What characteristic of the wood frog's hunting method ensures energy efficiency?
Answer
Waiting patiently for prey to wander near their resting spot.
The feeding method of the wood frog is designed for energy efficiency, which is vital for a secretive frog inhabiting the leaf litter. This efficiency is achieved by avoiding active pursuit, which consumes significant energy. Instead, the strategy involves patient waiting; the frog remains still until an invertebrate naturally wanders close enough to be captured by a quick strike. By expending very little energy while waiting, they maximize the caloric return gained from each successful, rapid extension and retraction of the sticky tongue.
#Videos
Feeding Wood Frogs and an American Toad - YouTube
Related Questions
What is the primary sustenance for wood frog tadpoles emerging from gelatinous egg masses?How is the palate of the fully metamorphosed wood frog described regarding its post-hibernation feeding habits?What specific muscular organ is the wood frog's primary tool for securing prey via rapid projection?What key substances must the wood frog's digestive system rapidly retool to process after developing legs?What characteristic defines the wood frog's approach to finding food on the forest floor?Why is the wood frog's early spring emergence timing critical for its feeding success?What constraint directly dictates that wood frog adults rely on small spiders and mites rather than larger prey?What must wood frogs build up during the productive summer feeding season to ensure survival through the next winter?What type of local habitat condition might lead a researcher to find a higher proportion of ground beetles in a local wood frog diet profile?What characteristic of the wood frog's hunting method ensures energy efficiency?