Facts About Frogs

There are more than 8,000 recognized frog species worldwide, making them by far the most diverse group of amphibians.

Frogs are amphibians, meaning most species split their lives between water and land, especially during their tadpole stage.

A frog's skin is thin, smooth, and kept moist by mucus, which allows oxygen to pass through it so the frog can breathe partly through its skin.

Some frogs, like certain tree frogs, can shift their skin tone to better blend in with their surroundings.

The smallest frog in the world is Paedophryne amauensis of Papua New Guinea, which measures only about 7.7 millimeters (roughly 0.3 inches) long — also the smallest known vertebrate.

The largest frog in the world is the Goliath frog of West Africa, which can reach about 13 inches in body length and weigh up to 7.2 pounds.

Frogs use long, sticky tongues that flip out and snap back in a fraction of a second to catch insects and other small prey.

A frog's eyes sit on top of its head, giving it a wide, nearly panoramic view of its surroundings without needing to turn its head much.

Some frog species can jump more than 20 times their own body length in a single leap.

So-called "flying frogs," such as species in the genus Rhacophorus, glide between trees using large webbed feet and flaps of skin instead of true flight.

Frogs are cold-blooded (ectothermic), so their body temperature rises and falls with their environment.

Many frogs in cold climates enter a dormant, hibernation-like state through the winter, burrowing into mud or leaf litter to wait out the cold.

Wood frogs can survive being partly frozen by producing high levels of glucose that act like natural antifreeze, protecting their cells over winter.

Male frogs call to attract females and to signal their territory to other males.

Some frogs, such as poison dart frogs, secrete toxins through their skin that can be dangerous or even deadly to predators.

Frogs are an important link in the food chain, both eating large numbers of insects and serving as prey for birds, snakes, fish, and mammals.

Lifespans vary widely by species: many wild frogs live just a few years, while some, like certain toads and larger frogs, can live 15 to 20 years or more.

Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica.

The red-eyed tree frog, with its bright green body, blue-and-yellow flanks, and red eyes, is one of the most recognizable frog species in the world.

Frog tadpoles can regenerate lost tails and limbs, but adult frogs mostly lose this ability, typically regrowing only a simple cartilage spike rather than a fully functional limb.

In many cultures, frogs symbolize fertility, good fortune, rain, or transformation, appearing in folklore from ancient Egypt to Japan.

Many frog species are currently threatened or declining due to habitat loss, pollution, disease, and climate change.