Strangest Amphibians on the Planet!

Subscribe to Epic Wildlife http://goo.gl/6rzs5u

Let's Connect
-- http://www.epicadamwildlife.com/
-- http://www.facebook.com/epicadamwildlife
-- http://www.twitter.com/epicwildlife
-- http://gplus.to/epicwildlife

Strangest Amphibians On the Planet!

From strange salamanders and toxic newts … to cave dragons and ferocious frogs … Here are 17 of the strangest amphibians on the planet!



#17 Chinese Giant Salamander
It’s recognized as the world’s largest amphibian, and is native to mountain streams and lakes of China. The creatures can reach lengths of nearly 6 feet (183 cm) and weigh in excess of 100 pounds (45 kg). Because it belongs to a family that stretches back 170 million years, it’s sometimes referred to as a ‘living fossil’. While their skin coloration ranges from dark brown to reddish-black, all salamanders secrete a sticky white substance from their skin that is used to repel predators. They’re known to make numerous vocalizations including barking or crying sounds. Some of the noises sound eerily like human children crying, which inspired their Chinese name of “Infant Fish”.





#16 Darwin’s Frog
If its name sounds familiar, that’s because this animal was named for Charles Darwin. The English naturalist discovered it in Chile before it was formally described in 1841. In addition to the forest streams of Chile, they’re also found in Argentina. These frogs are notable for their small size, and for the triangular shape of their head. That shape, along with their greenish or brown coloration can make them appear like dead leaves on the grounds. The camouflage tactic helps them evade predators until they pass by. Darwin’s frog also exhibits some unusual reproductive tactics as well. After females lay eggs, the male swallows them and holds the brood in his vocal sac. The tadpoles develop there for about six weeks. After that, the small frogs hop out of dad’s mouth to make their way in the world.










#15 Dwarf Salamanders
We just mentioned that the Chinese Giant Salamander is the world’s largest amphibian.
Now let’s go to the opposite extreme and check out one of the smallest amphibians on Earth. The Dwarf Salamander reaches lengths of only around 3.5 inches (9 cm). They’re recognized by their long tails and slender bodies, and prefer swampy pine woods where they hide under leaves or debris on the forest floor. This species is found in the US, from North Carolina to Texas, and is sometimes called the ‘dwarf four-toed salamander’.











#14 Argentine Horned Frog
Found in South America, this animal has an exceptionally large mouth, which it uses to enormous advantage. It’s known as a voracious eater, going after any prey from insects, lizards, rodents, and even other frogs. Thanks to its habit of trying to gobble up just about anything that moves, it’s sometimes called the “Pac-Man Frog”, or a mouth with legs attached. At a length of 6 inches (15 cm), the frog’s mouth accounts for about half its body length. As befits its big mouth, the frog has a big, nasty bite to go along with it. So it’s best to keep one’s fingers to oneself.




#13 Rough-Skinned Newt
This critter has rough, granular skin that contains glands which produce an especially potent neurotoxin called ‘tetrodotoxin’ (tet-troh-duh-tok-sin), or TTX. It’s the same toxin carried by pufferfish and causes death by asphyxiation. Even touching the newt’s toxin is enough to cause skin irritations. And it has been documented that eating one of these beasts can kill you.












#12 Hairy Frogs
That’s a reference to the hair-like structures sprouting on their body. But since the Central African amphibians possess some uncanny similarities to the Marvel Comics character, they’re now better known as Wolverine Frogs. Like Logan, they have sharp claws that pop out of their skin. The behavior is thought to be a defense mechanism, but it’s unknown whether the claws are retractable. And the amphibian’s bony claws are not coated with adamantium. But they can still be sharp enough to inflict some serious damage. That’s why people in Cameroon will only hunt the frogs while carrying spears or machetes.









#11 Glass Frogs
These unusual beasts are native to rainforests of Central and South America. From most angles, they look like your average amphibian. But underneath is a different story. Their stomachs have no pigmentation. Internal organs including the intestinal tract, heart and kidneys can be seen through the skin. The rest of their body exhibits a lime green coloration. Since they live in the trees, that provides them with camouflage among the leaves. It’s still unknown exactly why these animals have translucent bellies -- or what purpose it might serve.