The Frog That Hears With Its Lungs

Recent studies of the Panamanian golden frog have revealed that it has one of the oddest forms of communication ever found in nature. The frog has no middle or outer ear and yet clearly hears. The frogs also can identify where sounds are coming from.

The frogs detect sound through their lungs which act as eardrums. They use sounds as all other animals do, but also have a sign language. The frogs wave their forearm in a manner similar to the sign language of the deaf. Male to male signing and male to female signing are visibly different indicating that communication is definitely taking place.

It is difficult to construct a Darwinian model in which natural selection can produce the communication devices we see. We would suggest that there is design instituted by an intelligence that intelligently produces the right equipment for every kind of creature that exists.

Source: International Wildlife, June/July 1997, page 11

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