tailed frog
Noun A small frog (Ascaphus truei) native to the fast-flowing, cold streams of the Pacific Northwest of North America. It is distinguished by a unique cloacal extension in males that resembles a tail, which is used for internal fertilization.
The term "tailed frog" is used specifically to refer to this particular amphibian species. It is a common name, not a scientific description of all frogs with tail-like features. * The tailed frog is an ancient species, often called a "living fossil." * Researchers study the tailed frog to understand amphibian adaptation to cold water habitats. * Spotting a tailed frog requires careful searching under rocks in clear, cold streams.
- Conservation Context: The term is frequently used in discussions about habitat preservation, as the tailed frog is sensitive to water pollution and sedimentation.
- Logging activities can severely impact tailed frog populations.
- Ascaphus truei: The scientific binomial name for the tailed frog.
- Coastal Tailed Frog: A common alternative name for .
- Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog (): A closely related species found in inland mountain ranges.
- Ascaphus (scientific genus name, used informally in technical contexts).
This term refers exclusively to frogs of the genus Ascaphus. It does not describe tadpoles (which have actual tails) or other frog species. The "tail" is not a true tail but a specialized reproductive organ (an extension of the cloaca) found only in males.
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western North American frog with a taillike copulatory organ
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