similarities of frogs & humans

12/13/2019 What Are the Differences & Similarities Between Mammals & Reptiles?

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Similarities of Frogs & Humans

Updated March 13, 2018 By Audrey Farley

Despite belonging to two different classes within the animal kingdom, frogs (Class:

Amphibia) and humans (Class: Mammalia) share similar anatomies and systems. Humans

can't live out their childhoods under water like frogs can but our basic needs and bodily

functions are comparable.

Body Structure SimilaritiesAlthough each may look quite different, frogs and humans have skin, bones, muscles and

organs. The head of both frogs and humans contains the brain, mouth, eyes, ears and

nose. Frogs possess teeth and a tongue, like humans, but their teeth are weak and

function to hold prey rather than chew it. The chest and abdomen of frogs and humans

house the other major organs, while the limbs of both enable locomotion.

Common Organ Functions

•••



Frogs and humans share the same basic organs. Both have lungs, kidneys, a stomach, a

heart, a brain, a liver, a spleen, a small intestine and a large intestine, a pancreas, a gall

bladder, a urinary bladder and a ureter. Males and females of each species have testes

and ovaries respectively. On the whole, their organ structure is similar, but frogs have

considerably less complex anatomies. They do not have ribs or a diaphragm.

Vertebrate Nervous SystemsFrogs and humans have similar systems, including nervous, circulatory, digestive and

respiratory. Both are classified as vertebrates, with a spine and nerves that spread across

the body. Both frogs and humans have very developed senses of hearing, managed by the

nervous system. However, frogs can only detect high-pitched sounds with their ears;

they detect low-pitched sounds through their skin. Both frogs and humans also have

well-developed senses of sight and smell.

Circulatory, Digestive and Respiratory SystemsBoth creatures possess a circulatory system, which operates as the heart pumps blood

throughout the body. However, frogs have a three-chambered heart, with two atria and

one ventricle compared to the human's two atria and two ventricles. Additionally, frogs

and humans have similar digestive and respiratory systems. Although frogs, as adults,

inhale and exhale through the mouth only (while humans inhale and exhale through the

mouth and nose), the internal organs involved in the respiratory process function in

much the same way.



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Comparison Between the Skeletons ofFrogs & Humans

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Updated April 24, 2017 By Steve Johnson

Natural selection has led to a relationship between all living creatures – some being

much more closely related than others. Humans and chimpanzees maintain an extremely

close relationship, sharing many physical and skeletal features. Similarities do not stop

there. Humans share close relationships with many small amphibians as well, including

frogs.

The LegsThe skeletal setup of the limbs of both frogs and humans clearly has an advantageous

design – otherwise, natural selection would have stricken the frog from existence long

ago. The frog’s larger back legs consist of a femur as the strong, upper leg support, just

like in humans, albeit on a different-sized scale. The back legs also consist of a fibula, as

well as tibia; however, on the frog these two bones are fused together into one.

Arms and Front LegsThe arms of humans have a much different skeletal setup compared with the legs. Like

humans, a frog's front legs are also setup very differently from its hind legs, sharing more

features in common with human arms than with its own hind legs. The frog’s leg bones

consist of a humerus, which is also the strong part of human’s arms, connecting the

shoulder to the elbow. The ulna and radius also exist in the frog’s arm, just as it does in

humans.

Shoulder Blades

•••



Other similar structures to the human skeleton are the shoulder blades of frogs, which

come in sets of two. Also called scapulae, the shoulder blades within both frogs and

humans combine with clavicles (collarbones), providing additional support for the

movement of the arms.

Toes and FingersAnother feature of a frog’s skeletal makeup that holds similarities to humans (or at least

some similarities) is the toes, which are akin to the toes and fingers on humans. Frog feet

consist of five different toes, matching the number on human feet; although frog’s toes

are much longer than those of humans. Frogs' front toes are also much longer and only

consist of four toes.

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How to Compare a Frog and a HumanRespiratory System

Updated April 25, 2017 By Mandy Slake

Frogs and humans have many comparable body systems, including the respiratory

system. Both use their lungs to take in oxygen and expel waste gasses like carbon dioxide.

There are differences in the way they breathe, and in the way frogs supplement their

How to Compare a Frog and a Human Respiratory System

•••

https://sciencing.com/compare-frog-human-respiratory-system-7922162.html



oxygen intake through their skin. Understanding the similarities and differences can help

you compare and contrast the two.

Explain the similarities between frog lungs and human lungs. Frogs and humans both

have a glottis that closes off the trachea when swallowing. They also have a larynx that

contains vocal cords, and bronchial tubes that divide into a pair of air sacs called lungs.

The lungs are made of elastic tissue and can expand and contract.

•••



Discuss the differences in the mechanics of respiration. Mammals have a sheet of muscle

called a diaphragm that is attached to the ribs and the bottom of the lungs. When the

diaphragm contracts, it expands the chest cavity and the difference in air pressure sucks

air into the lungs. Frogs do not have a diaphragm, and instead they pump air in and out of

the lungs by expanding and contracting their throat sac.

•••



Discuss the differences in the skin of frogs and humans. Frogs have a moist, permeable

skin, which can transfer gasses such as carbon dioxide and oxygen. Humans have dry skin

that is impermeable to gas exchange, so almost all gas exchange takes place in the lungs.

This means human lungs must be more efficient than frog lungs.

•••



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What Are the Differences & SimilaritiesBetween Mammals & Reptiles?

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Updated April 24, 2018 By Nathalie Alonso

Mammals and reptiles, two of the five classes of vertebrates, are among the most

complex animals on Earth. There are approximately 8,240 species of reptiles, including

snakes, turtles and lizards, which make it a more diverse group than mammals, of which

there are about 5,400 species. Mammals, which include whales, bears and primates, are

believed to have evolved from reptiles 240 million years ago.

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)Mammals and reptiles have some similarities -- for example, they both have spinal

cords -- but have more differences, especially with respect to skin and temperature

regulation.

Body Plan

•••



As vertebrates--animals with backbones that protect a nerve cord that runs the length of

the body--mammals and reptiles have a common body plan. Among the characteristics

they share are bilateral symmetry, a sophisticated nervous system, well-developed sense

organs, a respiratory system that involves the pharynx or throat, a complex internal

skeleton, and reproductive and excretory systems that overlap. Like most vertebrates,

mammals and reptiles reproduce sexually.

Ear and Jaw Bones

•••



The lower jaw of mammals consists of one bone that is firmly attached to the skull.

Conversely, the lower jaw of reptiles is made up of multiple bones. Biologists believe that

the bones that constitute the reptilian jaw evolved into the three middle ear bones found

in mammals. Reptiles have only one ear bone.

Reproduction

•••



Fertilization is internal in most reptiles and mammals. The majority of reptiles lay eggs;

most mammals give birth to live young. There are exceptions, however. Some snakes,

including boas, produce live offspring. Two primitive kinds of mammals--the echidna and

the duck-billed platypus, known collectively as monotremes--lay leathery eggs similar to

those of reptiles.

All female mammals, including monotremes, have mammary glands that produce milk,

allowing them to nurse their young. Female reptiles lack mammary glands, and most

species abandon their offspring soon after they hatch.

Cardiovascular System

•••



The mammalian heart consists of four chambers, two ventricles and two atria. One

channel delivers oxygenated blood to the organs, while the other directs blood to the

lungs for re-oxygenation. As a result, mammals are warmblooded, which means that they

can generate heat and keep their body temperature constant regardless of their

environment.

By contrast, reptiles have three-chambered hearts with two ventricles and only one

atrium. (Crocodilians are sometimes considered to have four-chambered hearts because

the atrium is partially divided.) Unlike mammals, reptiles are exothermic or coldblooded,

which means their body temperature depends on external conditions. As a result,

mammals can survive in habitats that are too frigid to support reptile life.

Teeth

•••



Mammals have specialized teeth, such as canines for tearing through meat and molars

for grinding food. Reptile teeth are uniform in shape, though they might vary in size.

Although reptiles' teeth grow continually throughout their lives, mammals grow only two

sets. The first set, known as milk teeth, are distinct to mammals.

Skin

•••



Hair is a defining characteristic of all mammals. Reptiles do not have hair, but they do

have scales, which--unlike fish scales--arise in the upper layer of skin, the epidermis,

rather than in the dermis layer underneath. Both hair and scales are made of a substance

known as keratin. Mammals also have sweat glands; reptiles do not.

•••



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Updated April 24, 2017 By Lysis

The lungs are the organs that are responsible for gas exchange. Oxygen enters the body

through the trachea and down to the lungs, where blood is pumped in from the heart. The

lungs are also responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the blood. The process

exchanges oxygen for the waste product carbon dioxide. This is why it's given the term

"gas exchange." The lungs are a major organ of the respiratory system, and they are a

secondary organ for the cardiovascular system.

Basic AnatomyThere are two lungs, and each surrounds the heart in the chest cavity. The right lung is

made of three lobes: the upper, middle and lower sections. The left lung is slightly smaller

than the right lung because it is embedded in the chest cavity with the heart. The left

lung only has two lobes, upper and lower.

InhalingWhen a person inhales, the chest expands and the diaphragm pushes against the lungs.

This causes the lungs to expand and air enters into the cavity. Air enters the lungs

through the trachea, which is connected to the mouth. Air travels through the trachea

into alveoli, which are balloon-like structures responsible for gas exchange. The alveoli

are surrounded by blood vessels that deliver blood for the exchange of oxygen.

ExhalingExhaling is the body's way of removing the carbon dioxide after gas exchange. When the

body exhales, the diaphragm relaxes and the lungs are able to return to the previous

position. The air is pushed out by the lungs and sent back through the trachea and out of

the mouth. This process happens autonomously and without effort.

Gas Exchange

•••



Gas exchange is processed in the alveoli. The alveoli are round structures that fill with air

when a person inhales.These tiny, balloon-like structures are surrounded by capillaries.

The blood is pumped by the heart and through the pulmonary vein. This deoxygenated

blood is then sent to the capillaries, where the very thin membrane allows red blood cells

to pick up the available oxygen in the alveoli. Once the blood has the oxygen, it returns to

the heart, where it is pushed back to the body via the arteries.

ProtectionThe lungs and heart are in the rib cage to protect them from damage. The lungs also have

internal mechanisms to rid the airways of germs. Tiny hair-like structures called cilia

move back and forth and push germs and mucous out of the airways. Additionally, the

lungs are protected by the white blood cells, which destroy viruses and bacteria as they

enter the body. Types of white blood cells that circulate in the lungs are macrophages

and natural killer cells.

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