What is Rana Tigrina?
Classification: Phylum Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Phaneroglossa
Genus: Rana
Habitat: It is an amphibian found in and near fresh water bodies like ponds and lakes. It is called Bull
frog of India.
Habits:
(1) It shows diurnal activity.
(ii) It swims in water by webed toes and leaps on land by long hind limbs.
(iii) It is carnivorous and feeds upon insects, worms and spiders etc. Which are captured with the help of bifid tongue. Prey is swallowed entire. (iv) Frog shows triple mode of respiration. Cutaneous respiration, Bucco-pharyngeal and pulmonary
respiration.
(v) Sexes are unisexual and show sexual dimorphism. Male has vocal sacs and nuptial pad to grasp
the female during copulation. Female is oviparous and fertilization is external. Eggs are laid in
an irregular gelatinous mass, called spawn. Development includes an aquatic tadpole larva which
undergoes metamorphosis.
External characters:
(i) Body is ovoid and depressed. It is divisible into head and trunk.
(ii) Head bears snout, mouth, a pair of nostrils, large sized bulging eyes and ear drum just behind and below each eye.
(iii) Nuptial pad is present in male.
(iv) Trunk bears longitudinal wrinkles of skin, called dermal plicae on dorsal side and a cloacal aperture at the posterior end.
Economic importance: It controls insect population and is a good experimental animal.
