Cat Frog... Cat Frog... not alone in the world is the little Cat Frog!

'Horror frog' breaks own bones to produce claws
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13991-horror-frog-breaks-own-bones-to-produce-claws.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news2_head_dn13991



00:01 28 May 2008
NewScientist.com news service
Catherine Brahic

"Amphibian horror" isn't a movie genre, but on this evidence perhaps it should be. Harvard biologists have described a bizarre, hairy frog with cat-like extendable claws.

Trichobatrachus robustus actively breaks its own bones to produce claws that puncture their way out of the frog's toe pads, probably when it is threatened.

David Blackburn and colleagues at Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology, think the gruesome behaviour is a defence mechanism.

The researchers say there are salamanders that force their ribs through their skin to produce protective barbs on demand, but nothing quite like this mechanism has been seen before.

The feature is also found in nine of the 11 frogs belonging to the Astylosternus genus, most of which live in Cameroon.

(more at link)

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Fascinating!

Way to intelligently design, FSM!

And totally cool.

That was supposed to be *my* joke

Perfect pic of her.....

:hi:

:P

:wow:

Pretty frickin cool, huh?

That is craaaaaazy!!!

How ya doin' sweetie? :hug:

:hug:

It's spring, my kids made straight A's (again), I have a job & my health, and Euro 2008 is about to start!

:bounce:

How're you doin lately?

Maybe go Brazilian.