| Beelzebufo Fossil range: Late Cretaceous | |
|---|---|
 An artist's depiction of Beelzebufo consuming a herptile. | |
| Scientific classification
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Class |
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Order |
Anura |
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Suborder |
Neobatrachia |
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Superfamily |
Hyloidea |
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Family |
Leptodactylidae |
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Subfamily |
Ceratophryinae |
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Genus |
Beelzebufo |
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Beelzebufo was a particularly large species of prehistoric frog first identified in 2007. Common names assigned by the popular media include "Devil Frog",[1] "Devil Toad",[2] and "The Frog From Hell".[3] Fossils of Beelzebufo have been recovered from strata of the Maevarano Formation in Madagascar, dating to the late Cretaceous Period, some 70 million years ago.[4]
Description[]
The species may have grown to over 40 cm (16 in.) and 4 kg (10 lb.) — larger than any living frogs, including the largest known species, the goliath frog, which can be up to 32 cm (12.5 in.). The bones of the skull roof shows a rugous external surface, indicating that the at least parts of the head my have born scutes.
Biogeography[]
Although Beelzebufo appears to have lived in what is now Madagascar, it superficially resembled its closest living relatives, the horned toads of South America, marketed as pacman frogs in the United States pet trade. Modern pacman frogs grow to 15 cm (6 in.) long.
Richard Lane, program director in NSF's Division of Earth Sciences, said "The occurrence of this frog in Madagascar and its relatives' existence in South America provides strong evidence that the supercontinent Gondwana 'disassembled' during the latest part of the Cretaceous."[1]
Lifestyle[]
In comparison with the living horned frogs, Beelzebufo was a predator whose expansive mouth allowed it to eat relatively large prey, perhaps even juvenile dinosaurs.[5]Beelzebufo was probably a dry-land frog, living in arid environments and ambushing prey.
Discovery[]
The first fossil fragments were found in 1993 by David W. Krause of New York's Stony Brook University, but it took 14 years for scientists Susan E. Evans, Marc E. H. Jones, and Krause to assemble enough data for publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences. Some 75 fossil fragments have been found. Researchers have been able to reconstruct parts of the frog's skeleton, including nearly the entire skull.
See also[]
- Bullockornis, nicknamed the "Demon Duck of Doom".
References[]
- ^ a b Dybas, Cheryl (2008-02-18). "Scientists Discover 'Giant Fossil Frog from Hell'". Press Release 08-025. National Science Foundation. http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111119&org=NSF&from=news. Retrieved on 2008-02-19.
- ^ "Scientists find 'Devil Toad' fossil". Associated Press. 2008-02-19. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080219/ap_on_sc/giant_frog;_ylt=AuhcdY7K90.BdBVLjY6chtes0NUE. Retrieved on 2008-02-19.
- ^ Hooper, Rowan (2008-02-18). "Giant prehistoric frog hints at ancient land link". New Scientist. http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn13342-giant-prehistoric-frog-hints-at-ancient-land-link.html. Retrieved on 2008-02-19.
- ^ Evans, Susan E.; Jones, Marc E. H.; Krause, David W. (2008). "A giant frog with South American affinities from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105 (8): 2951–2956. doi:. PMID 18287076.
- ^ "'Frog from hell' fossil unearthed". 2008-02-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7251666.stm. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.