NOTE

B I O L O G Y

STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION
IN ANIMALS
FROG - EXCRETORY SYSTEM, NERVOUS SYSTEM,
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM, ENDOCRINE GLANDS

Key Takeaways

Frog (Rana tigrina)

• Excretory system • Reproductive system
• Nervous system • Development in frogs
○ Central nervous system • Endocrine glands in frogs
○ Peripheral nervous system • Importance of frogs

Prerequisites

Anatomy of frog

Reproductive
Digestive system Circulatory system Excretory system
system

Respiratory Lymphatic Nervous

system system system

Excretory System

• Frogs excrete nitrogenous wastes in the form of urea and hence are known as ureotelic
animals.

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Structure of the excretory system

Pair of kidneys Ureters

• Compact, dark red, bean-shaped • Two ureters emerge from the
structures kidneys and pass urea into
• Present on either sides of the the urinary bladder.
vertebral column • In males, the ureter acts as a
• Collects urea from the blood and urinogenital duct that opens
passes it into the ureters into the cloaca.
• In females, the ureter and
oviduct open separately into
the cloaca.

Urinary bladder

• Ureters lead to the urinary

Excretory system of a frog
bladder
• Stores urine
Nephron/Uriniferous
tubules Cloaca

• Present in large numbers in the kidney • Opening for the removal of

urea
• Structural and functional unit of the kidney
• Filter blood to remove nitrogenous waste

Passage of urea

Kidney

Ureters

Urinary Bladder

Cloaca

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Nervous System

Parts of the nervous system

Central nervous system Peripheral nervous system

(CNS) (PNS)

Brain Cranial nerves

• Protected by the cranium/ • 10 pairs arise from the
brain box brain

Spinal cord Spinal nerves

Parts of the brain

(a) Forebrain
• Olfactory lobes: Control the sense of smell
Olfactory lobe • Paired cerebral hemispheres: Control the
functions of the body
Cerebral hemispheres • Unpaired diencephalon: Acts as a relay
centre for sensory and motor signals
Diencephalon

Optic lobe (b) Midbrain

• Pair of optic lobes: Helps in vision
Cerebellum

Medulla oblongata
(c) Hindbrain
• Cerebellum: Controls muscle movement
and balance
• Medulla oblongata: Connects the brain
and spinal cord

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Did you know?

Vocal sacs, present only in males, help in the amplification of the voice that helps to attract the
female frog.

Reproductive System

Male reproductive system

Parts of the male reproductive system

A pair of testes
• Yellowish and ovoid in
appearance
• Attached to the kidneys by
the mesorchium (double
fold of peritoneum)
• Produces sperm

Vasa efferentia
• 10–12 in number
• Arise from the testes
• Enter the kidneys and open
into the Bidder’s canal

Urogenital tract

Cloaca
• Opens to the exterior of Male reproductive system
the body through the cloacal
aperture
• Passes urine, sperm, and
faecal matter

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Passage of sperm in the male reproductive system

Testes (Produce sperm)

Vasa efferentia

Bidder’s canal

Urogenital tract

Cloaca

Female reproductive system

Ovaries
• Situated near the kidneys
• Produce about 2500–3000
ova at a time

Oviduct
• Carries ova from the ovary
to the oviduct

Cloacal chamber

Female reproductive system

Fertilisation

• Fertilisation is external as ova and sperms are released into water.

• The egg and sperm fuse together to form the zygote.

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Did you know?

Copulatory pad
Male frogs have a structure on the first digit of the forelimb
known as the copulatory pad. This structure helps the male
grasp the female during copulation.

Development in Frogs

• After fertilisation, the zygote divides to form an embryo and then the tadpole hatches out.

Metamorphosis

• The process by which an immature larva transforms into the adult form is known as
metamorphosis.

Zygote Embryo
Tadpoles
• Look more like fish
• Have gills for respiration and tail
for movement
• Eat plants and algae from water

Frog Froglet
As the tadpole develops into the froglet and mature frog, the
following changes occur:
• Front and hind legs develop
• Tail shortens
• Lungs develop

Different stages of development of frog

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Tadpoles Frogs

They have gills. They lose their gills and breathe through
the lungs.
They have tails. They lose their tails when they become frogs.

They cannot live on land. They can live on land.

Endocrine Glands in Frogs

• Endocrine glands secrete hormones that help in the chemical coordination of the body.

Thymus
Gonad
Pituitary body Adrenal gland
(present on the kidneys)
Thyroid

Pancreas

Endocrine glands in a frog

Importance of Frogs

• They play a role as bioindicators.

○ They are sensitive to environmental changes like pollution.
○ Pollution can cause developmental malformations in frogs.
• They are an important part of the food chain and food web.
• They help in protecting crops by feeding on harmful insects.
• They serve as a food source.
○ In some cultures, muscular frog legs are consumed.

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Summary Sheet

Reproductive system Anatomy of frog Excretory system

Male reproductive system Kidneys (nephrons)

Testes (Produce sperm) Ureters

Vasa efferentia Bladder

Bidder’s canal Cloaca

Urogenital tract

Cloaca

Female reproductive system Endocrine system Nervous system

Pair of ovaries Thymus CNS

Oviduct Adrenal gland Brain

Cloacal chambers Pancreas Spinal cord

Pituitary gland PNS

Thyroid Cranial nerves

Gonad Spinal nerves

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