Ascaphus truei

Ascaphus truei

in Latin, “tailed frog” to you and me. Only
one of its clan in the whole New World:
nearest kin, New Zealand. Frequents
such rivers as give Cascades their
name, fast and clean. Adults have
no ears or voice: why chorus in
noisy water? The male has a
penis in place of mere cloaca:
false, so called, but works,
so sperms aren’t flushed
away. Tailed tadpoles
have suckers to cling
in rushing streams.
Saw one today in
Lookout Creek!
Been looking
hard, these
forty-five
years.

Published via Terrain.org on October 12, 2013