American Bullfrog: Difference between revisions

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(Lithobates catesbeianus) or the American Bullfrog as it is more commonly known is a member of the true frog family found natively in Eastern North America. With its large size compared to other frog species the species is able to inhabit a wide variety of aquatic environments with relative success. The American Bullfrog gets its name from the male call during breeding season resembling a bulls bellow.  
(Lithobates catesbeianus) or the American Bullfrog as it is more commonly known is a member of the true frog family found natively in Eastern North America. With its large size compared to other frog species the species is able to inhabit a wide variety of aquatic environments with relative success. The American Bullfrog gets its name from the male call during breeding season resembling a bulls bellow.  


{{Speciesbox
| fossil_range = [[Middle Miocene]] - Recent<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=110841|title=Fossilworks: Rana catesbeiana|website=Fossilworks.org|access-date=11 March 2022}}</ref>
| image = North-American-bullfrog1.jpg
| image_caption = Adult male
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group |date=2015 |title=''Lithobates catesbeianus'' |volume=2015 |page=e.T58565A53969770 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T58565A53969770.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| taxon = Lithobates catesbeianus
| authority = ([[George Shaw (biologist)|Shaw]], 1802)
| range_map = Lithobates catesbeianus distribution.png
| range_map_caption = Natural range – blue; <br />Introduced range – red
| synonyms = {{collapsible list |
    {{plainlist | style = margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; |
*''Rana catesbeiana'' <small>Shaw, 1802</small>
*''Rana pipiens'' <small>– [[François Marie Daudin|Daudin]], 1802</small>
*''Rana taurina'' <small>[[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]], 1817</small>
*''Rana mugiens'' <small>[[Blasius Merrem|Merrem]], 1820</small>
*''Rana scapularis'' <small>[[Richard Harlan|Harlan]], 1826</small>
*''Rana conspersa'' <small>[[John Eatton LeConte|LeConte]], 1855</small>
*''Rana catesbyana'' <small>Cope, 1889</small>
*''Rana catesbyana'' <small>Werner, 1909</small>
*''Rana (Rana) catesbeiana'' <br /><small>– [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1920</small>
*''Rana nantaiwuensis'' <small>Hsü, 1930</small>
*''Rana mugicus'' <small> [[:fr:Fernand Angel|Angel]], 1947</small>
*''Rana catesbyana'' <small>Smith, 1978</small>
*''Rana (Rana) catesbeiana'' <br /><small>Dubois, 1987</small>
*''Rana (Aquarana) catesbeiana'' <br /><small>Dubois, 1992</small>
*''Rana (Novirana, Aquarana) catesbeiana'' <small>Hillis & Wilcox, 2005</small>
*''Lithobates (Aquarana) catesbeianus'' <small>Dubois, 2006</small>
*''Rana (Lithobates) catesbeiana'' <small>Fouquette and Dubois, 2014</small>
    }}
  }}
| synonyms_ref =
}}


== '''Description''' ==
== '''Description''' ==
Bullfrogs are an olive green color with spotting of brown marks observed on it's back and sides.


== '''Habitat''' ==
== '''Habitat''' ==

Revision as of 19:37, 27 April 2022

(Lithobates catesbeianus) or the American Bullfrog as it is more commonly known is a member of the true frog family found natively in Eastern North America. With its large size compared to other frog species the species is able to inhabit a wide variety of aquatic environments with relative success. The American Bullfrog gets its name from the male call during breeding season resembling a bulls bellow.


Description

Bullfrogs are an olive green color with spotting of brown marks observed on it's back and sides.

Habitat

Due to the large size compared to other species of frog, the American Bullfrog is hunted and consumed by countries all over the world as a source of food. With this introduction into new environments as food sources, due to the diverse appetite American Bullfrogs are considered invasive species in its unnatural habitat.

Diet

The Bullfrog is known to eat a variety of organisms most typically being invertebrates including species of snail, worm, and insect.

Feeding

American Bullfrogs are observed to be ambush and opportunistic predators, feeding on a variety of animals unsuspecting of their presence. Once its prey has been located it moves towards the prey using a series of hops to sneak up on its meal. Using its tongue and strong bite from the jaw smaller prey are consumed and engulphed using its mouth. Larger prey that are not able to fit in the American Bullfrogs mouth have been observed to be assisted using its hands, with larger prey observed to be asphyxiated after a successful catch as a defense mechanism. This behavior mimics other forms of feeding from other frogs, most notably a wood frog [1].

Ecology

References

[1]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Cardini, F. (1974). Specializations of the Feeding Response of the Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, for the Capture of Prey Submerged in Water. M.S. Thesis, U. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA