Frogs perform bizarre “acrobatics” after scientists made them miniature

Small-sized creatures have multiple and varied advantages, such as needing a small amount of food, not taking up much space, and the ability to hide from predators, but they face another challenge, according to studies.
The researchers discovered that there is a limit to how small a posterior animal can be, while still retaining one of its most important abilities to pursue life.
And in a new experiment published in the journal Sciencealert, scientists have dramatically reduced the size of pumpkin frogs (Brachycephalus), resulting in “very fun acrobatics whenever they try to jump.”
The scientists noticed that the miniaturized frogs began to collide with their backs and faces, as they bounce off the ground after making the jump, as no symptoms of damage were shown due to these collisions.
Southern Illinois University morphology scientist Richard Eisner Jr. and colleagues used CT scans of the inner ear of 147 different species to try to pinpoint the problem.
The team also examined the legs of the frogs, where it was noted that the leg muscles work well, but the scientists discovered that the problem lies in the heads of these frogs, which underwent a large reduction process.
When objects, even humans, move, the vestibular system, which is located in the ear, which consists of a group of fluid-filled chambers, monitors the reactions of these fluids, with the aim of monitoring the state of going up, down, or other directions, as the tiny hairs in these chambers detect directions and speed , and sends it to our brain, which uses it as a positioning system, if the name is correct.

Although these frogs still contain members of the vestibular system, they do not provide the correct information for the frog to be able to correct its orientation.

“Although the channels are as large as they can be attached to their heads, they are still not large enough for fluid to move at a rate that allows them to maintain balance,” says herpetologist Edward Stanley of the Florida Museum of Natural History.
According to the study, their small vestibular system not only hinders their ability to land gracefully, but also makes them walk very slowly and cautiously. Fortunately, pumpkin frogs spend most of their time hiding in the scraps of leaves in their forest homes in Brazil.

“They don’t jump much, and when they do, they probably shouldn’t be worried about landing, because they do it out of desperation. They gain more benefits from being young than they lose from not being able to keep landing well,” concludes Stanley.