Zen's Fotothing

mutant frog

Being a naturalist nearly my whole life and a photographer only a few years, this is - for me - a rare photo of something i see frequently. Since amphibians seem to have an easily disrupted genetic code i have seen quite a few mutant frogs and tadpoles in my time. Two heads, more than 4 limbs or less than 4, stunted growth patterns, etc. This is usually due to pollutants, but other things do come into play.

I believe, because of the size (which i didn't have a ruler to indicate his 4-5 inches), that this is a bullfrog tadpole/frog whose body hasn't quite absorbed the jelly-like flesh when turning into a frog.

This poor thing was barely able to wriggle its way out of the pond and after that was incapable of motility. I looked for it the next day, but it was gone.