Here We Go with the Ears Again
That little cupholder behind Riley’s eye is called the tympanum, and that’s the spot where a frog does its hearing. The tympanum works like a human’s eardrum and sends sound waves to the frog’s inner ear.
Most frogs and toads have a tympanum behind the eye, so look for it the next time you see one around. Do NOT try to set your miniature coffee cup in it. The frog will be very annoyed, and you will spill your coffee.
When you look, you see.
I took the photo above at the moment Copper first met Riley in real life. At the time, I had no idea I’d be writing a story about Copper going on an adventure with that frog, but that is a story for another day.
Just above Copper’s ear you can see the little indentation just behind the tree frog’s eye and just above his racing stripe. The tympanum works whether the frog is on land or underwater, and it can also be a clue to whether a particular frog is a male or female. On a bronze frog (Lithobates clamitans), the tympanum is usually a lot larger than the eye when it is a male frog.
Lend me your ear, there's more frog stuff here.
Take a look at books and resources below to learn more amazing things about these amazing amphibians.
Kids, remember to ask a parent, teacher, or librarian for help whenever you are looking for books or using the Internet. I always try to make sure to share kid-friendly books and resources, but websites are changing all the time, so always check with an adult first.
- Everything You Need to Know About Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures by DK is a fun book with lots of photos and trivia about frogs as well some of their other amphibian and reptile friends. Check with your librarian for a copy or ask your parents if they are up for a trip to the bookstore! This link will help them find the book at a local book shop: https://bookstorelink.com/9780756682323
- If you want to really level up your frog knowledge, grab a copy of The Book of Frogs: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from around the World by Tim Halliday. Here is a local bookstore link for that one as well: https://bookstorelink.com/9780226184654
- Not all frogs have a tympanum, and there is one frog that actually hears with its mouth! Check out this article from Audubon on the Gardiner’s Seychelle frog to learn more: https://www.audubon.org/news/a-frog-hears-its-mouth