New Article: Arboreal Wood-Eating Tadpole

[findi]

Hi All,

Please check out:

Frog First: Terrestrial Tadpole Lives in Trees and Feeds Upon Wood!

Comments and questions appreciated,

Thanks, Frank

[Smashtoad]

The tad is feeding on something growing or living on the bark, right? You telling me the tad can chew tree bark? Not that frogs chew...but you know what I mean.

Sometimes the "scientific experts" need pointed in the right direction.

[jkooiman]

All these new Indian anuran discoveries are exciting. Can't wait to see what else pops up! JVK

[tclipse]

Originally Posted by Smashtoad

The tad is feeding on something growing or living on the bark, right? You telling me the tad can chew tree bark? Not that frogs chew...but you know what I mean.

Sometimes the "scientific experts" need pointed in the right direction.

If it stays humid enough for the tads to live out of water, I would guess there is a good amount of algae/biofilm growing on the trees they're found on. Either way, it's pretty cool that they can survive latched to the side of a tree.

[findi]

Hello and thanks for your comment. The tadpoles were observed to actually eat the wood; whether or not they digest it, or pass it after digesting moss, detritus etc., remains to be seen

Wood-feeding is unusual but not unknown; wood digestion even more so. Termites are the best known examples of animals that digest wood (cellulose) via bacterial action. Several catfish species consume wood, but lab tests indicate that it is not digested...but much work remains to be done with them.

Amazingly, beavers seem actually to digest wood, if indirectly. Bacteria in their gut break down cellulose, and are themselves digested by the beavers. However, the beavers I've cared for (Bx Zoo) much preferred carrots and such to wood - one fellow tipped the scales at 50+ pounds, so I assume the diet agreed with him.

Best, Frank

[hypostatic]

Oh wow, I was just about to say -- those tads must have some really good cellulases to digest that wood! But having bacteria that secrete the enzymes would be equally impressive in my opinion, especially for a frog.

Also, I had no idea that beavers digested (or even ate, really) wood! I thought they just chewed on it but didn't swallow. You learn something new every day

[findi]

I'm really looking forward to learning how they actually manage the wood...I'll be sure to post an update when I hear anything new.

Beavers are quite impressive, aren't they?...I don't most people focus on the dam-building/tree cutting, but they are full of surprises.

Best, Frank

[Smashtoad]

Originally Posted by findi

Hello and thanks for your comment. The tadpoles were observed to actually eat the wood...

I'm sorry, but this statement just sounds ridiculous. It is the kind of thing The Discovery Channel says, and then goes, "WELL...while it initially appeared that the frogs were eating the wood..blah blah blah..."

When you say they actually ate the wood, you got any more details on how they "ate" the wood? Rip a chink off? Just bite into the side of the tree? Go all woodpecker on it? The info just seems vague, and the suggestions we made above, to the naked eye, would appear as if they were eating it.

But, if true, it is amazing...so I cannot wait to hear more about the wood eating frog, and how they are actually obtaining their nutrients.

[findi]

Hello,

Sorry, but the term "ridiculous" is not appropriate in this case.

The observation was reported in a professional, peer-reviewed journal that serves as a forum for just such articles - new behaviors and such that have not yet been analyzed or studied. Such journals, generally not available via the internet without a subscription, are used by researchers to draw attention to subjects that are deserving of further investigation. This is why I stated that the tadpoles were observed to consume wood but further information was not yet available; nothing at all to do with inadequate TV coverage and the like.

Best regards, Frank

[Afemoralis]

Hi Frank,

What a cool find! Where was your study published? I'd love to read it! I forwarded the link to one of the researchers who works on wood-eating catfishes- he was stoked and I'm sure you'll be hearing from him.

Cheers,

Afemoralis