LSUMNS bayou activity

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Life in the Bayou

Understanding the frog life cycle and adaptations of

bayou animals

Activity 1: Frog Life Cycle



Activity extension- Frog Malformations

Vocabulary:Metamorphosis- A major change in the body

appearance and structures as an animal grows. It is a rapid, dramatic change in form.

Bio-Indicators- A living creature that can be used to tell you something about the area it lives in. It can be positive or negative.

Malformation- Primary errors that occur during morphogenesis that disrupts the formation of a normally formed organ or body part during the early stages of development.

Examples of malformations observed in Leopard frogs 1) missing leg, 2) extra toe, and 3) extra foot.

Activity 2: Bayou Camouflage

Vocabulary:Habitat- The enivonment in which an organism livesBayou- A swampy, slow moving offshot of a lake or riverAdaptation- A body part or behavoir that helps a plant or animal surviveCamouflage- Protective coloring that helps an animal hide from predator and prey.

Factors that influence camouflage

• Develops differently depending on physiology and behavoir of animal (for example, an animal with scales is different than an animal with fur)

• Environment is most important factor determining what camouflage looks like. Simplest techinique is to match the “background” of its surroundings.

• An animal will not develop camouflage that does not need it to survive.

Color!• Color to match environment• Change color to better match their

backgrounds as they move location, or light and temperature fluctuations.

• Elements of disquise– Countershading- the coloration of the upper

parts is darker than its underside, distorts shadow on ground

– Patterns or designs (i.e. moths)– Mimicry- to take on appearance of another

object or animal, mimicking its behavoir (i.e.; walking stick, Scarlet king snake)

Hyla cinerea (Green tree frog) changes colors to match its background from

bright green to brown




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More camouflage examples









Mimicry





Non-venomous mimics venomous to avoid predators.

Remember- “Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; Red touch black friend of Jack”

Scarlet king snake- non-venomous

Coral snake- venomous

Education

LSUMNS bayou activity