Blunt-headed Burrowing Frog

About the Blunt-headed Burrowing Frog

Glyphoglossus molossus is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. Its common names include blunt-headed burrowing frog and balloon frog. Glyphoglossus molossus is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical seasonal forests, moist savanna, intermittent freshwater marshes, rural gardens, temporary ponds, and heavily degraded former forest. These large, burrowing frogs follow the general theme of microhylids that deposit aquatic eggs over and over. There is explosive breeding activity in ephemeral water sources such as ponds and ditches. The frogs perform multiple symplectic dips to oviposit the surface films of pigmented eggs. A portion of a clutch is released with each dip, with a dip lasting for about 6 seconds. 200–300 eggs are released per dip. The ova have a dark black animal pole and a yellow vegetal pole. Tadpoles feed by filtering suspended material in the water column.

Glyphoglossus molossus is threatened by over-harvesting (see below) and habitat loss. In certain areas, this frog is collected in large numbers as food during the breeding... Wikipedia →