Burrowing in frogs

1976/08/01 by Sharon B. Emerson · 4 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Evolution and Paleontology Studies

paper · doi:10.1002/jmor.1051490402

openalex publication_date 1976/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22

Abstract

More than 95% of burrowing Anura dig hindfeet first into the soil, a pattern unique to frogs among terrestrial vertebrates. The postero-laterally placed hindlimbs and associated musculature of frogs are preadaptations for hindfeet digging. One fossorial, backwards burrower, Glyphoglossus molossus (Microhylidae), has morphological modifications of the hindlimb for positioning the spade-like metatarsal tubercle and for increasing the force of the lower leg during digging. In contrast, in the headfirst burrower Hemisus marmoratus (Ranidae) there is extensive reorganization of the pectoral-cranial morphology compared to that: of a non-burrowing confamilial species. A model links the shifts in the pectoral morphology in Hemisus marmoratus to specific action patterns of headfirst: burrowing. Finally, data on stomach contents, natural history and energy utilization of frog species are presented to demonstrate the interrelationships of distinct loco. motor patterns with specific feeding strategies.

Citations

• Anuran Locomotion: Structure and Function. I. Preliminary Observations on Relation between Jumping and Osteometrics of Appendicular and Postaxial Skeleton

Cited by

• Convergent evolution across theAustralian continent: ecotype diversification drives morphological convergence in two distantly related clades ofAustralian frogs
• Testing Convergence Versus History: Convergence Dominates Phenotypic Evolution for over 150 Million Years in Frogs
• Phylogenetic patterns of skeletal morphometrics and pelvic traits in relation to locomotor mode in frogs
• Evolution of morphology and locomotor performance in anurans: relationships with microhabitat diversification

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