Fanged Frogs in Sulawesi Indonesia

Again, the archipelago show biological wealth. The team of scientists from Canada found unique animals on the island of Sulawesi: fanged frog.

Ben Evans, a zoologist from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario - along with colleagues from Indonesia and the U.S. - find 13 species of fanged frogs in Sulawesi. This finding is more than ever found in the Philippines earlier.

Among these are species that have not been described by science. The discovery is reported in the journal The American Naturalist, August issue.

Included in the fanged frogs of the genus Limnonectes - aimed at naming the two protrusions in the lower jaw jawbone them. Although the fang-like, it's not true bulge teeth. Because, they do not have roots and characteristics of the tooth.



Evan says, scientists today are unsure as to what the canines were used. However, allegedly was used as a weapon between males competing for territory. It may also be used catch prey such as fish, other frogs, tadpoles or insects. Or, to defend themselves from predators. "But we've never seen them bite anyone," Evans said.

Fanged frogs showed variations in Sulawesi island frog adaptation that consists of many mountains, with the environment and microclimate are diverse - from the wettest to driest in Indonesia. Also the environment variable that must be adapted vegetation.

Some species are very large-bodied frog with webbed feet, adjust to their living places, river rapids homage. Other, smaller-bodied with a kind of webbing on their feet, adapt to where they live on land.

Some frog spawn their eggs internally - spawn away from the water's edge and watch them until the tadpoles develop like jelly capsule.

"This discovery is surprising example of how species may end up using similar tactics to survive and diversify if there is a chance," Evans said.

The researchers spent many years, down the river in Sulawesi forest at night. They face the risk of meeting with vipers and cobras - in order to capture these unique frogs by hand.

Overall, they caught 683 frogs are then analyzed. They also mapped the distribution of frogs, toads as well as comparing these with their environment.

Evans said the researchers tried to get a frog in a sample of untouched forest logging intensified in the island. There are many forests where we took samples that later disappeared when we visited him a few years later. "

Until now there is no extinct species were found. However, he believes, the spread of the frog has been substantially reduced.