After swallowing, the food begins to digest as the stomach pumps out enzymes and HCI, and they begin doing their job. Next, the frog holds larger prey with his teeth before swallowing. The frog sees his prey and catches it with his bi-lobed tongue. The Digestive Process: Creating One Function This is where the blood vessels flow from the mesenteries to the internal organs.įinally, the intestines produce enzymes in the intestinal juice that helps in digestion. The function of mesenteries is only to bind the organs to the dorsal body wall. There is a transparent membrane that houses the digestive organ called mesenteries. These juices include many enzymes like trypsin, lipase, amylase, chymotrypsin, etc. Pancreatic secretions are passed into the small intestine through the common bile duct. It is a small strip of cream-colored tissue near and parallel to the stomach. The pancreas plays a role in digestion as well. Another function that the liver provides is a storage center for digested food. The bile collects in the gallbladder, which is like a sac, and flows to the upper portion of the small intestine through the common bile duct. It produces bile, which is an ingredient needed to assist in digestion. It is a three-lobed organ that dominates the frog’s body cavity. The liver also contributes to digestion in a frog. They pump out gastric juices which contain HCI and protein-digesting enzymes. They are needed to begin the process of digestion. There are gastric glands inside the walls of the stomach. Both liquid and solid wastes exit the body through the cloaca, as well as sperm and eggs during reproduction. From here, all of the remaining indigestible waste is pushed through the short, tubular cloaca, and then exits the body.Next, the small intestine dumps what is left into the short and stubby colon, or large intestine.When the dissolved food passes through the duodenum, it gets absorbed through the walls of the intestines into the bloodstream.It coils often, allowing for more absorption of food. The small intestine is a thin tube that consists of an area that is enlarged called the duodenum, which is joined to the stomach and the coiled ileum.This is where the muscular pyloric valve works to send the food into the small intestine. When the food is digested enough, it enters a region called the pylorus.However, very shortly after entering the stomach, the digestion process begins. The stomach is a holding tank of sorts for the frog.Once the food is swallowed, or ingested, it passes through a very short esophagus to a much larger stomach.The tongue brings the food into the mouth, where the teeth hold the food if needed until the frog swallows its prey whole.This is where the male vocal sacs are, and basically are openings of the eustachian tubes, connecting to the male’s gullet and esophagus. The male frogs have a pharynx, which is in the throat on the way to the esophagus. These are used to hold the prey until it can be swallowed. Although frogs have two sets of teeth in the buccal cavity, they do not use them to eat their prey. It is necessary to understand what an adult frog eats to be able to understand its digestive system, its organs, and why it works the way it does.Ī frog’s digestive system obviously begins with its mouth. Larger frogs can eat small animals such as rats, baby chickens or ducks. The adult frog, however, is a carnivore, eating mainly insects such as spiders, slugs, worms, or any other moving or living thing that will fit into its mouth.įor this reason, gardeners love frogs for their pest control abilities. Understanding the Alimentary CanalĪ baby frog, or a tadpole, feeds on plants such as algae and plankton. Here is a free downloadable diagram to help as a visual aid when studying this system.
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