The 10 Cutest Frogs in the World
With more than 6,000 identified species of amazing-looking amphibians, But we did it anyway, and now you can too! We found ten of the cutest frogs around the globe and have included information about each one below. You’ll see that there are lots of interesting things about each frog, including what makes them special, where they live, how big they are, and even some fun trivia. So read on to discover more about these fascinating creatures!
1. Blue-spotted Toadlet – This little guy lives up high in the trees in Australia and New Guinea. He has blue spots on his head, body, and legs. And he looks like a miniature version of a tree frog.
2. Red-legged Treefrog – These guys look just like regular tree frogs, except for their red legs. They’re native to South America, Central America, and parts of Mexico.
3. Giant Pacific Octopus – Yes, giant octopuses do exist! These guys grow to be over 20 feet long, weigh nearly 2 tons, and can eat crabs, shrimp, fish, squid, clams, mussels, sea snails, small sharks, and even whales.
4. Black-striped Grassland Frog – This colorful amphibian lives in grasslands of Africa and Asia. Its stripes help camouflage him from predators.
5. Southern Clawed Frog – If you saw this frog hopping across your yard, you’d probably think twice about picking it up. It’s covered in poisonous spikes that can deliver a nasty bite.
6. Golden-backed Poison Arrow Frog – These tiny guys are native to Southeast Asia. Their backs are golden yellow, while the rest of their bodies are greenish brown.
1. Budgett’s Frog (Lepidobatrachus laevis)
Some people think that the Budgetts’ frogs fall squarely into “cute” territory, but we just can’t resist these weird, absurdly wide-mouth, beady eyed amphibians. They’re notable for their high pitched, screeching vocalizations when they’re threatened by potential predators. When threatened by potential predator, they will inflat their bodies while screaming at them and back away to make themselves seem bigger and scarier.
In order to keep your pets healthy, you should provide them with proper food and water. You may also wish to consider getting them an aquarium if you live in a dry climate. These animals are generally quite docile, but you should exercise caution around any larger species. Never leave your frog unattended, especially during feeding times.
2. Amazon Milk Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix)
The Amazon milk frog is as adorable as it is colorful with a bluish-green and tan background, big eyes with cross-shaped pupil, and large, squishable webbed feet. Its common names include the Mission golden-eyed frog, the blue milk frog, and the clouded milk frog. This amphibian is native to the tropical forests of South America.
Native to warm, wet rainforest areas throughout the Amazon, milkfrogs are small, shy, arboreal creatures that prefer to hide among the tall trees during the day. They are nocturnal, feeding mainly on insects.
Milkfrogs secrete a whitish fluid from their skin when they feel threatened. Their skin is covered in tiny bumps called papillae, which allow them to absorb moisture quickly. These tadpoles eat mostly aquatic invertebrates such as worms, snails, fish larvae, and crustaceans. Once fully grown, they begin to feed on plant matter.
3. Tomato Frog (Dyscophus antongilii, guineti, and insularis)
The tomato frog’s name comes not from its shape, but rather from its bright red and yellow colors and rounded, fat body. This amphibian looks like it’s been caught off guard, with its big, bulbous eyes staring out at you while its mouth hangs open in a wide grin. Although it might look comical, it’s actually quite common in nature.
Like most other frogs, it can swell up its body when frightened, making it harder for predators to eat it. But despite its appearance, it doesn’t really look threatening. In fact, it’s much cuter than scary.
Native to Madagascar, the tomato frogs have become popular pets in recent years all over Asia and the Americas. They’re easy to care for, require minimal space, and don’t cost too much.
4. Desert Rain Frog (Breviceps macrops)
The desert rain frog enjoys much viral fame in the internet age. Its tiny size, cute face and squeal make it one of the most popular amphibians online.
Its name refers to the fact that it lives in a desert environment where rainfall occurs sporadically. The desert rain frog is native to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Angola.
5. Australian Green Tree Frog (Ranoidea caerulea)
Green trees frogs are not “dumpy” at all; they’re actually quite cute, with their large, bright green eyes, perpetually happy faces, and chubby, rounded body shapes. They’re also known for making the “polite cat” and “polite dog” memes, which are both humorous spins offs of the “polite cat”, “polite dog” and “polite pig” memes.
Green trees frog care requires no special equipment, and the animals are friendly, curious, and active, making them an ideal choice for any beginner who wants to get into keeping amphibians.
It’s incredible! They’ve even been used in various kinds of scientific studies, including ones related to HIV treatments and combating the deadly chytridiomycosis that has killed off so many amphibians worldwide. In fact, frog skin secretions seem to help them fight off the deadly fungal infection.
6. Black Rain Frog (Breviceps fuscus)
The black rain frog’s appearance isn’t exactly what you’d call cute. But its face is certainly memorable. A few years ago, people began posting photos of these little amphibians online, and now the little guys have become Internet stars.
These tiny frogs have also enjoyed some internet fame for their memeable, highly expressive faces, which look like some sort of cross between a frowning emoji and a happy one.
Like many other short-legged, chubby anuran species on our list, black rain frogs don’t really hop around much. Instead, they’re forced to crawl from place to place, dragging themselves along the ground on their long, skinny legs.
Even at a glance, it seems like these frogs are closely related to the Desert Rain Frog we covered earlier. Both species belong to the same genus, Breviceps, and are part of the same family, Brevicipitidae.
Black rain frogs are also native South African coastal dwellers, just like the Desert Rain Frog. Their shovel-like feet are perfectly suited to digging in the warm sands of the region.
7. Cranwell’s Horned Frog/Pacman Frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli)
The Cranwell’s horned frogs are one of three species of pacman frogs found in Australia. They live primarily in rainforest habitats and feed mainly on small invertebrates such as insects, worms, centipedes, spiders, millipedes, slugs, snails and earthworms.
While some people know it better by its common name, the Cranwell’s horned tadpole is actually a subspecies of the larger Pacific treefrog. Its scientific name refers to the fact that the male’s head resembles a cranium, because of its prominent horns.
8. Red-Eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
Red-eyed tree frog species are native to tropical regions of Central and South America. They are found in lowland forests, swamps, and marshes. This particular frog is known for having large, protruding eyes, which give it a very distinctive appearance.
The common names of this frog include the beautiful tree frog, the gorgeous tree frog, and the dazzling tree frog.
9. Desert Spadefoot Toad (Notaden nichollsi)
We could’ve included some cute amphibians on our list, but the desert frog is perhaps the cutest one out there! And yes, all amphibians are technically called “frog”s, but they’re not necessarily “true” toadstools. They include salamanders, newts, caecilians, and even fish.
Their short legs and shovel-shaped toes allow them to dig easily through soft soil, making them excellent burrowers. They often appear with just their heads and large black eyes protruding from the ground, and their brownish-tan color blends in well with the surrounding environment. As soon as an insect wanders by, they quickly snap at it and pull it into their mouth before retreating back into the dirt.
Desert spadefoots look just like other narrow-mouthing frog species, but they’re actually quite happy. Their expressions are always frozen in a smile.
10. Diane’s Bare-Hearted Glass Frog (Hyalinobatrachium dianae)
Glass frogs are amphibians native to Central America. They live in tropical rainforests where they spend most of their lives under water. When it rains, they come out of the water to bask on tree trunks and branches—and sometimes even land on our shoulders while we’re walking around outside!
They are very similar to other species of glassfrogs, but they have one unique feature: their belly is completely transparent. This allows scientists to study the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive organs without having to open up the frog.
The glass frog’s body is covered in tiny bumps called papillae that help them absorb moisture from the air. These papillae are located on their feet, legs, tail, head, and back
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