🐸 A unique tree frog that eats fruit. Does it also play the role of a bee?

🐝🐸Izecksohn's Brazilian treefrog (Xenohyla truncata), a species of tree frog native to Brazil, whose individuals climb trees en masse on warm nights in search of fruit and nectar. This species of frog is unique in that it is the only known frugivorous frog in the world. This frog will eat various types of plants, including Anthurium harrisii, Erythroxylum ovalifolium, and Maytenus obtusifolia. Inside the stomach contents were found many different types of arthropods, fruits, seeds, pods, pulp and flowers.

💐During this process, the frogs become covered in sticky pollen grains and may unknowingly pollinate plants. This is the first time that a frog—or any other amphibian—has been observed pollinating a plant.

👩‍🔬Scientists have long believed that only insects and birds act as pollinators, but recent studies have shown that some reptiles and mammals are also excellent at this task. 

👀 Now scientists must consider whether amphibians are also capable of performing this task. Scientists report that Brazilian tree frogs likely transfer pollen as they move from flower to flower. Further research is needed to confirm that frogs have joined the ranks of pollinators.

👉 If you want more information, I encourage you to read the references:

Carlos Henrique de-Oliveira-Nogueira, Ubiratã Ferreira Souza, Thaynara Mendes Machado, Caio Antônio Figueiredo-de-Andrade, Alexander Tamanini Mônico, Ivan Sazima, Marlies Sazima, Luís Felipe Toledo, Between fruits, flowers and nectar: The extraordinary diet of the frog Xenohyla truncata, Food Webs, Volume 35, 2023, e00281

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