Did you know?

Toads, frogs and tadpoles Feb 4 2008

Toads and frogs are both tailless amphibians and begin life in water as tadpoles. Their anatomy has some differences: frogs have smooth, moist skin and long legs and toads have dry, warty skin and short legs. They can live in drier habitats than frogs.

Female frogs and toads lay large numbers of eggs. When fertilised, these develop into multicellular embryos which hatch into tadpoles.

Tadpoles have tails, allowing them to swim, and absorb oxygen through gills. Later in their development the gills are replaced by lungs and the tail by legs. The process of changing from a tadpole to a frog or toad is called metamorphosis.

Go to the Earth-Touch clip called Tadpoles graze in forest stream to see masses of these little creatures in a stream running through Khao Yai National Park in Thailand.

In the clip Toad song in the canyon, you can see and hear olive toads in the Blyde Canyon in South Africa.

Images © Earth-Touch 2008