by
Rebecca Sherratt, Production editor, International Aquafeed
The black-spotted frog is an Eastern variety of frog, native to Japan, Korea and China, alongside parts of Russia.
It has been noted by scientists that tadpoles of the black-spotted frog were first introduced into the Chinese ecosystem in 1959 – 1961 in the Hubei province, an area which they now densely populate. These amphibians can often be distinguished by their lime green and grey-brown colouration, with a unique pattern of black spots down the flanks of their bodies. Male black-spotted frogs can grow to around 70-mm long, whilst the females are slightly larger at approximately 77mm.
The habitats which the black-spotted frog inhabits can vary greatly. These amphibians can reside in water bodies in areas as varied as meadows, bushlands and even deserts (this is mainly in Turkmenia.) Black-spotted frogs prosper in rivers, lakes, channels, swamps and rice fields, proving to be willing to accommodate almost any body of water as a potential home. These frogs do, however, often live alone, away from other species of frogs, such as its close relative the marsh frog (rana ridibunda).
Despite being considered a rather common species of frog, in China especially, their distribution is rather patchy. Black-spotted frogs tend to occur in very dense, large groups. These frogs hibernate for a rather large portion of their lives in stagnant water; from late September through to November, and again from February to May.
Alongside eating extruded feed, black-spotted frogs like to indulge in eating spiders, terrestrial insects and a variety of invertebrates. On rare occasions they will also eat fish fry and perhaps other amphibians, being opportunistic hunters who are willing to eat whatever prey they may encounter. Their sticky tongues help them keep a grip on struggling prey, such as crickets and grasshoppers. Black-spotted tadpoles consume mainly plants, such as algae. Black-spotted frog feeding does not cease during the breeding season.
Black-spotted frogs skin has anti-microbial properties, containing peptides that give it a barrier of protection against a wide variety of potential attacks and diseases. This also means that bacteria, yeast and other microorganisms that may settle on the black-spotted frog can’t grow and cause health problems for them.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and their red list of threatened species classes the black-spotted frog as ‘near threatened’, recommending that the harvesting and farming of black-spotted frogs should be placed under restrictions and strictly monitored to ensure that they do not drop into the category of ‘vulnerable’.
Read the full article in the International Aquafeed magazine online, HERE.
The black-spotted frog is an Eastern variety of frog, native to Japan, Korea and China, alongside parts of Russia.
It has been noted by scientists that tadpoles of the black-spotted frog were first introduced into the Chinese ecosystem in 1959 – 1961 in the Hubei province, an area which they now densely populate. These amphibians can often be distinguished by their lime green and grey-brown colouration, with a unique pattern of black spots down the flanks of their bodies. Male black-spotted frogs can grow to around 70-mm long, whilst the females are slightly larger at approximately 77mm.
The habitats which the black-spotted frog inhabits can vary greatly. These amphibians can reside in water bodies in areas as varied as meadows, bushlands and even deserts (this is mainly in Turkmenia.) Black-spotted frogs prosper in rivers, lakes, channels, swamps and rice fields, proving to be willing to accommodate almost any body of water as a potential home. These frogs do, however, often live alone, away from other species of frogs, such as its close relative the marsh frog (rana ridibunda).
Despite being considered a rather common species of frog, in China especially, their distribution is rather patchy. Black-spotted frogs tend to occur in very dense, large groups. These frogs hibernate for a rather large portion of their lives in stagnant water; from late September through to November, and again from February to May.
Alongside eating extruded feed, black-spotted frogs like to indulge in eating spiders, terrestrial insects and a variety of invertebrates. On rare occasions they will also eat fish fry and perhaps other amphibians, being opportunistic hunters who are willing to eat whatever prey they may encounter. Their sticky tongues help them keep a grip on struggling prey, such as crickets and grasshoppers. Black-spotted tadpoles consume mainly plants, such as algae. Black-spotted frog feeding does not cease during the breeding season.
Black-spotted frogs skin has anti-microbial properties, containing peptides that give it a barrier of protection against a wide variety of potential attacks and diseases. This also means that bacteria, yeast and other microorganisms that may settle on the black-spotted frog can’t grow and cause health problems for them.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and their red list of threatened species classes the black-spotted frog as ‘near threatened’, recommending that the harvesting and farming of black-spotted frogs should be placed under restrictions and strictly monitored to ensure that they do not drop into the category of ‘vulnerable’.
Read the full article in the International Aquafeed magazine online, HERE.
The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by Perendale Publishers Ltd
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