• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Chordata
• Sub-phylum: vertebrata
• Class: amphibia
• Order: Anura
• Family: Ranidae
• Genus: Rana
• Species: catesbeiana

• Amphibians are vertebrates that spend part of their lives under water (breathing
with gills) and the remainder on land (breathing with lungs). Amphibians are cold-
blooded; their body temperature depends on the temperature of their
environment. There are three groups (orders) of living amphibians: newts and
salamanders (urodeles); frogs and toads (anurans); and caecilians (the worm-
like gymnophiones).
• The word amphibian comes from the Greek amphi, meaning "both," and bios,
meaning "life." It describes cold-blooded animals with backbones that pass their
lives both in fresh water and on land.

• North American bullfrogs are the largest true frog found in North America,
weighing up to around 1 pound and 8 inches in length. Color varies from
brownish to shades of green, often with spots or blotches of a darker color about
the back. The hind feet are fully webbed. The sex of an adult bullfrog can be
easily determined by examining the size of the tympanum (the external ear of the
frog) relative to that of the eye. The tympanum is a round circle located on the
side of the head near the eye, and in males it is much larger than the eye. In
females the tympanum is as large as or smaller than the eye. Also, during the
breeding season the throat of the male bullfrog is yellow, whereas the female's is
white.
• The average life span for these bullfrogs tends to be around 4 to 5 years, but can
live as long as 6 or 7 years.
• Original distribution: The North American bullfrog is native to the central and
eastern United States and the southern portions of Ontario and Quebec.
• Current distribution: North American bullfrogs are now found from Nova Scotia
to Central Florida, from the East coast of the U.S. to Wisconsin, and across the
Great Plains to the Rockies. The natural western limits of this species have
reached as far west as California and Mexico. It is also found in Hawaii, the
Caribbean, South America, Europe and Asia.
• North American bullfrogs must live in water and are therefore usually found near
some source of water, such as a lake, pond, river, or bog. Warm, still, shallow
waters are preferred. Bullfrogs are becoming increasingly common in areas that
have been modified by humans. Increased water temperatures and increased
aquatic vegetation, which are common factors of lakes polluted by humans, favor
bullfrogs by providing suitable habitats for growth, reproduction, and escape from
predators.

• Bullfrogs are predators. They usually eat snakes, worms, insects, crustaceans,
frogs, tadpoles, and aquatic eggs of fish, frogs, insects, or salamanders. They
are cannibalistic and will to eat their own kind. There have also been a few cases
reported of bullfrogs eating bats. Bullfrog tadpoles mostly graze on aquatic
plants.
• Their populations can increase to become out of balance with the species native
to those habitats because often they have no natural predators and their skin
secretions make them taste icky to many animals.
• Humans hunt bullfrogs for frog legs, but they have a limited hunting season in
most states. Bullfrogs are also eaten by a wide variety of other animals,
depending on the region. These include herons, such as great blue herons and
great egrets, turtles, water snakes, raccoons, and belted kingfishers. Most fish
won’t eat bullfrog tadpoles because of their undesirable taste.
• Where they occur naturally, bullfrogs help keep down the mosquito and insect
population. But in some places where they have been introduced, they eat so
much that they can destroy local populations of native frog species!
• As it consumes a wide variety of animals and insects, its main ecological role is
in controlling populations of insect pests and, where abundant, other animals
such as snakes and mice to control their populations.
• They may be driving native frog populations and species to extinction in some
areas in the U.S. and Canada, negatively affecting biodiversity. Adults consume
any animal that can be swallowed, such as snakes, birds, fish, crawfish and
other frogs. To the extent that these animals may be endangered in certain
habitats shared by the bullfrog, extinction could ensue. Another threat is that
bullfrog larvae can have a significant impact on algae, which can affect the
aquatic community structure.

• Like all amphibians, bullfrogs have learned to adapt with their environment in that
they live in the water as young and on land when they are older.
• North American bullfrogs prefer warm weather and will hibernate during cold
weather. A bullfrog may bury itself in mud and construct a small cave-like
structure for the winter.

• Bull frogs have a deep, loud call which can be heard up for over a mile.
• Most frogs have maxillary teeth on their upper jaw, and vomerine teeth on the
roof of their mouth. There are no teeth on the lower jaw. The teeth are used to
keep the prey from wiggling back out of the frogs mouth. Frogs swallow their
food whole.
• Throughout history, there have been stories of it “raining” frogs, and the stories
are true!!! This happens when a wind storm (or tornado) passes over a body of
water with lots of frogs. The frogs are picked up, then dumping them elsewhere.
Jokes:
• What does a frog say when it sees something great?
A: Toadly awesome!

• What did the frog order at McDonald's?

A: French flies and a diet Croak

• Why are frogs such liars?

A: Because they are amFIBians.

• What do you call a frog that crosses the road, jumps in a puddle, and crosses the road
again?
A: A dirty double-crosser!

• Why did the frog go to the hospital?

A: He needed a "hopperation" !