I Put It To You That Scaphiophryne Marmorata Is Peak Frog.

A plump, round frog, resplendent in emerald green and coffee brown, its large black eye with a copper iris reflecting two pin pricks of flash lighting. The long forelimbs stretch slightly ahead, the prominent fingers bending and revealing strong finger discs. The hindlimbs tucked in, almost shyly. The body is covered in a dusting of dirt, making the frog seem almost to have been made from the very living flesh of the earth.

I put it to you that Scaphiophryne marmorata is peak frog.

Why?

Well first, it's pretty round, which is key.

A round frog in emerald green, rich coffee brown, and cheeky toffee in between, seen from above. Its black eyes look ahead. Supporting its rotund body anteriorly, the large hands with prominent triangular finger discs rest. The hindlimbs are pulled in, and beneath them the long, thin, gracile toes emerge. They lack any kind of tip expansion, but they make up for it in being striped in cream and brown.

Now get a load of those fingers.

Big, expanded discs at the end, ideal for climbing.

But what's happening back there with those toes? No discs there. Those are good for walking and hopping around on the ground.

Now, let's gently turn them over

A round frog resting on its back, its large hands bearing triangular finger expansions lying flat beside its head; its belly mottled in pink-tinted cream and burnt umber; its chin with a gentle crease; its legs tucked in with feet splayed, revealing prominent spades at the base of each foot.

First, excellent tum, 17 out of 10, no notes.

But what's that at the base of the foot? Those big projections? Yep, those are spades. This climbing, hopping frog is an excellent digger!

I like to think of these Scaphiophryne as all-terrain frogs. They're basically good at everything. They defy our categorical labels of 'arboreal', 'terrestrial', or 'fossorial', and say 'por qué no los tres?'—but in Malagasy, so 'nahoana no tsy izy telo?'

I have TWO classes this fall! Both of them cover the biology of delightful ocean weirdos, and neither will add stress to your life because there's no grades/homework.

Deep sea Sept 17- Oct 8

Atlas Obscura

In Deep: Life at the Bottom of the Ocean With Dr. Sarah McAnulty

In this 4-part lecture series, explore the extraordinary life that’s evolved to thrive in the deep sea. Course Description It’s often said t

Squid Class Oct 15-Nov 12

Atlas Obscura

Seas The Day: Life Lessons from Cephalopods With Sarah McAnulty

In this five-part lecture series, take a dive into the lives of some of the most complex invertebrates on Earth and learn some life lessons

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1 year ago

I get so confused whenever I see an AI-generated sea slug of a species that doesn't even exist, like is the world not beautiful enough for you? Do you care not for Babakina anadoni...?

Nemesignis banyulensis?

Bornella anguilla?

Phyllodesmium poindimiei?

Sea angel??

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1 year ago

Made by Sea-Blog

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10 months ago

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

It's not every day you see a fish walking on land! However, when the streams and ponds of the airbreathing catfish dry up, this species will readily wriggle across the jungle floor in search of a new home. Thanks to a special organ called a labyrinth organ, they are able to breathe air and can remain outside of water for several hours provided they stay moist.