Wolverphibian!

May 29, 2008 12:55 PM

A new study has found that 12 species of African frog have retractable claws. All twelve species are members of the Artholeptidae family, and should not be confused with the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis).

Full study here.(pdf)

posted by never used baby shoes (14 comments total)

Where can I stand in line to lick it?
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 1:21 PM on May 29, 2008

Is it cruel to declaw your pet frog?
posted by Pollomacho at 1:24 PM on May 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

WISH IT AWAY TO THE CORNFIELD, JIMMY!
posted by loquacious at 1:28 PM on May 29, 2008 [2 favorites]

1) This is awesome, and I await what new terrifying weapons frogs will develop in the future.

2) I briefly had an African clawed frog. Unfortunately he was leftover from a biology experiment. He was fond of drifting catatonically to the bottom of his tank and remaining stationary for hours. It was pretty cool to watch the transition from pollywog (a much better word than tadpole) to full-fledged froggy, but he died not long after. His name was Squeakers. May he rest in peace.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 1:29 PM on May 29, 2008

Joe Quesada is at this moment salivating over the prospect of retconning Toad as half-clone of Logan.
posted by Target Practice at 1:45 PM on May 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

"Due to strict government regulations on removing live animals from Cameroon..."

Tell me about it! It's very hard to hide an Arthroleptis in your mouth with a baboon stuffed up your arse.

"Amphibian researcher and biologist David Wake of the University of California, Berkeley"

It's good to see Berkeley has such a progressive recruitment policy.
posted by nthdegx at 1:55 PM on May 29, 2008 [3 favorites]

I, for one, welcome our new clawed overfrogs.
posted by The Bellman at 1:58 PM on May 29, 2008

*snikt*
posted by Vindaloo at 1:59 PM on May 29, 2008 [2 favorites]

I have almost never confused the two species, so don't worry abut me.
posted by Postroad at 2:37 PM on May 29, 2008

X-Men fans rejoice: Wolverine has come to life, as a frog.

I can't wait to see their faces when these guys hear about cats.
posted by yath at 3:11 PM on May 29, 2008 [3 favorites]

"I can't wait to see their faces when these guys hear about cats."

This was funny, but sort of misses the point that the frogs, like wolverine but unlike cats, tear their flesh when extracting their adamantium claws.
posted by nthdegx at 3:51 PM on May 29, 2008

This was funny, but sort of misses the point that the frogs, like wolverine but unlike cats, tear their flesh when extracting their adamantium claws.

Wait, these frogs have adamantium claws? That IS news!
posted by Nabubrush at 4:28 PM on May 29, 2008

12 species of African frog have retractable claws

One species in particular is extremely odd in that it has fur, warm blood and can reach 60 mph on a straightaway.
posted by DU at 4:44 PM on May 29, 2008

DU - cheetah claws are non-retractable.

(I'm just here for the eponysterical.)
posted by caution live frogs at 5:49 AM on May 30, 2008