That adorable tiny face 😍
This fat amphibian is well on his way to online fame, and it’s simple to understand why.
His smooth round physique and expressive small features are so remarkable that many people have wondered if this animal is genuine.
Some speculate that he’s a shellless turtle, while others believe he’s the result of a child’s ceramics project gone wrong.
But, as it turns out, neither is right.
Jodi Rowley, a biologist and amphibian specialist, decided to cut through the hype and expose the animal’s genuine identity on Twitter.
“This frog has gone viral on social media. It’s a burrowing frog with a blunt skull (Glyphoglossus molossus) “Rowley penned an essay. “Native to drier portions of mainland Southeast Asia, this species spends the most of its existence underground, waiting for rain – they have an excellent form for burrowing and saving water.”
Though the frog’s round, squishy shape is part of what makes him so appealing, it is really part of a specific talent to dissuade prospective dangers. Rowley describes the frog in this image as “puffing up to seem large and terrifying.”
However, based on the internet reaction, it appears to be having the opposite impact.
“Well, I, for one, adore our froggy pal,” remarked one Twitter user. “What a cool species,” said another.
And it’s difficult not to agree.