Devil Frog From Hell

An illustration depicts the ancient frog species Beelzebufo, or "devil frog," staring down the largest frog species living in Madagascar today. A pencil is included for scale.

Recently identified from a 70-million-year-old fossil found in Madagascar, experts think it may have been the largest frog that ever lived. It is described as a rather intimidating animal the size of a beach ball, 16 inches (41 centimeters) high and weighing about 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) with attitude to match.

Like its closest modern-day relatives (Ceratophrys ornata) the devil frog also probably had a very aggressive temperament. "These ceratophyrines are really aggressive, ambush predators," Evans said. "They are round with big mouths, and they will sit there and grab onto anything that walks past."

"They're sometimes called Pac-Man frogs," she added, "and even the little ones will go for you. It's a frog with attitude, even today. And at two or three times the size of the largest living ceratophyrines, Beelzebufo would have had quite a lot more attitude."

The animal sported a protective shield and powerful jaws that may have enabled it to kill hatchling dinosaurs. When we found out that that some of its relatives even have little horns on their heads, the 'devil frog from hell' seemed an even more appropriate name," Krause said.

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