American Bullfrog simply known as the Bullfrog has the scientific name Rana catesbeiana. Bullfrog is an aquatic frog and a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”. Bullfrog is a native of southern and eastern United States Canada, It has been introduced to North, Central and South America, Western Europe, and parts of Asia. It’s call resembles the roar of a bull from which the common name of the frog has been derived. Hind leg of the Bullfrog are used as a human food. Bullfrog inhabits large, permanent water bodies, such as swamps, ponds, and lakes, it can be usually found along the water's edge.
Development
Bullfrog eggs are fertilized externally. The eggs form a thin, floating sheet which may cover an area of 0.5 to 1 m2. The optimal temperature for embryo development is between 24 and 30 °C (75 and 86 °F) and eggs hatch in three to five days. Newly hatched tadpoles prefer areas with less number of predators such as Shallow water and fine gravel bottom. As they grow tadpoles move into deeper water. Newly hatched tadpoles has three pairs of external gills and several rows of labial teeth. They pump water through the gills and trap movements of the floor of their mouths, trapping bacteria, single-celled algae, protozoans, pollen grains, and other small particles on mucus in a filtration organ in their pharanges. As they grow, they begin to ingest larger particles and use their teeth for rasping. They have downward-facing mouths, deep bodies, and tails with broad dorsal and ventral fins.Time for metamorphosis ranges from a few months in the southern part of the range to three years in the north. Maximum lifespan in the wild is approximately eight to ten years, but one bullfrog lived for almost sixteen years in captivity.
Pollution Sensitivity- extremely sensitive to pollution and other environmental stresses.
Adult
The dorsal surface of the bullfrog has an olive-green basal color and ventral surface is off-white blotched with yellow or gray. Bullfrogs are sexuall dimorphic with males are smaller than the females and have yellow throats. Males also have tympani (eardrums) larger than their eyes. Bullfrogs measure about 3.6 to 6 in (9 to 15 cm) from snout to vent. Young frog would weigh in between 5 to 175 g (0.18 to 6.2 oz) and larger mature frog can weigh up to 500g (1.1 lb). Male bullfrogs aggregate into groups called choruses during breeding season. Bullfrogs are voracious, opportunistic, ambush predators that prey on any small animal they can overpower and swallow down their throats. Many bird species, otters, fish, and other amphibians prey on bullfrogs. The hind legs of the bullfrog are used as food.
Adult Bullfrog
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Bullfrog Life Cycle
http://questgarden.com/84/66/7/090714140457/images/FrogLifeCycle.jpg
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