GENERAL ZOOLOGY LABORATORY EXERCISE 3

EXTERNAL FEATURES OF THE FROG

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this exercise, each student must be able to:
1. Identify and name the anatomic parts.
2. Relate the structures to their functions.

MATERIALS:
1. Laboratory exercise and report word documents
2. Laboratory power point
3. Videos and photos of laboratory procedures
4. Additional required laboratory readings/required laboratory readings

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Obtain a living specimen of a frog or a toad and observe its natural posture and movements.
2. Make the animal insensitive by narcotizing it, i.e., by using cotton immersed in either or
chloroform.
3. Place the frog in a dissecting pan without water.
4. Study its parts using the description as guide.
5. Watch the video tutorial on how to identify the parts of the external anatomy of the frog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N27Tj3B4k8&t=111s
https://youtu.be/z5wN9xelmhw
https://youtu.be/yjjwFTr7fGE
6. Accomplish Lab Report #3

The External Features of a Frog

The first organ that greets the students in the animal’s skin or integument. By the character of
the skin one can deduce the animal’s habitat, that is, whether it is aquatic, terrestrial, or semi-terrestrial.
The body of an anuran has the shape and proportions that we recognize as most advantageous for an
animal that dwells in both land and water. The aim of the following exercise is to describe the external
features of a frog or toad, two animals that are different in some characters but nevertheless exhibit
the essential parts of a typical tetrapod body.

1. Body and skin. The body is divided into head and trunk; there is no neck nor tail, unlike other
tetrapods. The flattened, obtusely tipped head offers less resistance when the animal swims in
water. The body is clothed in skin that is thin, smooth, and slimy in the frog, rough and “warty”
in the toad. The skin is commonly greenish, grayish, or brownish in color, depending on the
species. It may contain color patterns (colorations) that may consist of broad or narrow stripes,
small or large spots, and mottling features of importance in the identification of species.
 Remarks: the nictitating membrane is the third eyelid, which is well developed in birds. The second
eyelid is wanting in the frog. In man the third eyelid is represented by a fold of skin at the medial corner
of the eye and which is known as the plica semilunaris.
Behind the eye is a circular patch, the eardrum, tympanic membrane, or tympanum, which represents
the middle ear.

2. Head. The cephalic end narrows into a snout; the snout bears a pair of small openings, the
external nares (singular, naris), or nostrils. The nostrils communicate with the nasal cavity,
which contains the olfactory organ. The lateral side of the head bears the mouth opening. The
mouth has a wide gape that extends beyond the level of the eardrum; it is bordered above by
the upper jaw and by the lower jaw below. The eyes are large, each provided with an almost
immovable, thick upper eyelid and a movable, translucent lower eyelid, known as the
nictitating membrane.

3. Trunk. The anuran trunk is short and thick, broad at the foremost end, bulging at the sides, and
narrow at the hips. In the toad, there is present a pair of swellings at the shoulders. These are
glandular masses known as parotid glands; their secretions are poisonous to people and other
animals. The dorsum bears a prominence at the middle, the hump. (The hump is formed by
the meeting of the long arms of the hip bone or ilium and the lateral extensions of the sacral
vertebra).Two regions may distinguish on the lower side or venter: the larger, soft-walled
abdomen or belly, and the smaller, robust breast or chest. At the posterior end, between the
hindlimbs, is an aperture, the cloacal opening or vent.

Remarks: in some texts, the opening is mis appropriately called anus, but the anus and the vent are two
different structures that have different functions. Whereas the anus serves as an outlet for feces only,
the vent serves also for the discharge of urine, sperm, or eggs.

4. Limbs. The limbs of each pair are similarly constructed, but they differ from each other in the
proportion of the parts, among other things. Each consists of three successive segments. In
the forelimb or arm, the segment nearest the midline is known as the brachium or upper-
arm, the segment nearest the midline is known as the brachium or upper-arm, the next
segment, the – antebrachium or forearm and the last segment, the manus or hand. In the
hand may be distinguished a carpus or wrist, a metacarpus or palm, and digits or fingers,
of which there are four.

Remarks: During the spawning or breeding season (the rainy months), the base of the first finger bears
a rough-skinned swelling known as the nuptial pad, that is used in mating. The pad subsides after the
breeding season; however, the base of the finger still remains swollen. This character, apart from size
of the body, distinguishes the male from the female frog, phenomenon that is called sexual dimorphism.
In general, male frogs are distinctly smaller than the female.

In the hindlimb or leg, the first segment is known as the femur or thigh, the second as the
crus or shank, and the third as the pes or foot. The foot contains three regions corresponding
to those of the hand, namely, the tarsus or ankle, the metatarsus or instep, and the digits or
 toes. The underside of the foot is called the plantar surface, that of the hand, the palmar
surface.

DISCUSSION

AMPHIBIANS. The amphibians (Gr. amphi, both + bios, life) are the oldest living groups of tetrapods
(Gr. tetra, 4 + poda, foot). From reptiles, they are distinguished by their moist, permeable skin, unlike
the reptilian skin which is dry and scaly. There are three lineages of amphibians: the salamanders or
urodeles, the frogs or anurans, and the caecilians or apodans. Urodeles have elongate bodies, four
equal-sized fore- and hindlimbs, and a long postanal tail. Anurans have short forelimbs and long, stout
hindlimbs, short stiff bodies, and no tail. Caecilians lack both pairs of limbs, have elongated somewhat
segmented bodies, and no tail. At first glance, the three lineages look different from one another,
however, they show many unique characters in common. These include, for example, the
structure of the skin, which functions in gas exchange; the pedicellate (footlike) teeth; and the structure
of the levator bulbi muscle, which causes the eyeball to bulge upon contraction, except the caecilians
that have such poor eyes. Anurans have a body form that differs most. They have inflexible bodies and
remarkably long hindlegs that are well suited for both leaping and swimming locomotion.
"It is tempting to think that the variety of locomotor modes permitted by their specialized
morpholo8Y may be related to their success" (Pough et al., 1996).

Sexual Dimorphism in a Frog

Sexual dimorphism refers to the difference in some external features, which distinguish the two
sexes of species. As general rule, male frogs are distinctly smaller than the female. In nature, during
the breeding season, the males generally advertise their presence by vocalizing mating calls. Sounds
are produced by a voice-organ or larynx, the lining of which is thrown into a pair of folds, the vocal
cords. The croaking sound is produced when air forced from the lungs makes the cords vibrate. The
male has a pair of vocal sacs, which are inflated like balloons and act as resonators during croaking.
In the Taiwanese Frog, the mature males are easily distinguished by the darky pigmented vocal sac,
which lies near the angle of the jaw, and the rough-skinned, blackish swelling at the base of the first
and third digits. The swellings on the base of the digits function as a nuptial pad during the breeding
season. At this season, the male mounts at the back of the female and remains in this position (called
amplexus) for days until the spawning ends.
Description Guide to the Frog Dissection

Frogs belong to the class Amphibia. Amphibians have adaptations for living in terrestrial as well as
aquatic environments. Frogs are among the most commonly studied organisms in biology. Although many
differences exist between humans and frogs, the basic body plans are similar. Humans and frogs both
belong to the phylum Chordata. By studying the anatomy of the frog, you will be better able to understand
your own body. In this investigation you will observe the external features of a preserved frog and identify
parts of its external anatomy. You will also dissect the preserved frog to observe its internal anatomy and
make comparisons to human anatomy.

Safety: Put on disposable plastic gloves. Treat the preserved animal, preservations solution, and all the
equipment that touches the organism as potential hazards. Do not touch your eyes or your mouth with
your hands. Be careful when handling sharp instruments. Always cut away from your body and away from
others. Return or dispose of all materials according to the instructions of your teacher. Wash your hands
with soap and warm water after carrying out this investigation.

Materials needed for dissection: Preserved frog, lab gown, surgical gloves, surgical; mask, dissecting
tray or dissecting pan, dissecting pins, dissecting scissors, dissecting probes, and lab safety goggles.

Preserved frog Lab gown Surgical gloves and mask Dissecting scissor

Dissecting pan Dissecting pins Dissecting probes safety goggles

External Anatomy of the Frog

Before starting any dissection, it is important to look around at the external anatomy, or anatomy
visible outside the body. Our frog can be divided into the dorsal, or top side, and the ventral, or bottom
side. Many frogs have patterned skin on their dorsal side and a white or yellow ventral side to camouflage
them in their aquatic habitat. Frogs have two forelimbs in the front, or anterior end, and two powerful hind
limbs in the rear, or posterior, for swimming. Each forelimb has four toes, but the hind limbs have five toes
with webbing in between. The webbing creates resistance in the water, allowing frogs to be agile
swimmers. The head is at the anterior end of the frog, containing the sensory organs the frog needs to
navigate its environment. Its two eyes are located on the top of its head. Although this might seem strange
to us, frogs live a submerged life. Having eyes on top, rather than in the front of their head allows them to
see while they swim and stay mostly submerged in water. You also can notice the frog's version of our
ears, called tympanic membranes, on both sides of its head. These organs allow the frog to detect
vibration as sound. Rotate your frog, and you will see an opening at the posterior end called the cloaca.
This opening allows for waste, eggs, or sperm to be discharged. It is a multipurpose opening that serves
the same purpose as our anus, urethra, and genital openings.

1. Obtain a preserved frog. Rinse the frog with water to remove excess preservative. CAUTION: The
preservative used on the frog can irritate your skin. Avoid touching your eyes while working with
the frog. Dry the frog with paper towels and place it in a dissecting tray. (See Fig.2)

2. Identify the dorsal and ventral surfaces and the anterior and posterior ends of the frog. Notice
the color on each surface of the frog. (See Fig.3)

3. Locate the forelegs and the hindlegs. Each foreleg, or arm, is divided into four regions: upper
arm, forearm, wrist, and hand. Each hindleg also has four regions: thigh, lower leg, ankle, and foot.
Identify the parts of the forelegs and hindlegs. Examine the hands and feet of the frog. If the hands
have enlarged thumbs, the frog is male. How many digits are on each hand and foot? Is your frog
a male or female? (See Fig.5)

4. Locate the two large, protruding eyes. Lift the outer eyelid using a probe. Beneath the outer lid is
an inner lid called the nictitating membrane. (See Fig. 4)

5. Posterior to each eye is a circular region of tightly stretched skin. This region is the tympanic
membrane, or eardrum. Locate the tympanic membranes on both sides of the head. (See Fig.
4&5)

6. Anterior to the eyes, locate two openings called the external nares (singular, naris), or nostrils.
(See Fig.5)

7. Hold the frog firmly in the dissecting tray. Using scissors, make a small cut at each of the hinged
points of the jaw. CAUTION: To avoid injury, cut in a direction away from your hands and body.
Open the mouth as much as possible. Under running water, rinse away any excess preservative.

8. The tongue is the most noticeable structure in the mouth. Observe where the tongue is attached
and note the two projections at the free end. (See Fig.1&6)

9. At the back of the mouth, locate the large horizontal opening, the gullet opening. In front of the
gullet opening, find a vertical slit, and the glottis. (See Fig.1)

10. Look for two openings on the backsides of the floor of the mouth. These are the openings to the
vocal sacs. They are present in male frogs but not in female frogs. (See Fig.1)
 Fig. 1 The Mouth of the Frog

11. Examine the roof of the mouth. Near the front center of the roof of the mouth are two small bumps.
These bumps are the vomerine teeth. On either side of the vomerine teeth are the openings of
the internal nares. Behind the vomerine teeth, observe two large bulges. These bulges are the
eye sockets. Run your finger along the top jaw. The teeth you feel are the maxillary teeth. The
openings of the Eustachian tubes are on either side near the back of the mouth. Insert a probe
into an opening of one Eustachian tube. (See Fig.6)

Fig. 2 Dorval view of the frog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-LqS5AVRio
 Fig.3

Dorsal view Ventral view

Fig. 4 External Anatomy of the Frog (Doral view)

 Fig. 5 External anatomy of the Frog (Dorsal view)

Fig.6 Anatomy of the Frog’s Mouth

Reference:
R.M. dela Paz., et al (2005), Laboratory Guide on General Zoology, The Revised Edition ACLC Trading Enterprises.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N27Tj3B4k8&t=111s
https://youtu.be/z5wN9xelmhw
https://youtu.be/yjjwFTr7fGE
 Lab Report # 3 ( EXTERNAL FEATURES OF THE FROG)

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________

Year, Course, and Section:___________________ Prof: ____________

1. Give the functions of each part of the external features of the frog.
2. Describe the mating behavior of the frog.
3. Describe the difference between a toad and a frog.
4. Describe the texture and color of the skin of the frog.
5. Draw and describe the metamorphosis of the frog.
6. Describe the difference between cold blooded and warm-blooded animals.

Author: Dr. Eloisa A. Mallo