The Frog That Gives Birth Through Its Mouth.
- bioworld090
- Jul 21, 2022
- 2 min read
The gastric-brooding frog, also known as the platypus frog, represented the extinct genus Rheobatrachus. There were only two species of the frog, the southern gastric-brooding frog(R. silus) and the northern gastric-brooding frog(R. vitellinus) and both of them were native to Queensland.
The name "gastric-brooding frog" describes the way it used to raise its young ones and the "platypus frog" suggests that it was aquatic. Even though both the species of Rheobatrachus shared similarities, there were still some differences between them.
Southern Gastric Brooding Frog(R. silus)
The southern gastric-brooding frog was the smaller of the two species with males measuring 1.3 - 1.6 inches and females measuring 1.7 - 2.1 inches in length. Its eyes were large and protruding. The snout was short and blunt. The colour of skin was generally dull grey to slate on the dorsal side and white or cream on the ventral side. R. silus was found in Blackall and Condondale mountain ranges in rainforests and water bodies as it was primarily an aquatic animal. The last representative of this species in the wild was seen in 1979 and 1981 in Condondale and Blackall ranges respectively. The last specimen in captivity died in 1983.
Northern Gastric Brooding Frog(R. vitellinus)
The northern gastric-brooding frog was larger than its southern counterpart with males measuring 2 - 2.1 inches and females measuring 2.6 - 3.1 inches in length. The skin was bumpy, coated with mucus and pale brown in colour. It was found in rainforest areas of the Clarke Range in Eungella National Park and the Pelion State Forest in central-eastern Queensland. R. vitellinus lived in clear waters where it could be found in between or beneath the rocks.
The unique way of reproduction
Image: Mike Tyler/ University of Adelaide
The thing that separates the gastric-brooding frog from other frogs is how it raises and gives birth to its young ones. Upon fertilization of the eggs, the female would swallow them and brood them inside her stomach for at least 6 weeks. As the embryo developed, the mother's stomach size would continue to grow to a point where her lungs would become deflated and she wouldn't be able to breathe through her lungs. At this point, she would start breathing through her skin.
The baby frogs would generally be born over a period of days but the female could regurgitate all of them at once if disturbed or senses danger.
Extinction and De-extinction
The gastric-brooding frog became extinct in the mid-1980s. The exact cause of their extinction is still unknown but it is believed that the introduction of pathogenic chytrid fungus by humans had led to its extinction.
Many years after its extinction, efforts have been made in the form of the Lazarus Project to bring the platypus frog back to life.
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