{"id":1866,"date":"2021-01-22T23:02:44","date_gmt":"2021-01-22T23:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/?p=1866"},"modified":"2022-08-28T00:33:13","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T00:33:13","slug":"frog-life-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/frog-life-cycle\/","title":{"rendered":"The Life Cycle of a Frog"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Frogs are one of the most varied species on the planet. They come in different sizes, shapes, and colors; they can radically differ in habitat, lifespan, and social behaviors; and they even engage in various courtship, mating, and egg-laying behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But despite these differences, most frogs share a common lifecycle. They are born as eggs, develop as tadpoles, begin maturing as froglets, and live the majority of their lives in their final form: an adult frog.<\/strong> This metamorphosis provides a point of connection across all varieties and breeds of frogs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both frogs who develop along this common life cycle and frogs that veer slightly away from it are fascinating creatures that have the metamorphic process down to a science. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metamorphosis in Amphibians<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This term is derived from a Greek word meaning \u201ctransformation,\u201d and remains an apt descriptor. As its etymology suggest, metamorphosis refers to when an animal undergoes a transformation at the beginning of or throughout its life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metamorphosis is a biological process wherein an animal physical changes and develops after hatching or birth. It usually involves a drastic change in appearance and body structure, which may result in new or lost appendages, features, and\/ or organs. Insects, fish, crustaceans, and amphibians (just to name a few) all undergo metamorphosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holometaboly<\/em> is when an animal undergoes complete metamorphosis, while hemimetaboly<\/em> refers to when an animal only undergoes partial metamorphosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frogs and toads are two of the most prominent types of amphibians that undergo metamorphosis. With some exceptions, they generally develop from a larval or egg stage to a fully formed adult, passing through stages as a tadpole and froglet in between. The most significant changes are to their lungs, which become gills, and body structure, which changes from a tail to arms and legs. Their mouths, eyes, heads, internal organs, and neural networks all also undergo changes, though to a lesser visual degree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Stages in the Life Cycle of a Frog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a few stages frogs go through during their life cycle. Listed below are the stages with a detailed explanation of each part of their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Larval\/ Egg Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Female frogs lay large clusters of eggs that float on water in a sort of jelly-like mass. Once fertilized and laid, the eggs will absorb water and swell rapidly. To increase chances of survival, females may lay dozens or even hundreds of eggs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tadpole<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eggs are usually laid in calm or static waters, since all frog eggs since moisture to survive. The chosen location usually has two main benefits: the presence of predators is minimal and the calm waters reduce the changes of prematurely rupturing and killing the eggs. Any eggs above the waterline are in danger of being eaten, succumbing to lingering frost, being damaged by falling debris, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healthy eggs will be translucent, and onlookers will be able to see the embryo inside. Unhealthy or dead eggs will turn white or opaque. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The embryo initially starts as one central piece, but soon begins to split and multiply. As the embryo continues to multiply, it will begin to resemble a raspberry. At this point, the embryo will begin developing into a tadpole. The tadpole will move around in the egg and become increasingly active as it prepares to hatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Egg and Nesting Adaptations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Some frogs have developed specialized fertilization and nesting adaptations to increase their offspring\u2019s chances of survival. Though not common among all types of frogs, there are a good number of species that diverge from the mating, fertilization, and clutch-laying behaviors described above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cost foam-nest tree frog is one such example. On tree branches overhanging still and stagnant water, this frog lays her egg masses in a giant, cocoon-like structure made of whipped sperm-turned-foam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The foam will harden as a result of its subtropical and tropical dry forest habitats, protecting the moisture inside and preventing the eggs from drying up. When it finally rains, the foam will return to its original state, drip down and deposit the tadpoles into the water below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vizcacheras\u2019 White-lipped frogs also prefer to mate and nest outside of water. On land, males construct subterranean volcano-shaped chambers or nests made of mud and other materials, where females will enter and the couple will engage in spawning. The eggs are deposited in and kept moist by a secondary nest or layer of foam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rains and floods later dissolve the outer nest and carry the eggs to water, where the tadpoles hatch and continue their development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other frogs skip the egg stage entirely and give birth to fully-formed tadpoles or live froglets, such as varieties of the Asian fanged frog, members of the African genus Nectophrynoides<\/em>, and the possibly-extinct Puerto Rican golden frog.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tadpole Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Though tadpoles hatch from the eggs with gills that allow them to breathe underwater, where they will spend the majority of this stage, the gills are poorly developed. As a result, tadpoles are poor swimmers during their first days of life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using sticky organs between their mouths and \u201cbellies,\u201d tadpoles will attach themselves to floating weeds, grasses, and other anchors in the water. They will survive by eating\/ digesting the remaining yolk from their eggs, which is stored in their stomach after hatching for this purpose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tadpole<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After approximately a week, their gills and long tail will strengthen and the tadpoles will begin to swim. At this point, they survive by eating plant matter and algae available in the surrounding water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This stage lasts for several weeks, during which period the tadpoles will begin to develop the following features: <\/p>\n\n\n\n