Digestive System
How the Spring Peeper Digests Food
The Spring Peeper digestive process begins in its mouth when it catches prey with its sticky tongue. The prey is either swallowed whole or cut apart by triangular-shaped teeth in the upper jaw. The food travels past the pharynx along the esophogus and into the stomach where it is softened. Next, the food moves to the small intestine. This is where the digestion occurs and nutrients are absorbed. One unusual characteristic of a frog's digestive system is that the small intestine contain villi, which allows more nutrients to be absorbed. The remains of the food then enter the large intestine, where left over water is extracted. Finally, the left over waste is discarded through the frog's anus.(1)
Steps in the Digestive Process:
1. Peepers catch their prey with their sticky tongues and swallow them whole
2. They have teeth in their upper jaw that is only used to chew up food if it's too big
3. The food then goes to the gullet, which is the opening to the esophagus, eventually moving down the esophagus
4. Digestion begins in the stomach, where the food is stopped by the pylorus to slow down the digestive process
5. Next the food moves into the intestine
6. The colon stores undigested food and absorbs water
7. Then into the cloaca where it receives reproductive products, kidney products, and can absorb water from the environment(2)
(1)-http://classic.sidwell.edu/us/science/vlb7/dissectlab/conclusion/digestive.html
(2)-http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2010/rule_kels/nutrition.htm
Steps in the Digestive Process:
1. Peepers catch their prey with their sticky tongues and swallow them whole
2. They have teeth in their upper jaw that is only used to chew up food if it's too big
3. The food then goes to the gullet, which is the opening to the esophagus, eventually moving down the esophagus
4. Digestion begins in the stomach, where the food is stopped by the pylorus to slow down the digestive process
5. Next the food moves into the intestine
6. The colon stores undigested food and absorbs water
7. Then into the cloaca where it receives reproductive products, kidney products, and can absorb water from the environment(2)
(1)-http://classic.sidwell.edu/us/science/vlb7/dissectlab/conclusion/digestive.html
(2)-http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2010/rule_kels/nutrition.htm
What the Spring Peeper Eats
Respiratory System
How the Spring Peeper Breathes & Obtains Oxygen
All animals must take in oxygen in order to live, including the Spring Peeper frog. The Spring Peeper, like all other animals, does this through the respiration process also called cellular respiration. Cellular respiration begins with taking in oxygen and it ends with the release carbon dioxide and water.(1) Inside the body, oxygen and glucose have a chemical reaction with each other which results in the creation of ATP.(3) When ATP is broken down, energy that has been stored is released, which can then be used in all biological processes.(4) Finally, the sugar molecules from glucose are released as carbon dioxide.(5)
In the Spring Peeper, this exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in both the lungs and in the area around the buccal cavity (an area just below the frog's mouth). Oxygen is obtained when the frog breaths in air through its nostrils.(6) As seen in illustration a, the air is held in the buccal cavity below the mouth while special valves in the nostrils close. Using a system called "Positive Pressure Breathing," the frog then makes a gulping motion that forces the air into the lungs which is shown in illustration b the diagram below.
In the Spring Peeper, this exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in both the lungs and in the area around the buccal cavity (an area just below the frog's mouth). Oxygen is obtained when the frog breaths in air through its nostrils.(6) As seen in illustration a, the air is held in the buccal cavity below the mouth while special valves in the nostrils close. Using a system called "Positive Pressure Breathing," the frog then makes a gulping motion that forces the air into the lungs which is shown in illustration b the diagram below.
Frogs are unique because they have multiple ways of obtaining oxygen. As tadpoles living in water during their larvaic stage, they take in oxygen through gills. After they have undergone metamorphosis, the way their bodies take in oxygen has changed, just as their appearance has changed. Now, instead of obtaining oxygen through gills, frogs can process oxygen through their nostrils or through their skin. Frogs can also process oxygen through their skin. Their skin is very thin and blood capillaries are very close to the surface. Basically, the oxygen absorbs through the skin and into the capillaries. Frogs mainly process oxygen through their skin while they are in water and through their nostrils when they are above water. Processing oxygen through the skin is much less efficient than processing it through the nostrils. Frogs cannot take in enough oxygen through their skin to stay underwater for long periods of time. Therefore, frogs rely mostly on their nostrils to obtain oxygen.(7)
(1) http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/life/respire.htm
(2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfojq4ikHH0
(3) http://www.biology-online.org/1/2_ATP.htm
(4) Ibid
(5) http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/files/bio%20101/bio%20101%20lectures/cellular%20respiration/cellular.htm
(6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfojq4ikHH0
(7) www.biology-resources.com/frog.html
(1) http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/life/respire.htm
(2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfojq4ikHH0
(3) http://www.biology-online.org/1/2_ATP.htm
(4) Ibid
(5) http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/files/bio%20101/bio%20101%20lectures/cellular%20respiration/cellular.htm
(6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfojq4ikHH0
(7) www.biology-resources.com/frog.html