Pacman Frog facts: amphibians with a big bite | Animal Fact Files

There are currently eight accepted species of pac-man frogs, and they all hail from South America. The different species are all found, usually in non-overlapping ranges, in different parts of South America, which contributes to their other common name, South American horned frogs. The horns in these frogs are usually found above their eyes, and, along with their natural camo coloration, the horns may aid in camouflage against predators, such as mammals, reptiles, and birds of prey. Pac-man frogs basically look like a head with legs, and the common name, Pac-man, comes not only from its very large and full of tooth-like projections grin, but also from its voracious appetite, much like the video game character whose only purpose in life is to run away from ghosts and eat dots as well as the occasional fruit. Pac-man frogs are considered sit-and-wait predators. They'll burrow into the soil, leaving only their heads exposed. They've even been observed wiggling their toes to attract the attention of prey. Pac-man frogs will eat pretty much anything that they can fit in their mouth. Their sticky tongues are perfectly designed for ensuring anything they want to eat ends up in their stomachs. A pac-man frog's tongue is so strong, the frog could theoretically hang from a ceiling by it. Of course, ceilings aren't exactly on the menu. Pac-man frogs commonly dine on rats, mice, birds, lizards, arthropods, other frogs, basically if it's edible, they'll eat it. And if it isn't, they'll make sure whatever it is knows who's boss. Pac-man frogs will actually bite a person if improperly handled. Pac-man frogs are also generally quite round, and from their nose to their rear average about 3 inches in length, though the ladies have been known to double that. At about 2 to 3 years of age, pac-man frogs are ready to reproduce. They generally do so during rainy seasons, when temporary pools are filled with rainwater and act as perfect nurseries for frogs as young. Male pac-man frogs will make loud calls to attract the attention of females. The two will mate, and the male will position the fertilized eggs on the female's back so she can carry them to what she deems to be the perfect watering hole. That's about all the male does for his kids, and after the female drops them off in a vernal pond, they're on their own. It takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for the tadpoles to hatch. As tadpoles, they'll eat arthropods, and even try to take bites out of each other. However, they're able to tell their siblings off when this happens. As far as has been recorded, pac-man frog tadpoles are the only tadpoles who can make vocalizations. They make these metallic-sounding squeaks when they're being attacked by a conspecific, likely to help prevent species death, and when they get touched by other objects in the water. Pac-man frogs may live to be older than a decade, and those kept in captivity tend to live even longer. Pac-man frogs tend to be nocturnal to avoid drying out during the heat of the day, and they're generally found in lowland forests and grasslands, where they have access to some form of moisture, either through the soil or temporary ponds. They likely spend most of their lives buried in dirt, which honestly doesn't sound like a bad way to live. For more facts on pac-man frogs, check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.