Creature information | |
Scientific name : | Beelzebufo ampinga |
Time period : | Late Cretaceous period |
Primary diet : | Carnivore |
In the series | |
Fatalities caused : | Two baby Majungasaurus |
Appearances : | Survival Tactics |
Beelzebufo was a genus of a very big prehistoric frog, to the modern patterns, which lived during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Madagascar.
Beelzebufo was the largest genus of frog to have ever existed. This frog was large enough to feed on small animals as well as juvenile dinosaurs. It was often dubbed the "Devil Frog" due to its size, reputation and its two devil-like horns on its forehead. Latest discoveries, however, show, that Beelzebufo was smaller than initially estimated, yet it was also armored (a rarity among the amphibians).
Physical Characteristic
The species may have grown to over 40 cm (16 in) and 4 kg (9 lb) larger than any living frogs, including the largest known species, the goliath frog, which can be up to 32 cm (13 in). The head was big, and bones of the skull roof show a rugous external surface, indicating at least parts of the head may have borne bony scales, called scutes.
Discovery
The first fossil fragments were found in 1993 by David W. Krause of New York's Stony Brook University, but it took 14 years for scientistsSusan E. Evans, Marc E. H. Jones, and Krause to assemble enough data for publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences.
Some 75 fossil fragments have been found. Researchers have been able to reconstruct parts of the frog's skeleton, including nearly the entire skull.
In Dinosaur Revolution
Survivial Tactics
A Rahonavis was seen in a tree to escape from two baby Majungasaurus. Two Beelzebufo approached and have proppeled their tongues to the babies. The Beelzebufos then ate the two baby Majungasaurus alive. However, when a herd of Rapetosaurus came passed, one Beelzebufo got flattened instead.
Trivia
- Beelzebufo is the largest amphibian in the series.
Studies show Beelzebufo didn't have the long tongue to reach out and grab its prey. Instead it ambushed its prey.