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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.
The order Notostraca, containing the single family Triopsidae, is a group of crustaceans known as tadpole shrimp [1] or shield shrimp. [2] The two genera, Triops and Lepidurus , are considered living fossils , with similar forms having existed since the end of the Devonian , around 360 million years ago.
Also where the larvae develop into tadpoles and transfer into a terrestrial area. The Houston toad is generally found in areas with loose, sandy soils greater than 40 in (100 cm) in depth and large rolling uplands. Slow-moving or still bodies of water that last at least 30 days are needed for breeding and tadpole development. [16]
After a few days, they become carnivorous and eat animals. [10] Tadpoles sometimes resort to cannibalism to survive. After multiple experiments, Paul Székely, Marian Tudor, and Dan Cogalniceanu concluded that tadpole development is influenced by hydroperiod, or the period in which an area is full of water.
The species is terrestrial, but returns to the water for breeding, where egg masses are laid onto rocks in streams. The quite muscular tadpoles are carnivorous and feature several rows of horned teeth. Adults feed on slugs, myriapods, spiders, beetles, and grasshoppers.
The tadpole's body is a uniform dark brown above with a silvery sheen below; initially minute in size, they grow to a very large 80 mm in length. [3] The tadpoles usually hide amongst vegetation, but are easily encouraged out of hiding when food is presented. For most of their time as tadpoles, they crowd together in schools.
This makes the species even more unique, as PLOS One said, because other frogs that skip the egg step typically give birth to froglets, or baby frogs, but these frogs still give birth to tadpoles.
Tadpoles probably spend most of their time attached to such substrates by a large oral sucker. The large, sucker-like mouth parts of the tadpoles are a second distinctive feature of the species, enabling survival in turbulent water unsuitable for other frogs. They prefer turbulent water to smooth, swiftly flowing water. [16]