Post #14812

We have long noticed that for some reason frogs are read worse than all other groups of animals. The reason is not very clear to me, but today is Wednesday, my dudes, especially the guest is special. So, Blackfoot Copepod. People with large feet often experience discomfort. You can’t find shoes, and your friends constantly tease you about your “skis.” But, you know what? There is no need to be ashamed of big feet. Moreover, they can serve as an object of pride and an indispensable tool for survival in the harsh jungles of Indonesia. At least that's how it works for the black-footed copepod. If you look at the amphibian from afar, you cannot distinguish it from numerous tree frogs. Small, up to 10 centimeters long. Green to hide among dense vegetation. As they say, it creeps and crawls, why bother? And only when an enemy looms on the horizon does the amphibian use its legs (spoiler: the copepod’s legs are black). No, she doesn’t kick predators with them and doesn’t even run away. She flies with them! The membranes of the black-footed copepod are so large that they serve as a parachute for the tiny frog. Judge for yourself: the flying amphibian’s toes are half the length of a paw! Having spread them out properly, the jumping frog moves to a new level, he begins to plan! And, you know, this ability of the copepod is more than effective: in this way it flies up to 15 meters! And in order not to break on the earth's surface, the cunning French delicacy had notches and suction cups on its paws. With them he clings to vegetation, deftly moving from tree to tree. But the pads of the fingers are not the only thing that can catch a frog. The sticky tongue of a copepod will glue any bug together. Thus, the jumper is a highly mobile point of anti-insect defense. Having fed enough biomass, the frog goes to the nearest pond. In general, these frogs do not particularly favor the water element - swimming with a parachute on their legs is not very convenient - but for tadpoles, liquid is necessary. Having found each other, lovers do THIS. No, nothing 18+, these are amphibians. The girl simply lays eggs, and the boy immediately fertilizes them - very convenient. Having spent his reserves of genetic material, the boy decides that his job is done and goes home. But the female’s work is just beginning. Using special glands, Mrs. Frog glues the eggs into one large lump and hangs them somewhere above the water. Low hanging branches or coastal plants are best suited for this. She is not interested in the future fate of the children. In a couple of weeks, the tadpoles will leave their homes and fall straight into a pond full of dangers. Only the lucky ones will emerge from the water element to conquer the skies. My rating for the black-footed copepod: 4 legs out of 4! No, seriously, the paws are just wonderful! Oh, and the whole frog is fine too, yes. - - - - - We have a huge group, which is 11 years old and there are many zoologists who write tons o