A flying frog (also called a gliding frog) is a

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

that has the ability to achieve gliding flight. This means it can descend at an angle less than 45° relative to the horizontal. Other nonflying arboreal frogs can also descend, but only at angles greater than 45°, which is referred to as parachuting.Emerson, S.B., Travis, J., & Koehl, M.A.R. (1990). "Functional complexes and additivity in performance: A test case with 'flying' frogs." ''Evolution'', 44(8), 2153-2157.

Evolution

Gliding flight has evolved independently several times among frogs from both

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

( Hylidae) and Old World ( Rhacophoridae) families.Emerson, S.B., & Koehl, M.A.R. (1990). "The interaction of behavioral and morphological change in the evolution of a novel locomotor type: 'Flying' frogs." ''Evolution'', 44(8), 1931-1946. This parallel evolution is seen as an adaptation to their life in trees, high above the ground. Characteristics of the Old-World species include "enlarged hands and feet, full webbing between all fingers and toes, lateral skin flaps on the arms and legs, and reduced weight per snout-vent length". These morphological changes contribute to the flying frogs' aerodynamic abilities.

Taxonomy

Alfred Russel Wallace made one of the earliest reports of a flying frog.Oliver, J.A. (1951). "'Gliding' in amphibians and reptiles, with a remark on an arboreal adaptation in the lizard, ''Anolis carolinensis carolinesis'' Voigt." ''The American Naturalist'', 85(822), 171-176. The species he observed was later described by

George Albert Boulenger George Albert Boulenger (19 October 1858 – 23 November 1937) was a Belgian-British zoologist who described and gave scientific names to over 2,000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Boulenger was also an active botani ...

as '' Rhacophorus nigropalmatus''. Flying or gliding frogs includes members of these

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

: *'' Agalychnis'' (Hylidae) *'' Ecnomiohyla'' (Hylidae) *'' Polypedates'' (Rhacophoridae) *'' Zhangixalus'' (Rhacophoridae) There are 380 species of flying frogs.

References

External links

Frogs Gliding animals {{Anura-stub