Three Bizarre Frog Facts: Part 2

Bizarre Frog Fact #2: The Baby Frog Is Bigger Than The Adult Frog.

Picture this: you have a baby which is about five metres tall. As it 'grows' into an adult, it gradually shrinks to ordinary human size.

It all sounds very 'Honey, I Shrunk The [Whatever]!' in reverse. Or perhaps even a little bit Benjamin Button. But this is completely normal for the Paradoxical Frog, Pseudis paradoxa.



The frog's tadpoles grow to about 23cm long, and they gradually 'shrink' to become an adult frog of normal length, about a quarter of the length of the tadpole (up to 7.5cm long).

How odd.

Interestingly, scientists have also found that secretions from this frog could help treat people with Type 2 diabetes.

You can read more about the paradoxical frog in a book excerpt from the International Wildlife Encyclopedia (3rd ed.) on Google Books, if you're especially keen. Go on. You know you want to, really.