Most frogs live two lives: one in the water as a tadpole, one on land as a frog. Here is how it goes, with a different species at each stage. In most frogs, the male climbs onto the female's back and hangs on. This hug is called amplexus (am-PLEX-us). As she lays her eggs, he fertilizes them in the water. This is called external fertilization, because it happens outside the body. Frog eggs come in jelly clumps, strings, or rafts, depending on the species. Some females lay as many as 20,000 at once, because most will be eaten before they ever become frogs. Inside the jelly, each egg turns from a dot into a tiny, curled tadpole.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
