Basic Frog Anatomy

Posterior- the tail end of an organism, also may

be used to refer to the back or behind something else. i.e. your backbone is posterior to your bellybutton.

Anterior- the front end or in front of something

else. i.e. your teeth are anterior to your tonsils.

Tympanic membrane- the covering over the ear of the frog.

Also the eardrum in humans.

Nictitating membrane- the covering over the eye in a frog.

Dorsal- the back surface in an erect standing

animal, the upper surface in an animal such as a fish or frog. The dorsal fin of a shark is on its upper surface.

Ventral- the front surface of an erect standing

animal, the under surface in an animal such as a fish or frog. An earthworm crawls on its ventral side

Maxillary teeth- teeth found on the maxillary bone or

upper jaw.

Vomerine teeth- two knob-like, backward slanting

teeth, located on the upper jaw of the frog.

Eustachian tubes- tube leading from the throat to the

inside of the tympanic membrane of the ear. The purpose is to equalize the pressure inside the ear to that outside the ear. When you yawn to pop your ears you are opening your eustatian tubes to equalize the pressure thus popping your ears.

Nostrils- opening through which the frog is

able to breath air.

Tongue-fly- catching device in the frog. Its

attachment in the front allows it to reach great lengths.

Gullet- horizontal opening in the center of

the mouth which leads to the esophagus and then the stomach. Food is swallowed through the gullet.

Glottis- a vertical slit in the bottom jaw just

anterior to the gullet. The glottis is the air passage to the lungs.

Lymph nodes- structures found under the skin in the

lower jaw. The lymph nodes are part of the immune system. They serve as disease fighting stations. The swollen glands you may get in your neck are lymph glands.

Ovaries- female reproductive glands which

produce eggs.

Oviducts- tubes which carry the eggs

Cloaca- a common reproductive, excretory

organ in the frog. A large section at the end of the small intestine just before the anus.

Heart- organ responsible for the pumping of

blood throughout an organism.

Ventricle- the lower portions of the heart which

pump blood out to the body. The ventricles will be very muscular due to the work which they do.

Atrium- upper chambers of the heart which

serve to collect blood returning to the heart from the body. Since they only pump blood to the ventricles they will have much thinner less muscular walls than the atria.

Liver- largest organ of the body produces

and stores many substances vital to the existence of the organism. The frog has three lobes to its liver.

Gall bladder- small greenish sack beneath the right

lobe of the liver which stores the bile produced by the liver.

Bile- greenish liquid produced by the liver,

stored in the gall bladder. Its function is to break down fats and oils.

Small intestine- coiled tube in which most of the

process of digestion and absorption of food occurs.

Stomach- temporary storage site of food in

which the process of digestion begins.

Esophagus- tube which serves as a passageway

for food from the gullet to the stomach.

Mesentery- transparent connective tissues which

hold internal organs in place.

Pancreas- narrow band of whitish tissue found at

the crook of the stomach. The pancreas produces several digestive enzymes. In humans the pancreas produces insulin.

Fat bodies- organs comprised of fat. These

structures will be the food source for the frog throughout its winter hibernation. If your frog has a great deal of fat body mass it was probably fall when your frog met its end.

Spleen- brown, bean shaped organ found

below the stomach on the left side of your frog. Its function is to store blood cells.

Kidneys- two long reddish organs located one

on either side of the backbone. The kidney's function is to filter the blood.

Testicles- male reproductive organs which

produce sperm

Lungs- located to each side of the liver lobes.

The lungs are quite small for an animal of this size. Probably because the frog is also able to breath through its skin.

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