did I call you stupid?” “Just now, you said I was stupid...” My daughter’s friend hastily jumped into the fray “Yeah, you just called us all stupid.” She sa
Read more

Walt Disney world - Magic Kingdom

-
Image
Walt Disney world - Magic Kingdom Quietly planning my next family outing - shhss don’t tell the family. I’ve been working long hours and many nights - so I figure I have to plan special moments in greater detail than just letting them happen. You know how it goes you put something off till the week end and bang something always comes up. Besides - if I plan it right maybe I can control the cost better [ you save for it rather than have an expensive spur of the moment thing]. I’m thinking Walt Disney World. One night stay at a hotel and take advantage of the one get second free [ if they have it ]... I know my whole family loves fire works and Walt Disney knows how to give a impressive fire works display. I hope I can get a hotel close to Disney with a view of the park so maybe we can get a sneak peek at their “Disney Fire works extravaganza”... I understand they revamped the “it’s a small world - I took my little girl to that and hope my son will be impressed as much as she was. I also
Read more

STUCK ! on Bush Gardens ride

-
Image
STUCK in Bush Gardens Ride That’s right - stuck in a Bush Gardens ride. Serves them right. Yes even though it makes for a great post - I’m upset that I was stuck at work while my son & wife went off to play at Bush Gardens. I would like to thank “Miss Eli” for the free tickets and for my Brother-in-law for taking them. But man, I missed all the fun. I hear my son had a grand old time and he even got to ride in front with the conductor on a ride [ of course that’s the ride that got stuck ]. Luckily we have video ladies and gents…. Below here are some pic’s of the short Family vacation. Although the tickets were free I still had to shell out some cash for the family to eat, buy trinkets and have fun. Man, some one in my family should say thank you. ^%*$#@!!!! I had to work all day.
Read more