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Beelzebufo
Beelzebufo1
Beelzebufo compared to a modern frog
Vital statistics
Scientific Name Beelzebufo ampinga
Length 40 centimeters
Height
Weight 4 kilograms
Diet Carnivorous
Lived 70 million years ago
Range Madagascar

Beelzebufo was a large frog from Cretaceous Madagascar.

Description[]

Beelzebufo grew to around 40 centimeters and 4 kilograms, larger than any other known frog in history. The bone fragments found show that it was a close relative of today's horned frogs.[1]

Because Beelzebufo inhabited Madagascar and modern horned frogs are found in South America, there is strong evidence that the supercontinent Gondwana, which once contained both landmasses, separated at approximately this time during the Cretaceous.[2]

Discovery[]

Fossil fragments had been found as far back in 1993, but Beelzebufo was only described in 2008 from the fragments that had been collected.[3]

Diet[]

Like the horned frogs today, Beelzebufo would probably eat any animal it could get its mouth around. Likely prey items include mammals, other frogs, and even baby dinosaurs.[4]

References[]

  1. Hooper, Rowan (2008-02-18). "Giant prehistoric frog hints at ancient land link". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  2. Dybas, Cheryl (2008-02-18). "Scientists Discover 'Giant Fossil Frog from Hell'". Press Release 08-025. National Science Foundation. Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  3. Evans, Susan E.; Jones, Marc E. H.; David W. Krause (2008). "A giant frog with South American affinities from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105 (8): 2951–2956. doi:10.1073/pnas.0707599105. PMC 2268566. PMID 18287076.
  4. "'Frog from hell' fossil unearthed". BBC News. 2008-02-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7251666.stm. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
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