The Frog that ate Dinosaurs

The horned frogs of South America are often called pacman frogs because they can swallow prey as large as themselves.  Unlike all other frogs and toads, they bite and have powerful jaws attached to sturdy skulls.  Horned frogs (Ceratophys cranwelli) are probably related to an extinct frog (Beezelebufo ampinga) that lived on Madagascar during the late Cretaceous.  The anatomy between these species is similar.  Moreover, during the Cretaceous Madagascar, Africa, Antarctica, and South America were 1 continent; so a close evolutionary relationship makes sense.  Beezelebufo was much larger than extant horned frogs, reaching a weight of at least 9 pounds.  The largest living frog in the world today is the goliath frog (Conrauo goliath) of Africa, and it grows to just 7 pounds.  But Beezelebufo had a much more powerful bite.

Beelzebufo was big enough to eat dinosaur hatchlings.

The goliath frog is the largest living species of frog in the world.  Beelzebufo was over 20% larger.

Scientists measured the bite force of modern day horned frogs and used this to extrapolate the bite force of beezelebufo.  They estimated beezelebufo could bite as hard as a lion or tiger and harder than a wolf.  They could also bite harder than juvenile crocodilians of the same size.  Available fossil material of beezelebufo consists of individuals that were still growing at the time of deposition.  If full grown adult material is discovered and used for extrapolation, it’s possible scientists will determine adult beezelebufos had an even more powerful bite.  The authors of the below referenced paper believe beezelebufo fed upon dinosaur hatchlings and juvenile crocodilians.  Most frogs use their sticky tongues to capture prey, but horned frogs and their large extinct cousin clamp (or clamped) down with their powerful jaws.

Video of a horned frog (aka pacman frog) eating a mouse.  This species is related to the extinct beezelebufo, a frog that ate dinosaurs.

Video of bullfrog stalking and eating a sparrow.  Beezelebufo probably stalked dinosaur hatchlings at water’s edge.  Frog predation on dinosaurs continues today.  Most paleontologists believe birds descend from dinosaurs and birds are just modern day versions of dinosaurs.

Reference:

Lappin, A. Christopher; et. al.

“Bite Force in the Horned Frog (Ceratophys cranwelli) with Implications for Extinct Giant Frogs”

Scientific Reports 7 2017

 

Tags: Beezelebufo, frogs eating dinosaurs, horned frogs, pacman frogs