The goliath frog (Conraua goliath) is the largest-living frog. It can grow up to 13 inches in length, and weigh up to 3.25 kgs. Goliath frogs have been around for about 250 million years! They are one of only a few amphibians still alive that lived on Earth before the dinosaurs. The species has a small habitat range in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its numbers are dwindling due to habitat destruction and collection for food and the pet trade.
Since the discovery of the first bones found in northwestern Madagascar in 1993, Krause and his team have gathered some 75 fossil fragments of Beelzebufo. Through the accumulation of these fossils, the team has been able to reconstruct the frog’s skeleton, including nearly the entire skull.
Not only was the frog huge, it was powerful in design, had a protective shield, an extremely wide mouth and powerful jaws. These features made Beelzebufo capable of killing lizards and other small vertebrates, perhaps even hatchling dinosaurs.
The research was also funded by the National Geographic Society.
Picture Credit : Google
