When 163 new species were recently discovered in areas surrounding the Mekong in Southeast Asia, one particular animal caught scientists' eye. It's called the Khorat big-mouthed frog--and boasting a set of fangs, a taste for birds, and a bad habit of brawling with other frogs (sometimes even severing each others' arms and legs), this is one
feisty amphibian.
The World Wildlife Fund discovered the frog living in just three remote areas in Thailand. It's an unusual amphibian, to say the least. For one, the males are bigger than females, and have greatly enlarged heads that bear fangs which protrude from their jawbones. And these guys evidently know how to use them, too--the frogs' diet includes insects, other frogs, and birds (the scientists found feathers in their stomachs as proof).
The WWF says the Khorat frog an "opportunistic eater" and lies in wait in stream beds to pounce upon its prey. In addition to hunting, it appears that the Khorat just gets downright nasty with its fellow frogs--it's known to fight with other males, and many have been found with missing limbs and scars all over their bodies.
And while it's not unheard of for frogs to prey on birds (check out the first 30 seconds of the video below), the combination of fangs and a penchant for fighting with other frogs makes these amphibian brawlers unique.
(credit:treehugger.com)
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