Structures and Functions

brain consists of five major regions: olfactory lobes, cerebrum, optic lobe, cerebellum, and the medula oblongata (anterior to posterior); nervous system

camouflage most frogs have dark dorsal sides and light ventral sides to protect them from predators on land and in water, respectively

cerebellum a region of the brain that is responsible for muscle coordination; nervous system

cerebrum a region of the brain that is responsible for learning; nervous system  

cloaca collects wastes from digestive and excretory systems, and removes them from the body

esophagus digestive system structure which is a tube leading food from the mouth cavity to the stomach

eustachian tubes tubes connecting the mouth cavity and the tympanic membrane that help equalize internal ear pressure

fat bodies attached near the kidneys, and provide nourishment for the gametes; much larger and more abundant in females

gall bladder stores bile from the liver, and sends bile to the small intestine; digestive system

gullet the opening to the esophagus; digestive system

heart three chambered structure (ventricle, right atrium, left atrium) that circulates blood; circulatory system

kidneys filter blood and urine that drains into the urinary bladder; excretory system

large intestine collects wastes from the tissues; digestive system

left atrium a chamber of the heart that collects oxygenated blood from the lungs and pushes it into the ventricle; circulatory system

liver a three lobed structure that produces bile for lipid digestion; not part of food passage through the digestive system, but rather through the blood supply; digestive system

lung collects oxygen from the air and transfers it to the blood supply; respiratory system

medula oblongata a region of the brain which controls some organ function, such as respiration rate and heart rate; nervous system

nictating membrane a clear covering over the eye, acting similar to an eyelid, protecting the eye from debris in the water or keeping the eye moistened when on land

olfactory lobes a region of the brain responsible for the sense of smell; nervous system

optic lobes a region of the brain responsible for the sense of sight; nervous system

pancreas secretes enzymes into the small intestine; digestive system

right atrium a chamber of the heart that collects deoxygenated blood from the tissues and pumps it into the ventricle; circulatory system

small intestine breaks down soupy mixture from stomach into usable nutrients, using bile from the gall bladder and enzymes from the pancreas; digestive system

spinal cord connected to the brain and 10 pairs of spinal nerves; nervous system

spleen filters improperly functioning blood cells; circulatory system

stomach secretes digestive juices to breakdown whole foods swallowed by the frog into a soupy mixture; digestive system

teeth maxillary and vomerine teeth are used to hold onto caught prey, not for chewing

tongue folded and slightly forked (but not like a snake's); it flips forward to catch prey

tympanic membrane the eardrum, which collects sound waves; this is more external than one found in humans, and allows frogs to hear well in the water too

urinary bladder stores urine before it is exreted through the cloaca; excretory system

ventricle a chamber of the heart that collects blood from the left atrium and pumps it to the tissues, and collects blood from the right atrium and pumps it to the lungs; circulatory system