Hardened bubbles provide protection: foam-nesting frog

1 of 1 Foam frog nest / Ben Van Alle.. / License

Bubble nest of foam-nesting frogs protects eggs and young by hardening into a protective casing.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

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Biomimetic Application Ideas

Packaging that dissolves 'Bio-foams' for treating injuries at accident scenes

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Several tropical frogs, known as foam-nesters, also build a nest of bubbles. The mother exudes a fluid and beats it into microscopic bubbles with her hind legs. She then lays her eggs inside, and her mate, who has clung to her back throughout, fertilizes them. As the parents leave, the outer bubbles harden to form a protective case that encloses a foamy core of several thousand eggs. This foam nursery provides shelter from predators, bacteria, and sunlight, as well as preventing dehydration. Because the foam is mostly air it supplies all the embryos' oxygen needs until well after hatching. The nest then disintegrates, and the young emerge from the crowded apartment and, all being well, drop into the water below." (Downer 2002:54)

About the inspiring organism

Guayaquil Dwarf Frog
Physalaemus pustulosus (Cope, 1864)
[Guayaquil dwarf frog]

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern

Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Sunscreen, water sealant, glue, insulation. Packaging that retains moisture. Packaging that dissolves. Biodegradable foams that protect delicate material. 'Bio-foams' for treating injuries at accident scenes (temporary casts to stabilize limb position, especially the neck, for example).

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Manufacturing, building, packaging, medical, transport, retail

Experts

Division of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Malcolm W Kennedy
University of Glasgow

References

Downer, J. 2002. Weird Nature: An Astonishing Exploration of Nature's Strangest Behavior. Ontario: Firefly Books.

Fleming RI; Mackenzie CD; Cooper A; Kennedy MW. 2009. Foam nest components of the túngara frog: a cocktail of proteins conferring physical and biological resilience. Proc. Biol. Sci. 276(1663): 1787-95.

Dalgetty L; Kennedy MW. 2010. Building a home from foam--túngara frog foam nest architecture and three-phase construction process. Biology Letters. 6(3): 293-6.

Morelle R. 2010. How to whip up the perfect frothy frog 'meringue' nest. BBC News [Internet],

Hardened bubbles provide protection: foam-nesting frog

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