Amphibians too!

Amphibians too ...

Metro, London 14 November 03
Why the frogs' love life croaked

If you've ever had difficulty understanding a Scot, Geordie, Scouser, Cockney or Brummie then don' worry you're not alone. Frogs have trouble communicating too - because they have regional accents. It means thousands of the amphibians are losers in love because they can not understand potential mates. PhD student Julia Wycherley made the discovery while investigating the origin of European water frogs. "Frogs live in fresh water and, during the ice age, they only lived in three places in Europe," said Bernie Simmons of analysts SPSS, who ran a follow-up study. It found frogs' mating calls differed depending on where they originated. If different, they are unlikely to breed. But the research could help English Nature find breeding partners for Britain's endangered amphibian species.