Crickets feeding on Endive. The ARC breeds crickets for sale as well as for their own needs.

 

The ARC was established as a centre dedicated to research and conservation of Australia's unique frogs. The ARC is self funding and provides for its valuable work through sales and sponsorships. We supply pet frogs and tadpoles bred at the ARC, as well as enclosures, food, information, materials, and resources that are needed by those wanting to keep pet frogs. We also stock frog books, tapes, posters, and other frog-related items. Our school visits and the supply of tadpoles for classrooms assists our work at the same time as educating and encouraging responsible attitudes towards wildlife. The Centre is also involved in efforts to breed and preserve a number of Australia's most endangered frogs, and is a base for the operations of the Victorian Frog Group.
 

The transparent belly is great to observe the workings of the heart and the details of the intestines.

DID YOU KNOW???
Tadpoles feed using their mouthparts and also through their gills. Gills are coated with sticky mucus which traps aquatic bacteria/fungi/detritus. Cilia then move mucus to oesophagus.

The physical structure of the tadpole is tailored for its environment. These tadpoles suck to the glass being able to hold their position on a rock in a flowing stream.

Different tadpole species have different mouthparts and feeding habits - occupy different niches in an ecosystem. Tree Frog tadpoles are filter feeders, hovering mid water and slowly undulating their tail, to move water through gills.

When frogs feed, the eyeballs move down and tongue moves up to cause swallowing.
 

Claws for burrowing!
 

Topic: Australian Frogs
Where: Amphibian Research Centre, Coburg
Date: 18/2/02
Audience: 7 principal/teachers from Morwell and surrounds, 2 community representatives, Waterwatch (WGCMA) representative, Rob Higgins (DEET Regional Science Consultant), Ainsley Gallagher (MZ), Anna Huigen (HS)
Facilitator: Max Sargent from Commercial Rd PS
Presenter: Gerry Marantelli, ARC

1. Max outlined Science Partnership grant - $21000 from DEET for schools to work on project "Working scientifically at the wetlands" with a strong focus on frogs and frog conservation. Will also work with Hazelwood Power to relocate a wetland that will be dug up for coal - EPA requirement.
2. Gerry spoke about the easy association people have with frogs because of their accessibility. Frog study/research is an excellent way to communicate environmental conservation messages. Will help students to understand their local wetland and develop a connection with it.
Purpose of day: frog immersion and application of knowledge of education to integrate frogs into the curriculum.

3. Visit to the cricket breeding room, cool 'southern' frogs room and tropical 'northern' frogs room. Some interesting frog facts:
· Tadpoles feed using their mouthparts and also through their gills. Gills are coated with sticky mucus which traps aquatic bacteria/fungi/detritus. Cilia then move mucus to oesophagus.
· Best to feed tadpoles frozen lettuce/endives because freezing breaks cell wall. This allows bacteria/fungi etc to decompose cell contents. Tadpoles eat lettuce, causing further breaking of cell wall. Tadpoles don't get their nutrition from lettuce but from the detritivores breaking down vegetable matter. Tadpoles get their nutrition from eating their faeces (coprophagy) which contains detritivores. Boiled lettuce completely destroys cell wall releasing all nutrients into the boiled water - not as nutritious for tadpoles.
· Corroboree Frogs and Southern Toadlets (Pseudophryne sp) contain two toxins excreted through skin. One of these toxins found in the known deadliest frog - the Strawberry Poison Dart Frog from South America.
· Different tadpole species have different mouthparts and feeding habits - occupy different niches in an ecosystem. Tree Frog tadpoles are filter feeders, hovering mid water and slowly undulating their tail, to move water through gills.
· Striped Marsh Frog - males are aggressive to one another. Will wrestle chest to chest and use nuptial pads on fore arms to tear the skin of opponent. Males often carry scars.
· Home range of frogs - variable. Spotted Tree frogs - av. distance - 5 to 10m; some other frogs up to 1km. A WA frog moves only 1m in its lifetime.
· Cane toads have very small tadpoles whereas Cyclorana platycephala (Water-holding Frog) has large tadpoles - evolutionary response to where is the safest place to be - as tadpole in water or as frog.
· Rainforest canopy frogs eg. the Red-eyed Tree Frog secrete a waterproof coating of fats and oils to minimize water loss because the canopy is very dry and hot. Have evolved to find the smoothest, shiniest surface (smooth leaves) to cling to causing a seal, again to minimize water loss. Tuck toes and fingers beneath their body.
· Nuptial pads (used by males to hang on to female during amplexus) of frogs can come and go in some species, or can change colour in other species.
· Tree frogs have toe pads that secrete an oily substance with a high viscosity. If clinging to a surface, tree frogs use intercalary structure to release toe. Cyclorana sp have vestigial intercalary structures - have evolved from Tree Frogs.
· When frogs feed, the eyeballs move down and tongue moves up to cause swallowing.
· ARC receives about 2000 banana box frogs pa. Most in July and August.
4. I demonstrated some frog activities (with group participation) that teachers can use in the classroom - playdough frog-friendly gardening/plaster frogs/'bonking' game.
5. Gerry spoke about frog calls - advertisement and territorial calls. Males do not hear their own call otherwise the sound would burst their eardrum. Compressed air stops the sound from reaching the ear drum. Females respond to frequency rather than volume of call. Attracted to deeper, strong calls, indicative of older males that show they have survived for a longer period of time, and hence worthy of mating with to produce strong offspring. Every frog species has a different call.
6. The group divided into small groups to brainstorm frog activities/themes etc to be used with students. Then did further brainstorming to extend an activity. Led by Ainsley.
7. Morwell group went through house-keeping issues associated with the DEET grant.
8. Close - ARC gave out frog info kits and I distributed HS folders/programs/calendars/wetland related info for participants.

Relevance to HS
· Increased my frog knowledge to use in frog focus class sessions/teacher PDs/Frog Week activities etc.
· Opportunity to network and promote HS as an excursion destination and teacher PD site.
· Maintain and develop positive relationships with the ARC, especially important in light of ARC involvement with HS Frog Bog redevelopment project, including future Spotted Tree Frog display.
· Frog kit and tadpole poster good resources for HS library.