February 23, 2013 - Desert Rain Frog

CaliforniaMama · 02-23-2013, 11:28 AM

He's not much to look at, and to me he looks more like a beach frog covered in sand than a desert frog, but he has a pretty impressive defense mechanism. Check out the video below. Put your coffee down first, though!

This video was posted by Dean Boshoff, wildlife enthusiast and photographer, on Feb 13th. It quickly went viral.

The frog is Breviceps macrops, the desert rain frog. He found the rain frog in the sandy dunes along Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape province (South Africa?).The frog’s animated body plan is well adapted for burrowing in its dune habitat there. (Not sure where the desert part of the name comes from, or the rain either, for that matter.)

Quote:

They've got flanges on their back feet which act like little spades, so they can dig in backward into the sand. They also have a belly patch which is an area with lots of blood vessels and capillaries through which they can take up water through the soil.

The video can be found on YouTube.

Other information about the frog can be found here News24

Also see Outdoor.

jimhelm · 02-23-2013, 12:12 PM

squealing like a mewling kitten is a defense mechanism?

Happy Monkey · 02-23-2013, 01:36 PM

It reminds me of the Woozy growling.

orthodoc · 02-23-2013, 02:21 PM

Very weird. My cat perked up her ears and looked behind my laptop trying to find the source.

footfootfoot · 02-23-2013, 03:29 PM

watch all the reaction videos of people's pets trying to get or find the frog.

xoxoxoBruce · 02-23-2013, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimhelm

squealing like a mewling kitten is a defense mechanism?

Maybe, considering how many things fear cats.

SPUCK · 02-24-2013, 05:16 AM

A face only a Michelin tire would love.

ZenGum · 02-24-2013, 05:51 AM

I've been though the desert on a frog with no rain...

footfootfoot · 02-24-2013, 12:03 PM

Infi and I will hire you as a writer for our comedy act.

02-23-2013, 12:12 PM	#2
jimhelm a beautiful fool Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 39.939705 Posts: 4,504	squealing like a mewling kitten is a defense mechanism? __________________ There's a Shadow just behind me. Shrouding every step I take. Making every promise empty, pointing every finger at me. _tool

02-23-2013, 01:36 PM	#3
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	It reminds me of the Woozy growling. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

02-23-2013, 02:21 PM	#4
orthodoc Not Suspicious, Merely Canadian Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,774	Very weird. My cat perked up her ears and looked behind my laptop trying to find the source. __________________ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Ghandi

02-23-2013, 03:29 PM	#5
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	watch all the reaction videos of people's pets trying to get or find the frog. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

02-24-2013, 05:51 AM	#8
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	I've been though the desert on a frog with no rain... __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

02-24-2013, 05:16 AM	#7
SPUCK Professor Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,911	A face only a Michelin tire would love.

02-24-2013, 12:03 PM	#9
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Infi and I will hire you as a writer for our comedy act. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

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