9 largest frogs in the world

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Frogs are one of the most familiar animals to the human eye. They are common not only here – these amphibians live on all continents, except Antarctica. Therefore, in order to surprise, this amphibian must be unusual – for example, have a non-standard and bright color, live underground, or simply be noticeably larger than expected from it. It is about such – and especially the largest – frogs that will be discussed here.

Overview of the largest frogs in the world

Nomination	a place	Name of product	Length
Rating of the largest frogs in the world	1	Goliath frog	32 cm.
	2	Bull frog	25 CM.
	3	The slingshot is changeable	20 CM.
	4	Tiger frog	17 CM.
	5	Marsh frog	17 CM.
	6	Long-legged litoria	14 CM.
	7	Grass frog	10 CM.
	8	Purple frog	9 CM.
	9	Garlic	8 CM.

1st place: Goliath frog (up to 32 cm)

Rating: 5.0

The largest modern frog can be found in Africa, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its body length reaches 32 cm even without taking into account the hind legs. Usually only females grow to this size, males are slightly smaller. It weighs almost like a domestic cat – about 3 kg. Biologists gave the species the appropriate name – the goliath frog (Conraua goliath): among the frogs we are used to, this would look like the giant Goliath among people.

The goliath's skin is tinted greenish-brown from the back and whitish-yellow from the abdomen. These amphibians live along rivers in the depths of tropical forests. Goliath, unlike other species of the genus Conraua, cannot live in swampy and muddy bodies of water – it only needs clean, oxygen-rich water near waterfalls that form fast tropical rivers.

The size allows the goliath to feed not only on ordinary frog food – insects, spiders, worms – but also on larger prey, such as crustaceans and smaller frogs. He, like other species, swallows the captured prey whole, using the tongue for capture.

The number of C. goliath is now rapidly declining. The main reason is the destruction of forests, which leaves only a small piece of the territory of Africa, where this species can still inhabit. In addition, collectors catch giant frogs, restaurants pay for them – frog meat is sweet. Previously, they were taken to zoos in the United States, where jumping competitions were held – a goliath can jump up to 3 meters. Poisonous substances that are used for poaching fish are also dangerous. The Cameroonian authorities are trying to prevent the extinction of the species, but so far the measures taken have not been very effective.

2nd place: bullfrog (up to 25 cm)

Rating: 4.9

The second largest frog lives in North America, in the central and southeastern part of the mainland – in Quebec, Ontario, the Mississippi Delta. Despite the shorter length than that of the goliath, this species is not much inferior in weight, also reaching 3 kg. The bullfrog got its name not only because of its size, but also because of the call signs that resemble mooing. It is also called the ox frog, in Latin – Lithobates catesbeianus. The color of the skin of this species is olive brown from the back, the lower part of the body is yellow.

The bullfrog lives on the banks of rivers, lakes and ponds, swampy bodies of water. It feeds on rather large animals – it can swallow a bat, a small rodent, a fish, it also eats fry, tadpoles (even of its own kind), mollusks, insects. The mooing sounds for which this species is known are made only by males, attracting females with the help of throat sacs.

Unlike the goliath, the bullfrog is not endangered. The natural range on the North American mainland is quite extensive. In addition, the species has been introduced to almost the entire territory of the United States and Canada, in some South American countries, Europe and China. The reason for the introduction is the culinary value of the frog, whose legs are considered a delicacy. In some places where it was brought, it reproduces uncontrollably, displacing local species.

3rd place: Changeable slingshot (up to 20 cm)

Rating: 4.8

Third on the list is Ceratophrys aurita, the Brazilian (or volatile) slingshot. This frog lives only in Brazil and, in addition to its size, it also stands out with special outgrowths above the eyes, resembling horns. She has a large, one-third of the body, a head with powerful toothy jaws and a peculiar body shape. The skin is green or brown, covered with spots and patterns.

The slingshot lives in moist forests. During the day, it hides from the sun and heat in the litter, where it is hardly noticeable due to the camouflage color, and only goes hunting at night. It eats insects and worms, it can also catch a bird, a lizard or a mouse. An interesting way in which the frog helps itself to swallow food: for this, the eyeballs lower and press on the prey, pushing it into the esophagus, and the horns meanwhile cover the eye openings. Then, when the food is swallowed, the eyes return to their place.

Despite its rather narrow range, the species does not disappear – for Brazilians, slingshots are as familiar as for us – ordinary frogs or toads. Lovers of exotic animals keep these amphibians at home. In captivity, slingshots can refuse to eat – the owners have to force food into their throats – and behave quite quietly, rarely making themselves felt. They are not at all like that in the wild – there males, calling on females, scream so loudly that their voice can be heard from many kilometers away.

4th place: Tiger frog (up to 17 cm)

Rating: 4.7

The Indian tiger frog (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus) lives in Asian countries – India, Bangladesh, China, it can also be found in other places where people brought it, for example, on the island of Madagascar. Looks pretty ordinary, apart from the size – a medium-sized head, a massive body. There is a sharp crease on the back that distinguishes the species from other members of the genus Hoplobatrachus. The back is olive or gray, the abdomen is painted white.

The tiger frog lives near water bodies and wetlands, hiding from the sun in the ground or bush thickets. They hunt at night, swallowing everything in their path – worms, shrews, mice, chicks, and other frogs.

The body color, usually quite ordinary, changes in males during the mating season. This happens when the monsoon rains begin to pour. The body turns yellow and the throat sacs turn blue. Because there are a lot of frogs, Asian swamps are painted entirely in these contrasting colors. Attracted by such splendor and loud croaking, females arrive at the places of concentration of males, and pairs are formed.

5th place: Lake frog (up to 17 cm)

Rating: 4.6

The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) lives in Europe, North Africa, Asia. It is brought to Kamchatka, where it settles near thermal springs. Surpasses all other European and Russian frogs in size. Her body color is green or brown above, with a light stripe running along the spine, and yellowish-white below.

It lives mainly in stagnant reservoirs – lakes, ponds, ditches, for which it got its name. However, sometimes the lake frog can be seen near rivers and streams. She hides from predators under water, when there is no danger, she gets out to hunt herself. It is active at any time of the day, but more often in the middle of the day, when it is warm. Eats insects and mollusks, tadpoles (even their own) and fry. It can “shoot” its tongue, grabbing dragonflies, butterflies, flies, and also jump, swallowing an insect on the fly. In winter, it goes under water and hibernates.

In Europe and Russia, it is a common, widespread species. Like the grass frog, the lake frog is used for medical experiments – this was especially often done in the USSR. In addition, the Soviet Union exported them to Europe, where frog legs are prized. To do this, they even wanted to breed frogs on special farms, which, however, was not crowned with success.

6th place: Long-legged litoria (up to 14 cm)

Rating: 4.5

This frog lives in the Southern Hemisphere – in Australia, New Guinea, on the island of Timor. The color on the back is bright green and lighter on the side of the belly. This color makes the litoria invisible among the foliage – it lives in tree crowns, only occasionally descending to the ground. Characteristic white stripes extend from the lips, which turn pink in males during the mating period.

You can find lititoria in humid places – forests, coastal thickets, on plowed land. It is found both on the plains and in the low mountains, up to 1200 meters above sea level. It feeds on woody and terrestrial insects, being active at night, when there is no heat and scorching sun. Breeds in spring, females descend from trees to reservoirs and spawn there. Litoria has a rather loud voice, in addition, she can meow, expressing fear.

The species has a fairly large range, it is not threatened with extinction. Litoria is kept as a pet – in Australia, however, this requires special permission.

7th place: Grass frog (up to 10 cm)

Rating: 4.4

This is the most typical frog in the European part of Russia. It also lives in the rest of Europe, took root in the Faroe Islands and in Ireland, where people brought it. It grows up to 10-11 cm in length, weighs a little more than 20 g. The body color is light brown, there are spots, dark stripes on the temples. It features smooth skin with small bumps.

The grass frog can be found in forests, in forest-steppe areas. It is active in the evening and at night, during the day it hides under fallen leaves and in old stumps. Eats snails, worms, insects, capturing prey with sticky tongue. Tadpoles feed on algae and other aquatic plants.

The grass frog reproduces in the spring, immediately after waking up from hibernation, laying eggs in water bodies. By autumn, the hatched tadpoles turn into young frogs, which reach sexual maturity by 2-3 years of age. Wintering takes place on land, individuals hide in leaf litter, stumps and burrows. At all stages of life, the grass frog has enemies – newts and ducks eat eggs, tadpoles are caught by thrushes, magpies, swimming beetles, adults are eaten by birds of prey, snakes and gulls. In Europe, people also eat frogs: its legs are considered a delicacy.

8th place: Purple frog (up to 9 cm)

Rating: 4.3

This species, called Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis in Latin, is very rare – it has survived only in the Indian mountains of the Western Ghats, on an area of ​​14 km2. This frog is unusual in that it lives under the ground, getting out only for reproduction. Due to underground life, it has a peculiar body shape – it looks more like a mole with bare skin than a frog. The color of the body is also non-standard – purple or lilac with a grayish-earthy tint.

For a long time, scientists did not even realize that the frog could be found underground. Therefore, the view was discovered relatively recently – in 2003, although local residents observed representatives earlier. It is known that the purple frog can go up to 1-3 meters deep. Termites, which she finds in the soil, sticking her tongue into their holes, serve as food for her. The frog cannot swallow larger prey because of its small mouth.

When the monsoons begin to pour, males and females briefly – for about two weeks – get out to the surface of the earth. There mating takes place, after which the females lay eggs in reservoirs. Tadpoles develop in water, and, as they mature, go out to the ground and burrow into the soil.

Now the purple frog is threatened with extinction due to the deforestation of the mountain forests in which it lives. With the destruction of trees, termites also disappear – the only food for Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis. The species was listed in the international Red Book.

9th place: Garlic (up to 8 cm)

Rating: 4.2

This is no longer a very large frog – with a body length of up to 8 cm it weighs 6-20 g. It has a smooth oval body and short limbs. It is painted discreetly, gray with brown and yellow shades and large dark spots. It is named so because of the odorous mucus on the skin, which is poisonous and therefore does not allow predators to eat the garlic. It is better not to touch it with bare hands – skin irritation may occur.

It is found in the forests, river floodplains, plowed land, in vegetable gardens. Lives on land, during the day buries itself in the soil to a depth of half a meter, goes hunting at night. It approaches water bodies only in spring, during breeding. Eats insects and spiders, tadpoles eat detritus and aquatic plants. Garlic overwinters in the soil, sometimes in wells and pits.

Natural enemies of the garlic are snakes and other snakes, birds of prey, foxes, for tadpoles – fish. In addition, tadpoles often die from the fact that water bodies dry up. With this species, extinction is not threatened, it is found quite often and over a large territory – in Russia, European countries, in the Middle East.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.