Belly-flopping frogs

Landing in Basal Frogs: Evidence of Saltational Patterns in the Evolution of Anuran Locomotion

 by Richard L. Essner, Jr., Daniel J. Suffian, Phillip J. Bishop and Stephen M. Reilly

Follow the links below to read the press releases of the paper (published in Naturwissenschaften) on 'primitive' belly-flopping frogs (Ascaphus and Leiopelma)- click here to enjoy the video of a clumsy landing from the Maud Island frog. Helen Nortier is currently doing her PGDipSci on frog-jumping behaviour.

NZ Herald - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10661078

BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10743038

USA Today - http://www.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/Index

New Scientist - http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19221-bellyflopping-frogs-shed-light-on-evolution.html

Scientific American - http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=belly-flopping-frogs-lept-while-sti-10-07-26

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldBqEWx3wBw

LabSpaces - http://www.labspaces.net/105224/Video_Primitive_frogs_do_a_belly_flop

Der Standard (Austria) - http://derstandard.at/1277338611330/Bauchfleck-Video-Urtuemlichen-Froeschen-misslingt-die-Landung-noch-heute

Austrian Radio ORF - http://science.orf.at/stories/1654592/

Science News - http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/61385/description/Frogs_leapt__before_they_landed