{"id":22483,"date":"2022-11-11T12:17:04","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T11:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/?p=70774"},"modified":"2022-11-11T12:38:09","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T11:38:09","slug":"hairy-frog-why-does-the-trichobatrachus-robustus-frog-develop-hair","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/hairy-frog-why-does-the-trichobatrachus-robustus-frog-develop-hair\/","title":{"rendered":"Hairy frog: why does the Trichobatrachus robustus frog develop hair?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By BBC Wildlife Magazine\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 11 November 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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A frog with fur? And<\/del> sharp, cat-like claws? Either might sound improbable, and Africa\u2019s hairy frog Trichobatrachus robustus<\/em> is certainly stranger than fiction.<\/p>\n

Why is the hairy frog hairy?<\/h2>\n

This 11cm-long amphibian is hairy during the mating season, when the male develops a thick bristle-like fringe along his flanks and thighs. This is actually a mass of thin strands of skin replete with blood vessels, and is a temporary organ that may boost breathing ability in times of need \u2013 the male guards his mate\u2019s eggs and may remain underwater for days without coming up for air.<\/p>\n

And its claws?<\/h2>\n

But this frog has another clever survival trick. With the flex of a foot muscle, it can produce an arsenal of sharp, curved claws that snap out of its toes like switchblades. These thorn-shaped toe bones rapidly pivot when triggered, sending the pointed tip slicing through the frog\u2019s skin and transforming its feet into formidable weapons. A few violent kicks can lacerate a foe and draw blood from an unsuspecting biologist. People in Cameroon, who hunt these frogs for food, use spears and machetes to avoid handling them.<\/p>\n

The triggered claw bones eventually move back into place and the toe wounds heal over \u2013 until the next time the frog needs to pull out its blades.<\/p>\n

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More facinating frog facts<\/h4>\n