12 Most Unusual Amphibians

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• published: 08 Aug 2016
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From the very weird hairy frog to the super creepy looking Matamata turtle these are12 of the strangest looking amphibians Subscribe for new videos weekly! 7. The Koa Tao Island Caecilian This specific species caecilian is recognized its black skin that is cut through by a yellow stripe. They’re not considered endangered like the countless number of other amphibians There are more than 120 different types of caecilian located in the entire world, these being found in the regions of Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and much more. The natural habitats of this animal range anywhere from subtropical and tropical climates to different types of swamps and rivers. They’ve also been known to be found in urban areas and rural gardens. 6. The Matamata Turtle This species of turtle can be found in the freshwater basins of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers in South America. Matamata turtles are distinguished by their triangular-shaped heads that appear to be almost flattened entirely, making them one of the stranger looking turtles. These turtles are known to feed on fish by suction feeding, a method that creates a vacuum and sucks the fish into their mouth. Since they’re unable to chew their food because of the construction of their mouths, they instead swallow their prey whole. Their camouflage makes this method of hunting a lot easier. 5. The Purple Frog Also called the pig nose frog, this amphibian is classified as being endangered. The purple frog gets its name from the dull purple-grayish skin that covers its round almost bloated in appearance looking body. Its snout is pointed in which allows it to feed on its prey of choice; termites. It’s only during India’s monsoon season that this frog will emerge from the ground for about two weeks and then back into the earth it goes for the rest of the year. One female is able to lay up to 3,000 eggs during the mating season. 4. The Axolotl Commonly referred to as the Mexican salamander or the Mexican walking fish, the axolotl isn’t a fish but rather a type of amphibian. They are only found in Lakes Xochimilco and Chalco in Mexico City, though Lake Chalco no longer exists because it was artificially drained so that there would be no more periodic floodings and Lake Xochimilco resembles more of canals than what it once was. The axolotl is considered as critically endangered and it is believed that there are no surviving species located in the wild. This is due to the introduction of animals such as Asian carp and African tilapia that eat their young and the axolotl supply of food. 3. The Golden Toad The case of the golden toad is one that is truly disheartening. This photograph happens to be one of only a few that were taken of this species and also one of the last. Sadly, this species of frog suddenly went extinct back in the 1980’s. Once located in Costa Rica, the golden toad was discovered back in 1966. A biologist reported that the species seemed it was still safe from extinction when they found over 1,500 of the frogs mating, but the very next year they only found one male in the same area. It’s believed that their extinction was caused by a combination of dry weather conditions created by El Niño and the Chytrid fungus. The beautiful golden color was only found in the males. 2. The Vietnamese Mossy Frog Known by the scientific name Theloderma corticale, the Vietnamese mossy frog exhibits some of the most impressive and complex camouflage than other amphibians. It’s flesh happens to be an irregular design of raised bumps and ridges that come in a multicolored pattern that allows it to resemble lichen. When frightened, the frog tucks in its legs and “plays dead” in order to just look like growing moss. No two frogs of this species ever look to be exactly the same. These little guys can, of course, be found in Vietnam, but also possibly in China. Their habitat is mostly evergreen rainforests near bodies of water since they’re also semi-aquatic. 1. The Hairy Frog The Hairy Frog gets its name from an unusual growth of hair-like filaments that develop on the male’s body only when the breeding season rolls around. The “hairs” are actually filled with tiny blood vessels that are believed to help the male in getting more oxygen from the water since he will be spending long periods of time caring for the submerged eggs. That’s not the most unusual factoid about these little guys. No, what’s really interesting is that they’re mini wolverines. Yeah, when these frogs get picked up by another animal they’re able to break the bones in their toes and push them out of their skin, using them as makeshift claws. The bones eventually retreat into the skin and they quickly heal back. This is one of the more gruesome and strange defense mechanisms found in any animal.