Palaeobatrachus The Ancient Frog Dinosaur Train Traditional Cache

This cache is part of a series of other geocaches. The Jim Henson Company has hidden Dinosaur Train themed geocaches nationwide with the help of local PBS stations. To find the location of other Dinosaur Train themed geocaches, simply search for "Dinosaur Train" in the search area at www.geocaching.com.

Palaeobatrachus ('ancient frog') was a primitive frog from the Cretaceous and Tertiary period (130-5 million years ago), in Central Europe.

Its skeletal remains are plentiful in freshwater sediments in western Bohemia, in Geiseltal (West Germany) and in east Germany. They are sometimes preserved very well indeed, with impressions of internal organs, muscles, nerves, blood vessels and epidermis, and with traces of coloring. Tadpoles and eggs have also been found.

Palaeobatrachus had a relatively broad skull the shape of a Gothic arch. Its body was relatively large, ranging from 8 to 10 centimetres (3.1 to 3.9 in) in length, and the female was usually larger than the male (sexual dimorphism).

These frogs lived permanently in water. Their bag-shaped lungs, on the dorsal side of their body, enabled them to remain submerged for long periods. They inhabited through-drainage basins or swamps where brown coal deposits were formed. They probably lived on small crustaceans, insect larvae and small fish and themselves provided sustenance for many other animals.  The climatic change at the beginning of the Pliocene was a real catastrophe for Palaeobatrachus, which required warmth, and, being specialized, was unable to adapt itself to the altered conditions.

Go outside, get into nature and make your own discoveries! That is what Dr. Scott challenges his viewers to do at the end of each Dinosaur Train episode!