A Frog With More Flop Than Hop

There are species of frogs that are so small, they can’t jump. Well, they can, technically, but they probably shouldn’t: their graceless attempts at leaping always end in awkward belly-flops.

Now researchers have figured out why these tiny amphibians in the genus Brachycephalus, found in Brazil’s tropical Atlantic Forest, have no airborne balance. They’ve evolved to be so small, about the size of a pencil eraser, the balance mechanism in the inner ear doesn’t function as it does in all other invertebrates.

“Even though the canals are as big as they can possibly be relative to their heads, they’re still not big enough for the liquid to move at a rate that would allow them to maintain balance,” says Edward Stanley, co-author of the study that appears in Science Advances.

The Brachycephalus species, known commonly as pumpkin toadlets, have other weird characteristics. Although all of these wee toadlets make high-pitched mating calls, at least two species are completely deaf. The females cannot hear the amorous overtures chirped by males. Also their skeletons glow.

Watch what happens when these little goofballs try to jump: youtube.com/watch?v=IDpuqX738I4.

Photo credit: Luiz F. Ribeiro