American Bullfrog

Descrizione

The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, ponds, and lakes. Bullfrogs can also be found in manmade habitats such as pools, koi ponds, canals, ditches and culverts. The bullfrog gets its name from the sound the male makes during the breeding season, which sounds similar to a bull bellowing. They are generalist carnivores, consuming a wide variety of prey. In turn, they are eaten by predators such as alligators, snakes, and birds. The bullfrog is large and is commonly eaten throughout its range, especially in the southern United States where they are plentiful. Their use as a food source has led to bullfrogs being introduced outside of their native range. Bullfrogs have been introduced into the Western United States, South America, Western Europe, China, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. In these places they are considered an invasive species due to their voracious appetite and the large number of eggs they produce, which has a negative effect on native amphibians, certain insects and other fauna.