This especially plump amphibian is well on his way to internet stardom – and it’s easy to see why.
His smooth round body and expressive little face are so striking that they’ve left lots of people questioning if this animal is really real.
His smooth round body and expressive little face are so striking that they’ve left lots of people questioning if this animal is really real.
Speculation has actually been swirling online, with some people thinking that he’s some kind of shell-less turtle– or maybe the result of a kid’s ceramics project gone awry.
On Twitter, Jodi Rowley, a biologist and amphibian specialist, decided to puncture the buzz and reveal the animal’s real identity.
” This frog is doing the rounds on social media. It’s a blunt-headed burrowing frog (Glyphoglossus molossus),” Rowley composed. “Native to drier parts of landmass SE Asia, this types spends most of its life underground, waiting for rain– they’ve a great shape for burrowing and saving water.”
Though the frog’s round, squishy body is certainly part of what makes him so eye-catching, that’s really a part of a special ability to deter potential risks. According to Rowley, the frog seen right here is “puffing up to look big and scary.”
Judging from the response online, however, it appears to be having the opposite effect.
” Well, I for one love our froggy friend,” one Twitter user wrote. “What a cool species,” another added.