Real Frog Looks Just Like Wolverine And Has Claws

Wolverine is one of the deadliest mutants around, and it seems the Frog kingdom has their own version of the fan favorite mutant, claws and all.

The creature in question is called the Trichobatrachus Robustus, who looks a lot like a frog but has hair on its body and legs. Where things really get interesting though is how the creature can extend claws out of its toe pads, which are completely made of bone.

Sound like anyone we know? Yeah, the similarities to good old Logan are pretty apparent. While Logan’s claws are often laced with adamantium, the claws underneath are actually formed from his own bones, and this little guy is no different. Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology’s David Blackburn describes the creatures claws as a defense mechanism (via Daily Mail.co.uk).

‘Some other frogs have bony spines that project from their wrist, but in those species it appears that the bones grow through the skin rather than pierce it when needed for defense,’ Blackburn told New Scientist.

In the Trichobatrachus Robustus’ case, the claws only emanate from the creature’s hind feet. The claws are found within a mass of connective tissue, where collagen acts as the bridge between the claw’s point and a piece of bone in the frog’s toe. The other side of the claw is connected to a muscle that pulls the claw down when the creature feels threatened. The claw ultimately pulls away from the bone and emerges from the toe pad.

Pictures show the claws looking like thorns on a rose, though it is unknown how the claws are retracted back into the hand, though Blackburn has a theory that the creature has a healing factor of its own that sort of takes care of that.

‘Being amphibians, it would not be surprising if some parts of the wound heal and the tissue is regenerated,’ says Blackburn.

Yet one more similarity to Wolverine.

All the frog needs to do now is pull out a beer and ride a motorcycle to complete the transformation, and we can’t lie, giving the create a cowboy hat and a white tank would be an amazing thing to see.

As for Wolverine, Hugh Jackman made his last appearance as the character in 2017’s Logan, and the character is expected to be rebooted with another actor once the X-Men characters make their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Granted, if Jackman wanted to have one more go at it, we’re pretty sure Marvel would let him.