Ad
related to: interesting facts about tadpoles
Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
A tadpole or polliwog (also spelled pollywog) is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found in adult amphibians such as a lateral line, gills and swimming tails.
Eggs hatch in 2 to 4 days, [7] and the tadpole development and metamorphosis is complete within 4 to 8 weeks, depending upon temperature, food quality, and food quantity. Developing rapidly helps Great Basin spadefoots avoid desiccation and consequent death in their arid environment.
Pseudis paradoxa, known as the paradoxical frog or shrinking frog, is a species of hylid frog from South America. [2] Its name refers to the very large—up to 27 cm (11 in) long—tadpole (the world's longest), which in turn "shrinks" during metamorphosis into an ordinary-sized frog, only about a quarter or third of its former length.
As tadpoles, the squirrel tree frog is preyed upon by dragonfly nymphs, giant water bugs, predatory fish and newts. [2] [3] Once the tadpoles metamorphose, the predators of the frogs change to small mammals, other frogs, snakes, birds. [2] To reduce the danger of being eaten as tadpoles, they use dense vegetation as cover. [4]
Image credits: an1malpulse #5. Animal campaigners are calling for a ban on the public sale of fireworks after a baby red panda was thought to have died from stress related to the noise.
The tadpoles hatch after three days, eat algae and water weeds and grow for three or four months before they undergo metamorphosis into juvenile toads. Many of these burrow into the mud at the edge of ponds to overwinter but some may overwinter as tadpoles.
Tadpoles average slightly over 1 in (3 cm) long and require 80 to 180 days to complete metamorphosis in the field. [6] The Mississippi gopher frog possesses several defense mechanisms in its immune system that are unique to Rana sevosa. The frog's innate immune system is adept at recognizing outside prokaryotic pathogens.
Tadpoles attain a maximum total length of about 3.3 in (83 mm). The body is ovoid with a rounded snout with large eyes directed dorsolaterally. The oral disc is nearly terminal and bears finely serrate jaw sheaths and two anterior and three posterior rows of labial teeth.