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Frog uses thumb spike to fight

Adam Khor · 2019-08-06 23:03:09

Not paleontology, I know, but I bet you immediatly thought of Iguanodon? This Japanese frog uses a bony spike on its "thumb" to stab its rivals, usually leaving scars, and also to secure the female during mating (also leaving her scarred). As if that wasn´t enough, the article mentions another species (a tree frog) that…

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07-08-2019 12:03am

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Adam Khor

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Not paleontology, I know, but I bet you immediatly thought of Iguanodon?

This Japanese frog uses a bony spike on its "thumb" to stab its rivals, usually leaving scars, and also to secure the female during mating (also leaving her scarred). As if that wasn´t enough, the article mentions another species (a tree frog) that also has thumb spikes but specifically targets the eyes and ear drums of its rivals often with fatal consequences.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/10/19/more-wolverine-frogs-japanese-species-uses-bony-thumb-spikes-to-fight-and-hold-onto-mates/

Maybe Iguanodon and similar dinosaurs such as Ouranosaurus and Lurdusaurus used their spikes in similar ways- meaning, not only as defensive weapons but to fight same species rivals and perhaps even targeting the most vulnerable spots of their opponents. Going for the eyes and stuff. Scary.

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