http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/ The Neat Side of the Web Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:06:07 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/comment-page-1/#comment-1843848 MikeB Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:38:45 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/#comment-1843848 The study by Ballengee and Sessions puts forward an interesting potential explanation for some types of frog deformities. Unfortunately, their research fails to live up to the media hype; it does not solve the mystery of deformed frogs. In the laboratory, they found that some dragonfly larvae will remove limbs of tadpoles. However, Ballengee and Sessions did not actually test the predictions of the dragonfly hypothesis with rigorous data from the field. For example, a clear prediction of their hypothesis is that as the frequency of dragonfly larvae in wetlands increases, the frequency of missing-limb deformities in those wetlands is also expected to increase. Ballengee and Sessions did not test this prediction. Testing such predictions is a fundamental component of science. Until there are well-designed studies that examine the relationship between dragonfly density and frogs with missing limbs in nature, the relative importance of the role of predation in amphibian deformities will remain unknown. The study by Ballengee and Sessions puts forward an interesting potential explanation for some types of frog deformities. Unfortunately, their research fails to live up to the media hype; it does not solve the mystery of deformed frogs. In the laboratory, they found that some dragonfly larvae will remove limbs of tadpoles. However, Ballengee and Sessions did not actually test the predictions of the dragonfly hypothesis with rigorous data from the field. For example, a clear prediction of their hypothesis is that as the frequency of dragonfly larvae in wetlands increases, the frequency of missing-limb deformities in those wetlands is also expected to increase. Ballengee and Sessions did not test this prediction. Testing such predictions is a fundamental component of science. Until there are well-designed studies that examine the relationship between dragonfly density and frogs with missing limbs in nature, the relative importance of the role of predation in amphibian deformities will remain unknown.

]]> http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/comment-page-1/#comment-1806389 GQ Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:42:45 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/#comment-1806389 Jaysus, that's a terrifying thought. Imagine a creature that preyed on human babies but only ate their legs or the odd arm... Jaysus, that's a terrifying thought. Imagine a creature that preyed on human babies but only ate their legs or the odd arm...

]]> http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/comment-page-1/#comment-1805954 Izzy Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:41:27 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/#comment-1805954 So, all those environmentalists who said that the loss of limbs *was* caused by pollution were lying to us the entire time!!!eleventy!!11!! So, all those environmentalists who said that the loss of limbs *was* caused by pollution were lying to us the entire time!!!eleventy!!11!!

]]> http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/comment-page-1/#comment-1804800 Edward Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:13:54 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/#comment-1804800 Additionally, removal of predator species by humans allows the deformed frogs to survive long enough for humans to notice them. Additionally, removal of predator species by humans allows the deformed frogs to survive long enough for humans to notice them.

]]> http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/comment-page-1/#comment-1804230 zav Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:03:22 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/#comment-1804230 This is not the only solution. It is also known that limb buds in tadpoles are attacked by trematode larvae which cause a deformation as the limb grows. Additionally, certain pesticides in the water can weaken and slow the tadpoles so that they can be more easily eaten or damaged by predators. This is not the only solution. It is also known that limb buds in tadpoles are attacked by trematode larvae which cause a deformation as the limb grows. Additionally, certain pesticides in the water can weaken and slow the tadpoles so that they can be more easily eaten or damaged by predators.

]]> http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/comment-page-1/#comment-1804198 rika Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:34:43 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/#comment-1804198 >>missing and / or extra limbs if you have a limb missing and get an extra limb nothing's missing anymore, right? >>missing and / or extra limbs
if you have a limb missing and get an extra limb nothing's missing anymore, right?

]]> http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/comment-page-1/#comment-1803928 Christophe Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:51:43 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/07/04/the-mystery-of-legless-frogs-solved/#comment-1803928 This must be a French dragonfly nymph. This must be a French dragonfly nymph.

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