Metamorphosis
(And Other Frog Facts)
- There are >4,500 species of frogs world-wide. Only ~80 species (<1.8%) live in the continental United States (excluding those in captivity of course).
- Toads are frogs. use of the term "toad" in common names generally refers to frog species that are more terrestrial with dry, warty skin while use of the term "frog" usually refers to species that are aquatic or semi-aquatic with smooth and/or moist skin.
- Frogs shed often - many species shed daily. They eat their old skin—its too nutritious to waste.
- The largest frog species is the goliath frog, conraua goliath. It lives in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. It grows up to 33 cm (13 inches) in body length and with outstretched legs can reach over 76 cm (2.5 feet) in length.
- The smallest frog is a dart frog - eleutherodactylus iberia or Mount Iberia frog. It lives in Cuba and grows to a maximum of 10.5 mm (7/16ths of an inch).
- The poison dart frog family, dendrobatidae, encompasses 12 genera and contains >170 species.
- The only natural predator of most of the poison dart frog family is a snake called leimadophis epinephelus which is resistant to the frogs' poison.
- More than 100 toxins have been identified from the skin secretions of members of the dendrobatidae family.The toxins vary by genus, species and location and are extracted from the frog’s diet.
- In most cases, dietary toxins are simply sequestered and concentrated by dart frogs.However, some dart frogs have been shown to metabolize (modify) ingested toxins into more potent derivatives.
- The most toxic dart frogs are species of the phyllobates genus and can carry enough poison to kill 10 humans.
- Captive dart frogs are non-toxic as they are removed from their natural diet of insects which contain the toxic plant derived alkaloid compounds.
- Frogs (like all amphibians and some insects, molluscs, crustaceans, cnidarians, tunicates and echinoderms) undergo metamorphosis.
- In biology, metamorphosis is the process by which an animal develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and abrupt change in its body structure.
- The duration of metamorphosis varies considerably by frog species, ranging from 2 weeks to 2 years. Dart frogs typically spend 2-3 months in the water as tadpoles.
- Metamorphosis is a Greek word meaning any total transformation in appearance, character or circumstances. It is used to describe human transformation in the Bible.
- Have you ever felt that there must be more to life than the pond of your circumstances? Are you looking for change, peace, hope and purpose in your life and death?
- God provides the solution - metamorphosis into a new and fulfilled life. He states “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; all things are new” (2 Cor 5:17).
- Without this metamorphosis, life is incomplete, unfulfilled and short-lived. “For all that is in the world -the lust of the flesh… and the pride of life -is not of [God] the Father... The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16-17).
- Do you do the will of God? Have you ever lied, been jealous, proud or self-centered? “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). “The wage of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23).
- As sinners we cannot do good and deserve eternal death, but Jesus paid the penalty enabling our metamorphosis into eternal life. "God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:8). "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph 2:8).
- To receive the gift of salvation, you simply need to believe Jesus died for you and allow Him to be Lord of your life. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9).
- An ensuing metamorphosis described in the Bible is the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers. “He will give you another Helper. The Spirit of truth ... will be in you” (John 14:16-17). “Those who are in Christ Jesus do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:1). Therefore “be metamorphosed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:2).
- But that’s not all. God promises another metamorphosis: “The dead will be raised incorruptible and we will all be changed” (1 Cor 15:52). Jesus “will metomophose our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body” (Phil 3:21).
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Here are some places you can get more information:
1) Christianity.about.com is a great resource for facts, FAQs and tools for the Christian faith. 2) Read the Bible online or download a free app. 3) The Gospel of John is a great place to start.