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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 embryos develop through to the tadpole stage inside these pockets but do not emerge as tadpoles, instead remaining in their chambers until complete development to toadlet stage. The young toads grow a tail during their growth, but these will only be temporary because they will need the tail for inhaling oxygen.
The tadpoles at first look similar to those of the common frog (Rana temporaria) but they are a darker colour, being blackish above and dark grey below. They can be distinguished from the tadpoles of other species by the fact that the mouth is the same width as the space between the eyes, and this is twice as large as the distance between the ...
If they do resort to cannibalism, their bodies can transform. They "develop larger heads, sharp beaks, stronger jaw muscles, and shortened intestine". [ 9 ] Researchers have concluded that this is an adaptive trait because it accelerates the rate of growth of the tadpoles by allowing for an increased caloric intake.
The behavior of an amphibian hatchling, commonly referred to as a tadpole, is controlled by a few thousand neurons. [4] 99% of a Xenopus hatchling's first day after hatching is spent hanging from a thread of mucus secreted from near its mouth will eventually form; if it becomes detached from this thread, it will swim back and become reattached, usually within ten seconds. [4]
(b) Female with tadpoles removed from the oviduct. (c) Adult male calling by a stream; two tadpoles visible within the circle; (d) dorsal and ventral views of tadpoles released by a female at the moment of capture. Limnonectes larvaepartus is a species of fanged frog in the family Dicroglossidae endemic to northern and western Sulawesi ...
The relatively large amount of pigmentation in eggs and tadpoles is thought to help expedite development, and tadpoles will congregate in the shallowest, warmest margins of ponds during the day. [17] [7] [8] At nighttime tadpoles settle down into the silty detritus where they are more insulated from the cold nighttime temperatures. This often ...
American bullfrog tadpoles have also "showed a preference for habitats containing structure." [45] This may reflect a lesser number of predators in these locations. As they grow, they tend to move into deeper water. The tadpoles initially have three pairs of external gills and several rows of labial teeth.