FROG DISSECTION

GROUP NAMES: ______________________________________

Materials:
Dissecting pins, forceps, scissors, paper towel, dissecting probe, preserved frog, dissection tray.
Purpose:
In this lab, you will dissect an frog in order to observe the external and internal structures of the
frog anatomy
SEXING YOUR FROG:
Place a frog on a dissection tray. To determine the frogs sex, look at the hand digits, or fingers,
on its forelegs. male frog usually has thick pads on its !thumbs,! which is one external
difference between the sexes, as shown in the diagram below. "ale frogs are also usually smaller
than female frogs. #bserve several frogs to see the difference between males and females.

Is your frog male or female$ Explai%

PROCEDURE AND O!SER"ATIONS: EXTERNA# ANATOMY
&. Place the frog on its belly 'ventral side( in the dissecting pan
). *xamine the hind legs and front legs of the frog. The hind legs are strong and muscular and
are used for +umping and swimming. The forelegs provide balance and cushion the frog when it
lands after +umping. ,otice the difference between the toes of the hind legs and those of the
front legs. -ow many toes are on the front legs................ -ow many are on the hind
legs........................... #a$el t%e %i& a& 'rot le( s o Fi(ure ) .
/. 0ocate the large, bulging eyes. The frog has / eyelids. The ) outer ones are the color of the
fog1s body. They do not move. 0ocate the third eyelid. It is a transparent membrane the protects
the eye while permitting the frog to see under water. It is call a NICTITATING
MEM!RANE. 0abel the e*e and the i+titati( ,e,$rae o Fi(ure )-
2. 3ehind each eye find the circular eardrum called a TYMPANUM. They locate the two
openings into the nasal cavity. The nasal openings, are also call EXTERNA# NARES, found
toward the tip of the snout will closes when the frog is under water. #a$el t%e ,out%.
t*,pau,. a& t%e exteral ares o Fi(ure )-
4. 5eel the frog1s skin. It is smooth, moist and thin. The frog can breathe directly through its
skin as well as with its lungs. Turn the frog onto its ventral side and notice the color difference.
/%* &oes ea+% si&es +olor %elp prote+t t%e 'ro( 'ro, pre&ators0
Coloratio a+ts as +a,ou'la(e
Fi(ure )- Exteral Aato,* o' t%e Fro(:
INTERNA# MOUT1 STRUCTURES:
6. Place the frog on its dorsal side in the dissecting pan and cut the corners of the mouth.
CAUTION% 3e careful when using scissors.
7. #o+ate t%e TONGUE- Is it atta+%e& to t%e 'rot or t%e $a+2 o' t%e ,out%0
_____________Frot___________...............................................In
a live frog, the tongue is sticky and is used to catch insects. Pull on the tongue. ,otice that it is
still flexible.
8. 5eel the inside of the upper +aw ' ,axilla( and the lower +aw ',a&i$le(. The teeth you feel
are the MAXI##ARY TEET1. 0ocate the ) "OMERINE TEET1 on the upper +aw. They
are located toward the front of the upper +aw and between the internal nares 'internal nostril
openings(.
/%at are t%e ,axillar* teet% a& 3o,erie teet% use& 'or0
To %ol& oto pre*
9. Push carefully on the eyes observe how they fill a space in the mouth. The eyes help hold the
prey as a frog is swallowing it.
&:. 0ocate a vertical opening toward the back of the mouth. This is the G#OTTIS- It is the
opening to the trachea 'windpipe( that leads to the lungs.
&&. 5ind the GU##ET 'throat( it leads to the opening of the esophagus. #n both sides of the
gullet, near the cut +aws are opening to the EUSTAC1IAN TU!ES. ;se your probe.
/%ere &oes t%e eusta+%ia tu$e lea&0
To t%e t*,pai+ ,e,e$rae
/%at is its purpose0
E4uali5e pressure o' t%e ier ear
#OCATE a& la$el T1E FO##O/ING o Fi(ure 6-
)- "o,arie Teet%% ;sed for holding prey
6- Iteral Nares 7ostrils( breathing
8- Eusta+%ia Tu$es% e<uali=e pressure in inner ear
9- Glottis : Tube leading to the lungs
:- Gullet: #pening leading to the esophagus
;-To(ue% 5ront attached, aids in grabbing prey
<- T*,pai+ Me,$rae% eardrum, located behind eyes
=- Ni+titati( Me,$rae: clear eyelid, protects the eye
9. Maxillar* Teet%% ;sed for holding prey
&:. E*e% vision
Fi(ure 6:


DISSECTING T1E FROG:
&. Place the frog on its dorsal side and secure it in place with dissecting pins through each of the
legs.
). >ith your scissors make a cut 't%rou(% t%e s2i ol*> along the midline of the belly from the
pelvis to the throat.
/. ,ow make transverse cuts through the skin below each of the fore limbs and above each of
the hind legs. If needed you may pin the skin back. ,otice the blood vessels under the skin.
>hy are there so many blood vessels$
Close&? +ir+ulatio. &ou$le?loope& +ir+ulatio. allo@s $loo& to rea+% all parts o' t%e 'ro(As
$o&*

2. ,otice the abdominal muscles. ,ow cut through the muscle layer and repeat the incisions you
mad in step ) and /. 3* ?@*5;0 ,#T T# ?;T T# D**P ,D D"A* T-*
;,D*@0BI,A #@A,C.
4. Bou will have to cut through the sternum 'breastbone(. #pen and reDpin the frog.
6. If your frog is female, the body cavity maybe full of black eggs. Bou may have to remove one
side in order to continue your dissection.
INTERNA# ANATOMY:
The digestive system consists of the organs of the digestive tract and the digestive glands.
Cwallowed food moves from the mouth down the esop%a(us and into the sto,a+% and then into
the s,all itestie- 3ile is a digestive +uice made by the li3er and stored in the (all $la&&er-
3ile flows into a tube called the $ile &u+t- Digestive en=ymes from the pa+reas flows into this
duct. 3oth bile and pancreatic en=ymes flow into the small intestine. "ost digestion and
absorption of food into the bloodstream takes place in the small intestine. Indigestible materials
pass through the lar(e itestie and then into the +loa+a. the common exit chamber of the
digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems.
)- Sto,a+%% 5irst site of
chemical digestion,
breaks down food
6- #i3er% "akes bile
'aids in digestion(
8- Gall $la&&er% Ctores
bile
9- Esop%a(us% Tube that
leads to the stomach
:- Pa+reas: "akes
insulin 'aids in
digestion(
;-S,all Itestie
'duodenum and ileum(%
absorb nutrients from
food
<- Meseter*% -olds
coils of the small
intestine together
=- #ar(e Itestie%
?ollects waste, absorbs
water
B- Splee: Part of circulatory system, stores blood
)C- Cloa+a% >here sperm, eggs, urine, and feces exit.
))- Arter*D take blood away from the heart
)6- "ei: take blood toward the heart
)8- le't atriu, pumps blood into the ventricle
)9- Ri(%t atriu, pumps blood into the ventricle
):- #u(: organ for oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange
&. 0ocate and label the largest organ in the abdominal cavity it is the reddish brown #I"ER.
1o@ ,a* lo$es &oes t%e li3er %a3e0 8
). 0ocate the greenish sac attached to the liver. This is the GA## !#ADDER. /%at is store&
i t%e (all $la&&er0 /%at &oes $ile &i(est0 !ile. %elps &i(est 'oo&E
8- 3eneath and to the right of the liver is a + shaped STOMAC1. >ith your scissors open the E
of the stomach to observe what the frog may have eaten. /as t%ere a*t%i( i t%e sto,a+%0
/%at &o *ou t%i2 t%e 'ro( ate0

2. The stomach attaches to the small intestine. The straight part of the small intestine is called
the DUODENUM and the coiled section is the I#EUM. The coils of the ileum are connected by
thin transparent membranes with blood vessels. This tissue is called the MESENTERY-
"esentery helps keep your intestine from knotting up. A'ter +utti( t%e s,all itestie a@a*
'ro, t%e lar(e itestie. ,easure %o@ lo( *our s,all itestie is i +, a& i+%es-
....................cm. ....................... inches.
Na,e t%e t@o se+tios o' t%e s,all itestie:
)- Duo&eu,
6- Ileu,
4. The small intestine widens to form the #ARGE INTESTINE. The large intestine is a straight
tube leading to the anus. The lower portion of the large intestine is called the +loa+a. >aste,
urine and sex cells are expelled here.
6. In the mesentery along the inner curve of the stomach locate the pinkish PANCREAS. In the
mesentery find a reddish spherical structure call the spleen. The splee filters out worn out red
blood cells and platelets from the blood.
7. The respiratory system consists of the nostrils, trachea and bronchi which opens into two
lu(s. 0ocate the #UNGS, ) reddish brown saclike structures.
8. The circulatory system consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. The heart has two
receiving chambers, or ATRIA 'singular% atrium(. and one sending chamber, or 3etri+le-
3lood is carried to the heart in vessels called veins. Feins from different parts of the body enter
the right and left atria. 3lood from both atria goes into the ventricle and then is pumped into the
arteries. which are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. The heart is located
between the lungs. ?ompare the thickness of the atria and the ventricle.
/%* is t%e 3etri+le so ,u+% t%i+2er t%a t%e atria0
T%i+2et $e+ause it ee&s to pu,p $loo& t%rou(% t%e etire $o&*
#A!E# 7 Pla+e t%e letter ext to its +orrespo&i( $o&* part>:
)- #I"ER
6- GA## !#ADDER
8- STOMAC1
9- SMA## INTESTINE 7ileu,. &uo&eu,> t@o letters
:- C#OACA
;- MESENTERY &ra@ i la$el
<- PANCREAS
=- #ARGE INTESTINE
B- SP#EEN &ra@ i la$el
)C- 1EART $.(.i
))-#EFT ATRIUM.
)6- RIG1T ATRIUM.
)8- "ENTRIC#E
)9- ESOP1AGUS
):-#UNG
);- ARTERY

Fi&e*s% 5ilter 3lood
Ureters% ?arry urine from kidneys to bladder
Testes% "ake sperm
O3i&u+ts% eggs travel through these
O3ar*% makes egg 'usually not visible on frog(
Uriar* !la&&er% Ctores ;rine
Cloa+a% >here sperm, eggs, urine, and feces exit.
GGThe reproductive system and urinary system collectively is call the urogenital system.

9. The urinary system consists of the 5@#AC FIDNEYS, URETERS, URINARY
!#ADDER, ,D ?0#? The kidneys are organs that filter wastes from the blood and
excrete urine. ?onnected to each kidney is a ureter, a tube through which urine passes into the
urinary bladder. The urinary bladder is a sac that stores urine until it passes out of the body
through the cloaca. #A!E# T1E FIDNEYS. URETERS AND URINARY !#ADDER ON
FIGURE 8-
&:. The reproductive system in the 5emale consists of O"ARIES which produce egg and the
O"IDUCTS which carry eggs to the cloaca. In the male it consists of TESTIS which produce
sperm, sperm ducts which transport sperm to the cloaca. #A!E# T1E TESTIS. O"ARY.
O"IDUCTS AND EGGS ON FIGURE 8-
&&. ?losely examine the kidneys notice there is a light colored band of tissue running through the
middle of each kidney. This tissue is the adrenal gland.
&). Foluntary muscles, which are those over which the frog has control, occur in pairs of flexors
and extensors. >hen a flexor of a leg or other body part contracts, that part is bent. >hen the
extensor of that body part contracts, the part straightens.
&/. The central nervous system of the frog consists of the brain, which is enclosed in the skull,
and the spinal cord, which is enclosed in the backbone. ,erves branch out from the spinal cord.
The frogs skeletal and muscular systems consist of its framework of bones and +oints, to which
nearly all the voluntary muscles of the body are attached.
&2.5at bodies are orangeHyellow in color and are stored food. #OCATE ,D #A!E# T-*
FAT !ODIES ON FIGURE 8-
#A!E# T1E ,ale a& 'e,ale repro&u+ti3e or(a ON FIGURE 8-
)-2i&e*
6- uriar* $la&&er
8- ureter
9- testis
:- o3ar*
;- o3i&u+ts
<- sper, &u+ts
=- 'at $o&ies
B- +loa+a




FIGURE 8:
Extra +re&it: Stu&* a& Re,o3al o' t%e Fro(Gs !rai
Turn the frog dorsal side up. ?ut away the skin and flesh on the head from the nose to the base of
the skull. ?ut and scrape the top of the skull until the bone is thin and flexible. 3e sure to scrape
>B from you. Insert the scissors hori=ontally +ust below the cranium and above the eyes
carefully chip away the roof of the skull to expose the brain. ?ut away the heavier bone along
the sides of the brain. ?arefully remove the thin, gray membrane covering the brain. 5ind the
nasal pits at the anterior end of the brain by the nostrils. The olfactory nerves leave these
structures and connect to the most anterior lobes of the brain, the olfactory lobes '(. Eust
posterior to the olfactory lobes is the cerebrum '3(, and it is the frog1s thinking center. The
cerebrum helps the frog respond to its environment. Posterior to the cerebrum are the optic lobes
'?(, which function in vision. The ridge +ust behind the optic lobes is the cerebellum 'D(, it is
used to coordinate the frogIs muscles and maintain balance. Posterior to the cerebellum is the
medulla oblongata '*( this is the which connects the brain to the spinal cord '5(.
To receive extra credit for exposing the brain you must first present a completed the data table
and have all the brain parts labeled then show the brain dissection to your teacher for approval.
The cleaner the dissection the better.
Co,plete t%e &ata ta$le a& la$el t%e $rai:
3rain Part 5unction 0etter
?erebellum
?erebrum
#lfactory 0obe
#ptic 0obe
"edulla #blongata

Post?#a$ Huestios:
&.( -ow does the liver aid in digestion$
Pro&u+es !ile. @%i+% &i(ests 'oo&
).( ,ame the three chambers of the frogs heart%
#e't atriu,
Ri(%t atriu,
"etri+le
/.( ?ompared to the frogs body, its lungs are <uite small. Does the si=e of a frogs lungs affect
its ability to take in oxygen$ Explai *our as@er:
No. a 'ro( ta2es i ox*(e t%rou(% t%e +apillaries i t%e ,out% lii( a& a$sor$s ox*(e
t%rou(% its t%i. s2i
2.( >hat is the purpose of the fat bodies$ >hy are these structures important to the frog$
T%e* store ex+ess 'oo& i t%e 'or, o' 'at. @%i+% (i3es t%e 'ro( eer(* &uri( %i$eratio
T%e* also ai& i ,ati(
4.( Aive two reasons that might explain why the small intestine is so long
)- Allo@s a lar(e sur'a+e area to &i(est 'oo&
6- Ta2es 'oo& a lo( ti,e to tra3el t%rou(% t%e le(t% o' t%e s,all itestie. (i3i( e5*,es
,ore ti,e to &i(est 'oo&
6.( >hat roles do the kidneys play in excretion$
Colle+t Nitro(e @astes 'ro, t%e $loo& a& pro&u+es urie
7.( Through which organ is the li<uid waste eliminated from the frog$
Cloa+a
8.( Describe the pathway an egg takes as it exits the body of the female frog
O3aries. &o@ t%e o3i&u+ts. ito t%e +loa+a. a& out o' t%e 'ro(
9% Describe the pathway that sperm travel from the testes out of the frog
Testes. t%rou(% t%e 3asa e''eretia. ito t%e 2i&e*s. &o@ t%e ureters. ito t%e +loa+a. out
o' t%e 'ro(
&:.( If you were asked to dissect a tadpole, what differences would you find from what you saw
in the adult frog$
?S,all ,out%. (ills. t@o?+%a,$ere& %eart. o le(s. tails
&&.( Describe where and how a frog might live during the change from tadpole to adulthood$
Explai *our reasoi(
Near t%e @aterAs e&(e @%ere air $reat%i( @oul& $e t%e easiest as lu(s &e3elope&. a&
@%ere e,er(i( 'ro(s +oul& +li,$ oto la&
&).( ?ompare and ?ontrast fish and amphibian body structures% '-int% It may be easier to make a
Fenn Diagram% Bou can use the back of the lab if needed(
Si,ilar +%ara+teristi+s:
D $ot% are 3erte$rates . %a3e prote+ti3e +oloratio 7+a,ou'la(e>. $o* e&os2eleto.
+lose& +ir+ulator* s*ste,. &orsal er3e +%or&. 'ertili5e e((s exterall*.
Fro(s Ol*
D t%ree?+%a,$ere& %eart. t@o pairs o' le(s. exteral or(as 'or %eari(. lu(s as
a&ults. u&er(o ,eta,orp%osis. li3e o $ot% la& a& @ater. %a3e s,oot% t%i s2i
7No s+ales>
Fis% Ol*
D t@o?+%a,$ere& %eart. 'is. o exteral or(as 'or %eari(. (ills. &o ot u&er(o
,eta,orp%osis. li3e ol* i @ater. %a3e s+ales