Frogs: Morphology

Frogs

Frogs belong to the order Amphibia and hence have been among the most exciting groups of organisms with a broad gradient of adaptations and ecological functions. Their morphology and anatomy, then, become relevant in an attempt to understand their life cycles and evolutionary biology. In this regard, the current paper will present a detailed description of the anatomy of frogs about their external and internal features and try to relate them to physiological adaptations which have made them significant in an ecosystem and research.

Morphology Of Frogs

The morphology of frogs is described below-

External Features

• Their skin is smooth, and moist, and may prove to be very variable in colour and texture. It often works as camouflage against their native habitat.

• Their head contains large, bulbous eyes set on top of the head to provide a better field of vision and a large mouth suited for capturing prey items.

• Another visible, usually round, area behind the eyes is the tympanum, or ear drum—which helps them detect sound.

• Frogs have sturdy, elongated hind limbs with webbed feet, which are morphological specialisations for excellent jumpers and swimmers.

Anatomy Of Frogs

The anatomy of frogs is described below-

Skeletal System

• The skeletal anatomy in a frog consists of a bony framework that holds up the body and gives support for the different movements.

• Major bones include the skull, housing the brain; the vertebral column, protecting the spinal cord; and limbs adapted to jumping and swimming.

• Here, the pelvic girdle supports the hind limbs, while the limbs in front are smaller and mainly used for support and balance.

• Frogs have a much simpler skeleton compared with man, adapted to their amphibian way of life.

Muscular System

• The muscular system in a frog is very intricate and contains different muscles with crucial roles in movement and survival.

• These major muscle groups include the powerful muscles in the hind limbs that provide the force for jumping, trunk muscles that aid swimming and burrowing, and specially adapted muscles to cope with the frog's unusual actions of jumping and swimming.

Systems In Frogs

The systems of frogs are described below-

Digestive System

• The frog digestive system has various complementary organs to the processes of food processing and absorption of nutrients.

• Food is taken into the mouth, and after capture, sent down into the oesophagus stomach for digestion.

• Then digestion further breaks it down in the intestines. The digestive system comes up with the reabsorbed nutrients employing digestive enzymes that are produced in the liver and pancreas.

Respiratory System

• Frogs respire through their skin and lungs.

• Moistened skin, particularly underwater, is pervious to some amounts of oxygen. Other than that, they can breathe air on land with the support of their lungs.

• Here, the buccal cavity acts like a pump to push air in and out of the lungs.

Circulatory System

• The frog's heart contains three chambers: two atria and one ventricle. This pumps blood throughout the body.

• The system mixes blood with oxygen and without, yet is effective for its amphibian existence.

• Blood passes through the heart and then the rest of the body to provide for both oxygen delivery and nutrition transport.

Excretory System

• The excretory system of frogs is comprised of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and cloaca.

• The kidney filters waste from the blood and passes it through the ureters into the bladder for temporary storage.

• Finally, the excretory products are eliminated at a common exit shared with the reproductive products: the cloaca.

Nervous System

• The nervous system consists of a brain, spinal cord, and associated nerves that integrate sensory and motor activities.

• The peripheral nerves and the sense organs detect changes in the environment and thereby cause responses.

Reproductive System

• Frog reproduction is characterised by distinct male and female reproductive organs.

• Males possess testes for producing sperm, while females possess ovaries for producing eggs.

• Both reproductive systems have ducts and other structures that allow the passage or transmission of and fertilisation of organs and their functions in the life cycle of frogs.

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