Fire Frog

Fire frogs populate lava lakes across Hell. They stand out as one of very few amphibians native to the planet; it took hundreds of millions of years for these tiny animals to develop the necessary means to thrive in such harsh climates.

Frogleg skewers make for a delicious snack and are purposefully bred en masse for food. They cost very little to breed and maintain, and can be distributed across the planet easily. Fire frogs are mainly exported by Cilvarth, who operates within a small district.

Anatomy

Fire Frog by Mochi

Fire frogs range from twenty to fifty millimetres in length, with females considerably larger than males on average. They have a deep red colouration, with darker red markings around the arms and legs, and orange spots and stripes around the midsection.

The underbelly is a light orange, with yellow stripes running from the head to the back legs. Around the head and back legs are short tassles, used to detect vibrations as navigating lava lakes utilising eyesight is near impossible.

Fire frogs have bioluminescent properties, glowing brightly when submerged in lava and appearing dimmer on land.

Diet

Fire frogs feed on small lakebed invertebrates. Their diet primarily consists of crustaceans, with strong crushing jaws to break through tough exoskeletons.

Adult frogs will lie in wait on lakebeds, feeling the environment for slight changes in vibration patterns. Once a prey item has been detected, they lunge. If they grab something larger than its mouth, they retreat, otherwise they will swallow the prey whole.

Tadpoles are omnivores, feeding on any plant and animal matter that can fit in their mouths. Oftentimes, this includes other tadpoles.

Reproduction & Growth

Eggy Placeholder by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

Fire frogs breed in small bodies of water, no deeper than the frog itself. This keeps them protected from aquatic predators, such as large fish. A single frog can lay up to five hundred eggs, and will do so in a single day.

Female fire frogs go into a pseudo-hibernation after laying eggs, as it is a severely exhaustive task. They will bury themselves underneath their eggs and enter torpor for six to eight weeks, before re-emerging.

Life Cycle

Eggs are laid in large masses, which are built upon by more frogs. They hatch after ten to fifty days, dependent on lava temperature. A warmer temperature means faster hatching, and also faster tadpole growth.

Once tadpoles have hatched, they will consume what is left of the eggs for nutrients. Most tadpoles are eaten, either by other tadpoles or by larger predators. Those that survive will grow into adulthood.

Adult frogs return to their natal pools to breed once again. Their lifespan only leaves them to reproduce once or twice.

Habitat

Like many animals, fire frogs can be found across Hell. Their near twenty subspecies are one of the most common amphibians on the planet.

They are a semi-vulcanic species, rarely leaving lava ponds and lakes for land. They inhabit still or slow-moving bodies of lava, hiding amongst thick reeds and other plants. Facing predation from countless animals, they must hide amongst dense foliage.

Fire frogs are most abundant around equatorial regions, in the Saturnian, Rubrinean, and Cilvarthian districts. Artificial populations are bred close to Chrihaia Lake.

Hell

Open full size

Lifespan

3 - 4 years

Average Height

0.3 inches

Average Length

20 - 50 mm

Geographic Distribution

• Chrihaia Lake
• Hell

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