Trichobatrachus robustus is
the Wolverine of the amphibian world. You'll know when you've crossed
the line because he'll gladly break his own bones to produce weapons to
break yours.
New Scientist reports on the findings of zoologist David Blackburn and his colleagues:
Trichobatrachus robustus actively
breaks its own bones to produce claws that puncture their way out of
the frog's toe pads, probably when it is threatened. [...]
At rest, the claws of T. robustus,
found on the hind feet only, are nestled inside a mass of connective
tissue. A chunk of collagen forms a bond between the claw's sharp point
and a small piece of bone at the tip of the frog's toe.
The
other end of the claw is connected to a muscle. Blackburn and his
colleagues believe that when the animal is attacked, it contracts this
muscle, which pulls the claw downwards. The sharp point then breaks away
from the bony tip and cuts through the toe pad, emerging on the
underside.
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