Why Does This Frog Have So Many Legs?!

[@grossscienceshow]

Hey guys! You asked some GREAT questions this week. So, over on Instagram, I posted an additional animation and answered one (well really two) of them. Enjoy! bit.ly/2uu0YZF

[@madiso8035]

Gross Science

[@madiso8035]

Gross Science

[@katlynbrooke1]

Gross Science I'm not sure if this would be something you'd want to do but I have to ask. Since you did a video about cataract surgery would you think about doing a video on lobotomies?

[@knightzgaming5747]

Hey i am going to be a forensic scientist or surgeon when i grow up i dont get queasy

[@faridmammadli2898]

Hello that was an interesting video that you have showed me, but I still have a question, you said that inside a bird it finds mates, so it means the other parasites wait for others to reproduce? And to that more questions might come up.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Imagine Kermit having a relation with this infection

[@aggressivebirds6347]

poor kermit's already being fisted by a human, can it get any worse?

[@mathieuleader8601]

the relation is Kermit's nephew's robin's parents

[@ViperDAZ]

Mathieu Leader does that mean he’s gonna get eaten by big bird?

[@justsomenobody1454]

I always knew something was off about Mrs.Piggy

[@BarryaLLen-ik8bq]

How old are you bro lol

[@zigmenthotep]

Hey, remember when the multi-legged frogs started popping up and everyone was convinced that it was from pollution? That was fun.

[@kumudjain7212]

TheAmazingDeltax odd1sout?

[@itsmereem6748]

Oooooooh yeah

[@yeahoh2222]

Yep lol

[@tropezando]

Parasites are simultaneously the most interesting and off-putting thing to me. This video was a wild ride!

[@Axol_N_Krimm]

Parasites are amazing!

[@jaczylijaaleniepowiemkto3243]

@@Axol_N_Krimm A parasite wrote this comment.

[@binky2819]

Oh my. I've heard of other instances where a parasite changes the morphology of its infected host to be noticed by another animal (like the green banded broodsac) but this is a whole new level of creepy. Causing permanent deformities in the frog (not to mention the castration of the snail). Very gross. Here's my question: why does the parasite specifically target the sex organs of the snail instead of.. well, any other part?

[@mathieuleader8601]

the sexy bits taste better

[@3of19]

Good question. I'd imagine they might be easier to reach and/or very nutritious. Also, limiting the attack to certain areas, could avoid the snail dying before the parasite has had time to go through the life stages it needs to morph to before it can more on to the tadpoles.

[@ecetih]

You can live without sex organs so a parasite doesn't lose its fresh food source.

[@grossscienceshow]

+binky2819 Thanks so much for the great question! I answered it over on Instagram :D

[@binky2819]

+Gross Science Thank you so much for answering mine!! I'm honored to be one of the first in the new question-answering system. :) I love your videos and always look forward to see more!

[@LittleSkullyScrub]

(four legs) oh cool frog! (six legs)um one too many... (eight legs) oh he'll no 🐜

[@wzlbn9487]

Samantha Spencer 🕷 spider frog🕷

[@legendarypussydestroyer6943]

(Ten legs) WHAT THA FACK??!! 🦐

[@revimfadli4666]

Does that mean five legs is just the right amount for you?

[@lightningstudios113]

0: legs now I can become easy prey 。🐍

[@frostiexcel8145]

I guess you can say that these frogs have a "leg" up on the competition.

[@imvegan6989]

LMAOOOOOOOO

[@brendatyre419]

Frosti Excel dad why are you here? Go back home. We worry for you.

[@kingstonb8130]

Frosti Excel more like a leg down

[@moeshawalker5100]

Don't

[@frostiexcel8145]

Moesha Walker Don't what?

[@LDXReal]

the frog was kind of cute. well at least i thought so.

[@Nunnehi1]

Starlord The Emperor of Infinity #mgtow4lyf your yuk

[@jaschabull2365]

It's a real-life machamp! Who knew the trading system was infested with Ribeiroia worms? ...come to think of it, this probably means machoke ought to get traded with shelmet to evolve, just like karrablast.

[@sueanoimm]

Thank you for summing up one of the most difficult life cycle of a parasite to understand! and ew!

[@quinterbeck]

"And really, isn't that what we all want in life?" I actually laughed out loud

[@zabu14]

*lmaoed (so hard) internally*

[@emptiedhollows]

your the first person that I've ever heard talk about this and for, that I thank you

[@HachiLivesInHawaii]

This is the first video i heard them say *sax* instead of mating lol

[@DergSol]

♫Spider-frog, Spider-frog♫ ♫Flicks some flies like a Spider-frog can♫

[@lehoangphat5760]

"mate.... isnt that what we all want in life"... crying inside 😭😭💔

[@catpoke9557]

Also, I love gross science because there are many intriguing scientific facts that aren't mentioned because people are too afraid to speak about gross stuff

[@sz4839]

I love gross science i need moreeee

[@SonOfFurzehatt]

So what's the benefit of castrating the snail host? Surely a parasite should want to keep a robust population of its host.

[@holaburger6075]

*Spider-Frog, Spider-Frog does whatever a Spider-Frog does.*

[@teedoes]

When I was little I was afraid that a pond trematode would somehow enter me and do the same stuff like with the frog...I blame "The Most Extreme"

[@Abrower223]

When i was young I found frogs by the dozen near my home that had four to six legs. Never knew why.

[@Eddavids2]

how do scientists find this stuff out someone spent a lot of time figuring this out that's crazy

[@BlaReagy]

Ahh the trematode life cycle. Every zoology student's exam nightmare.

[@LeagueofMilk]

Terrifying... Nature and HR Giger's creativity are more similar than I'd like XD

[@Amanda-mv3ib]

No matter how many legs frogs have ill still love them

[@Kuramaslilgirl]

Better multiple limbs than having your eyes inside your mouth. There have been cases of frogs with their eyeballs not on the top of their heads but inside the mouths. It's horrifying and no one knows why it occurs.

[@charmedprince]

Dang, if only it can multiply hearts or kidneys, I'll be rich by now, selling my multiple organs

[@michaelgillespie8097]

Odd how the birds see a frog with like 10 legs and decide "yeah that looks like an ok thing to eat."

[@bernat_CustardCream]

The moment she says: ”this is where things get gross" is like, seriously, more??

[@seacucumber2521]

This minimalist animation is beautiful

[@danielzheng3381]

You deserve more subscribers I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!

[@invertedantielephant7658]

Daniel Zheng you are wrong, she deserves percisely 143,749 subscribes

[@dayglass]

Inverted Antielephant whoops went past

[@intosomethingsometimes2193]

So if the frog has Normal 4 legs. Then it’s not infected?

[@ub3rfr3nzy94]

That's pretty crazy, that they go through stages in 3 different species.

[@firedragonpd4064]

Poor snail..

[@gnuling296]

poor frog, too.

[@snenkers79]

you should do an episode on human genetal conditions. More specifically, polly cystic ovarian syndrome

[@mixey01]

@0:26 Nice way of describing it :)

[@Cinderpelt1002]

Thank you for uploading. I love you and your videos.

[@SobboMonkeVR]

They skipped leg day - *Said NO ONE ever.*

[@alanamaria1003]

I saw a lizard with a cricket head one time

[@DevdevOnYT]

What the fu-

[@luisguilllermo]

I love your videos. My question is: what is exactly the mechanism proposed for the extra limb growing?

[@robinchesterfield42]

This is an old comment, but perhaps someone will find this interesting: The article I read (in National Geographic) said that what happens, is the cyst forms where the legs are going to grow, while that tissue is still soft, and blocks its normal path. This forces the soft tissue to _split_ to grow AROUND the cyst, making two (or more) legs where there was originally gonna be one.

[@aggressivebirds6347]

also - i thought polymelia was caused by twins/triplets being absorbed, or as a birth defect. i didn't know parasites could cause it. i'm shook

[@grandmabeanie]

I just watched a video (before this one) where a little girl put a frog in her mouth! I hope it wasn't a parasitic frog!

[@papyrusthegreat457]

Do these parasites live in Wisconsin? I found a wood frog with 5 legs (decided to keep it so it wouldn’t get eaten)

[@jayfitvlogs3729]

Why did you stop making VIDEOS’. I love all of them. Please start making videos again.

[@darkfiresalamander]

Hi, very interesting video! :D have there been any papers published on how the cysts cause the morphological changes? the link to the wiley online library doesn't work for me, is that only available in the US?

[@SharonM16]

I thought it was a mutation but this is even more interesting. Parasitology is its own other world.

[@SMFrogPrincess]

"Inside a bird's esophagus, surrounded by mates." Totally what we all want in life. 😂

[@limweimin3250]

Lol, It's a fusion!

[@benji376]

It's so satisfying how you say your name while squinting your eyes

[@duckcoo-i9k]

He's a super leg model. He also doesn't skip leg day :D

[@nova5964]

Love your work.

[@tsunamisimms1939]

I love this channel!

[@eamsamaraka486]

they also look like spiders on the rear in some way, is this attracting birds aswell?

[@grossscienceshow]

Great question! I only heard that it just made the frogs easier to catch, but I can try to find out for you.

[@UltrapicturesStudios]

It looks freaky but I bet at least it can jump further than any frogs I think but not so sure

[@MARIOPOWERUP]

I’ve never seen a frog with an odd amount of legs! This is new information for me

[@aealvarez6743]

Do mutations ever cause frogs to have multiple legs or it it always due to this parasite?

[@glados2788]

You don’t know terrifying until you’ve heard the PBS Digital Studios theme when you’ve forgotten your volume was all the way up.

[@nicktohzyu]

would love it if the parasites in tadpole clip were longer

[@imminny91]

What if the same thing happened on its back legs happened on its front legs and the back legs too?

[@Maleshevich]

you're great! this channel is great! :D

[@ralphcantrell3214]

That's just an upgrade so he won't have to bump his butt on the ground when he hops.

[@ragecoder5351]

will they jump higher?

[@kaiyas9464]

I have found sooooo many pacific tree frogs that have drown because they can’t swim properly, because of this. Sooo sad.

[@tahaabbady8799]

what about the octopus boy?...

[@TnrOfficial-1]

what type of bug is that?

[@lightningdg5562]

Tfw you are messing around with your custom creature in Spore

[@izzatikamila43]

It looks like a grass hopper a spider and a frog mix together

[@GoobNation]

Do the extra legs work?

[@danbrown4life]

Anna needs a Patreon!

[@stephenbrand5661]

I remember when I was a kid back in the 90’s these mutant frogs in Minnesota were really freaking people out.

[@maliciousfly1464]

what the many legs is this wth?

[@a-aron3847]

maybe we could make a parisite like this used like nanobots in always human. in the webtoon, the nanobots change the way you look like changing the colour it style of your hair, or maybe changing eye colour ect. I think that it might work!(not without defects, sadly)

[@leroypollardiiipollardiii5666]

This frog lives it's life a quarter mile at a time.

[@cjzanders5430]

1.) How the heck does the Parasite effect the dna mutation of the Frog? 2.) How in one lifespan and short time do the parasites know exactly what to do in each host body....This is wild.

[@robinchesterfield42]

I can kinda answer the first question--it doesn't alter the DNA of the frog at all, but rather the cyst it forms physically _blocks_ the node where the legs are going to grow in, on the tadpole--but doesn't block it all the way. The leg bud then SPLITS to grow _around_ the cyst, and you get two (or more!) legs in the same area. Isn't nature.....(searches for an appropriate word) interesting?

[@Adamscottorn]

Because the frog is from grimbys in uk and it’s inter bred like the people with massive webbed fingers

[@chavamara]

Fascinating video, as always! But, um, could you maybe try using a different sound effect for the caption cards? It is a painful sound. Please? *shudders*

[@starflier6993]

Are the legs functional

[@twister5752]

the background music is perfect

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

Didnt I say they're fingers 😂

[@jazmin6031]

Love your vids! Thank you :)

[@011022033011022033]

Is it from Jersey ?

[@ncrvr666]

First!!!! I really love this channel and videos.

[@grossscienceshow]

Thank you!

[@Kayserjp]

so what was first. the egg or the deformt frog?

[@movedchannels1246]

I barfed when I saw a video of a snail being cut open it looked like it was exploding with yellow poop

[@sotheateschea8407]

Wonder how long did you take to do that search !?

[@jacobsworld7573]

I saw a 4 legged bullfrog today. It was cool. Are multi-legged frogs rare?

[@harizshahhamin6324]

Frog: _why do you have two legs?_

[@SlyPearTree]

Is that parasite dangerous to us humans that eat frog legs and snails?

[@LOOMING_WRAITH_OF_BAD_OMEN]

Wouldn't it be easier to just stop eating frog legs and snails than to worry about it at all?

[@ItsThatSheep]

WRAITH but how would the french live? Exactly. Mass genocide of french people is not an option.

[@LotusJansmann]

It might be if you eat them raw; but if you cook them it should be fine.

[@KonradofKrakow]

Good question.

[@VanderWask]

What about doing an episode about Claviceps Prupurea (also called Ergot?) It think it would be similar than this one but you also can do matches with Chemstry and History! It really would be appreciated!

[@grossscienceshow]

That is an EXCELLENT idea.

[@denver6331]

My answer to riddle AS THEY NEED

[@xilingsinqueso]

So sophisticated

[@margaretmax-community]

Great channel.

[@ForgorenWolf]

I'm freaked out because I was thinking about this today, before it showed up on my KZbin thread. Maybe I should take a break from the internet

[@lizakoshyfan4034]

wow I learn so much can u talk bout the Bahamas next 😊I want learn more

[@TheThagenesis]

did you already make an episode on those mites that help make a special cheese in Italy?

[@grossscienceshow]

Yes! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3y7pIyjjtV2f80

[@d4shu939]

Instead of saying se# can you say reproduce becuse the is a chance that some of us are on loud speaker and with a parent near us

[@osajiros]

what a funny looking grasshopper

[@BigAl2-u7e]

What happens if the bird poops on land?

[@jaschabull2365]

Ok, for some reason I can't fathom, this made me wonder if it could be possible to domesticate these worms. Like, if people could make it easy to deliberately infect frogs, they might be able to make them into living frog-leg factories that don't even have to die in the end. I wouldn't even eat them, I don't eat meat. I'm just likely losing my barely-there sanity. >_>

[@wildernessstyle8810]

Love learning about parasites they are very interesting.

[@thedon8745]

the southern people who consider frogs a delicacy would go crazy for these four legged froggies

[@smithwill9006]

That larva looks interesting