Some frogs can move on the surface of water like they are on land. They use a funny method to do this.
Instead of hopping like a skipped stone, these frogs make belly flops into the water. They sink a little, then push up quickly before going under. It is a surprising way to go from one place to another.
“Skittering” is a word used for this behavior. In 1949, a naturalist used it to describe how frogs move on water. Now, many scientists use this word, too,” says Talia Weiss, an engineer from Virginia Tech.
“We want to study this movement in cricket frogs and define ‘skittering’ better.”
The northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) can do this. Researchers used high-speed cameras to see how these frogs jump on land and water.
When they jump, the frogs briefly go under the water. This movement is like how dolphins jump. The frogs seem to skip but are actually doing multiple jumps.
More research may help us learn why only some frogs move this way.
Vocabulary List:
- Skittering /ˈskɪtə.rɪŋ/ (noun): A rapid light movement often skimming over a surface.
- Naturalist /ˈnætʃ.ər.əl.ɪst/ (noun): A person who studies or is an expert in natural history especially a biologist.
- Movement /ˈmuːv.mənt/ (noun): An act of changing physical location or position.
- Researchers /rɪˈsɜːr.tʃərz/ (noun): People who conduct studies to discover new information.
- Behavior /bɪˈheɪ.vjər/ (noun): The way in which one acts or conducts oneself especially towards others.
- Surprising /sərˈpraɪ.zɪŋ/ (adjective): Causing a feeling of wonder or astonishment.
How much do you know?
What term is used to describe how some frogs move on the surface of water?
Which frog behavior involves making belly flops into the water and pushing up quickly?
What did researchers use to observe how the northern cricket frogs move on land and water?
What is another animal mentioned that moves similarly to how the northern cricket frogs move?
What word did a naturalist use in 1949 to describe frog movement on water?
What do some frogs seem to be doing when moving on the surface of water?
Frogs that exhibit skittering behavior do not touch the surface of the water.
Talia Weiss is a naturalist who first used the term "skittering" to describe frog movement on water.
The behavior of skittering in frogs involves quickly going under the water and resurfacing.
Researchers are not interested in studying the movement of cricket frogs.
Cricket frogs move on water by walking on the surface like other amphibians.
The term "skittering" is used by scientists to describe how frogs move on water.
The term "skittering" was first used in 1949 by a to describe how frogs move on water.
Researchers used high-speed cameras to observe how the northern cricket frogs move on land and water, and this movement is similar to how jump.
More research may help us learn why only some frogs exhibit this unique way of moving on the surface of water from one place to .
The unusual behavior of skittering in frogs involves making belly flops into the water, sinking a little, then pushing up quickly before going .
The northern cricket frog is known scientifically as Acris .
The term "skittering" is used to describe the movement of frogs on like they are on land.
