May 17, 2011

Lake Titicaca Giant

I'm horrified that I haven't heard of this frog before. But that's why we have readers like Jelo, who alert us to beasts like the Lake Titicaca Frog . These monsters, which reach a length of 50cm, have adapted to the high altitude and cold waters  of the lake by developing unseemly folds of skin. When splayed out (a position they enjoy) they are the size of a salad plate, and those folds of skin help keep them oxygenated. Usually, when I'm splayed out like that, I'm in need of air too.


When Jaques Cousteau led an expedition to the lake, he found "thousands of millions" of these frogs cruising it's depths. He reported some weighing as much as two pounds and stretching out to nearly twenty inches. But local fishermen say the days of those behemoths are gone. They're smaller now, and harder to find.CITES has listed them as 'vulnerable.' And why? One of the main reasons is that geniuses in Lima, Peru, have decided that if you make a drink with some of this frog's juice it will act as an aphrodisiac.


Now, it's true that Telmatobius culeus means "aquatic scrotum" (not a recommended band name, at least in Latin) But take one look at the frog and you'll see why it received that charming moniker. Believe me, though I don't know from personal experience, drinking aquatic scrotum juice will do nothing for your own nether regions.

Photos via Ever So Strange

4 comments:

Ugly Animals said...

For some reason I find this one cute Lol especially in the second picture it looks like it is saying, "Take me home please?" Lol

Joseph JG said...

Hahahaha! Utterly ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Looks like a muppet! Especially the pic at the bottom!

Hort Log said...

I did watch Jaques Cousteau's documentary about Titicaca expedition - the cloudy lake bottom was full of these frogs and actually nothing much else apparently. Why would a seafering explorer wanted to dive in a lake I do not know....but his spirit of exploration and curiosity was something that really touched me.