Sometimes the natural world and the world of computer and video games have a little bit of a crossover – from the frightening zombie fungus from The Last Of Us, to the subject of today’s article. Meet the Pacman frog.

Pacman frogs aren’t really called Pacman frogs but because of their pleasingly round bodies and comically wide mouths giving resemblance to – you guessed it – Pacman, the nickname has stuck. However this term actually represents a whole genus of frogs called Ceratophrys or the South American horned frogs, sometimes referred to as the “hopping heads”.

Where do Pacman frogs live?

Wild South American horned frogs live in marshes and pools across the Amazon, with different species having different distributions and slightly different habitats across the continent. The family Ceratophryidaecontains both the Ceratophrys genus and two others, and numbers around 12 species. The Surinam horned frog is widespread for example, living across countries from Colombia to Brazil, explains National Geographic. Information on the other wild species is patchy but it is thought that the Ecuadorian horned frog (Ceratophrys testudo) is a species found in the mountainous forests where it breeds in temporary rain pools. 

The species in this genus are popular pets and can be kept well in suitable habitats as they are not particularly difficult to care for. 

How big does a Pacman frog get?

A Surinam horned frog can grow to 20 centimeters (8 inches) in length, making them a sizable frog species. However, this group of species starts small with what is known as explosive breeding. Clutches can be laid at night and contain as many as 2,100 eggs, typically laid in temporary rainwater pools. 

What do Pacman frogs eat?

The Surinam horned frog is known to hide in leaf litter so that only the head pokes out, waiting for prey to pass by. Members of the Ceratophrys genus are not said to be particularly discerning eaters and will happily munch on anything that crosses their path. Unlike most frog species, these animals will readily bite and have highly adhesive tongues. There is also some suggestion that their enormous mouths help them eat species that are the same size as they are, such as other frogs, lizards, birds, and rodents. The Brazilian horned frog (Ceratophrys aurita) has a similar story as an adult but the tadpoles only eat the tadpoles of other species, according to the IUCN.

A study from 2017 found that small horned frogs could bite with a force of 30 newtons, while the larger Brazilian frogs had a bite force of 500 newtons – the equivalent to 51 liters of water balanced on your fingertip, explain some of the study authors in The Conversation. 

What are the threats to the Pacman frog?

Habitat loss, especially due to logging, is a concern but does not present a significant impact, writes the IUCN. There is even the threat of local communities killing species like Ceratophrys ornata due to folkloric beliefs. Many of these species are also found in the international pet trade. 

Thanks to captive breeding these frogs now come in a variety of bright colors including the strawberry-pineapple Pacman frog with bright yellow and pink coloration. If strawberry animals are your thing, check out these strawberry leopards too.