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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.
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. [9]
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 ...
“A near threatened species due to habitat destruction and predators, these tadpoles start their transition into toads between four and twelve weeks after hatching, but an estimated 99% of them ...
The American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) [3] is a common species of toad found throughout Canada and the eastern United States.It is divided into three subspecies: the eastern American toad (A. a. americanus), the dwarf American toad (A. a. charlesmithi) and the rare Hudson Bay toad (A. a. copei).
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.
Triops longicaudatus (commonly called American tadpole shrimp or longtail tadpole shrimp) is a freshwater crustacean of the order Notostraca, resembling a miniature horseshoe crab. It is characterized by an elongated, segmented body, a flattened shield-like brownish carapace covering two thirds of the thorax, and two long filaments on the abdomen.
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 ...