Scientists believe they have solved the quandary of the enormous amount of adult frogs seen around the globe with missing limbs, and believe it or not they don't think it is being caused by toxic pollution! Contrary to popular belief the culprit is purported to be the Dragonfly Nymph. These little critters and young frogs inhabit in the same areas as they develop into mature adults. Scientists have observed the Dragonfly Nymphs in action! As Biologist Stanley Sessions describes, from this BBC article, "Once they grab the tadpole, they use their front legs to turn it around, searching for the tender bits, in this case the hind limb buds, which they then snip off with their mandibles." Mystery solved, pretty neat!
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