Frogs are amazing creatures that can do many things that humans can’t. They can jump, swim, breathe through their skin and even change their color. But did you know that frogs also have a very weird way of vomiting?
Unlike humans and other animals, frogs can’t vomit by simply contracting their stomach muscles and expelling the contents of their stomach. That’s because they lack a diaphragm, a muscle that helps create pressure to expel the stomach contents. Instead, frogs have to eject their entire stomach out of their mouth, a process called full gastric eversion.
“Frogs have evolved this really cool adaptation where they can actually take their stomach out of their mouth, scrape it clean with their hands and then put it back in,” said Dr. Emma Schachner, an assistant professor of cell biology and anatomy at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.
This bizarre behavior allows frogs to get rid of toxic or indigestible food quickly, or they could die. Frogs often eat insects, worms, snails and even small rodents, some of which may contain harmful substances or sharp objects that could damage the frog’s stomach.
“The frog’s stomach is very thin and delicate, so it’s not surprising that it can be easily damaged by toxins or sharp objects. The frog has to get rid of the harmful material quickly, or it could die,” said Dr. David Blackburn, the associate curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Frogs are not the only animals that can do this. Sharks, sea cucumbers and some other creatures also have the ability to expel their organs as a defense mechanism or to avoid poisoning. However, frogs are unique in that they can clean their stomach with their front feet and swallow it back into their body.
“This is a very rare phenomenon in vertebrates. It’s not something you see every day. It’s a fascinating example of how animals can adapt to different challenges in their environment,” said Dr. Richard Wassersug, a professor emeritus of biology at Dalhousie University.
Frogs’ gastric eversion could also help humans understand how to treat stomach ulcers, acid reflux and other gastrointestinal disorders. By studying how frogs’ stomachs heal after being exposed to the air and cleaned by the feet, scientists could learn more about the mechanisms of wound healing and tissue regeneration.
“The ability to evert and shed the stomach may have evolved more than once within vertebrates, and likely represents an extreme response to having eaten something disagreeable. But it also provides an opportunity to study how the stomach heals itself after such a traumatic event,” said Dr. Rachel Collin, a staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
So next time you see a frog, don’t be surprised if it suddenly throws up its stomach. It’s just doing what it needs to do to survive and stay healthy. And who knows, maybe one day we could learn something from these amazing animals that could benefit our own health.
Relevant articles:
– Frogs Can’t Vomit, So They Eject Their Entire Stomachs, HowStuffWorks, Apr 19, 2021
– Why Do Frogs Throw Up Their Stomachs?, Science ABC, Apr 15, 2023
– Frogs’ Weird Way of Vomiting Could Help Humans, Live Science, Apr 14, 2023
– How Frogs Avoid Poisoning Themselves When They Vomit, Smithsonian Magazine, Apr 13, 2023