Frog Spawn

Here you’ll find photographs, videos and drawings of:

You can use these resources in reports, projects, tadpole diaries or anything you like! Please refer to the bottom of the page for information about attributing work.


Frog Spawn in the Lab

Frog spawn can be studied in the lab. This allows scientists to closely observe their development in a controlled environment like a laboratory.

  • By Lia Gilmour

Frog Spawn in the Wild

Frog spawn are typically found in ponds.

  • by Thomas Brown

Not all frog spawn is found in ponds! Click below to watch a video of a glass frog defending its spawn from a predator.


Frog Spawn During Development

Scientists can observe frog spawn during their development to understand more about how tadpole develop in the egg.

Take a look at these pictures by Alan Roberts below. Inside the eggs, you can see how the tadpoles in the first picture start to develop into tadpoles before they hatch.

In these photos taken by Lia Gilmour, you can see the tadpole beginning to grow a tail!


Other Types of Spawn?

Frogs aren’t the only animals that lay spawn. Many other aquatic animals do as well!

Toads and newts are examples of other amphibians that also lay spawn. Toad spawn especially look similar to frog spawn, however there are a few key differences if you know what to look for.

  • Toad spawn - by Alan Roberts

We also have a colouring activity! Click here to download a full size image to print.


Remember to attribute photographs, videos or work where appropriate! This is not needed unless used online, but if you’re unsure please refer to the creative commons licence rules.

The Digestive System


 

The digestive system is modified to account for the change of the herbivorous diet of the tadpole to the carnivorous diet of the frog.

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The Skin


 

The skin adapts for the change from a purely aquatic lifestyle to an amphibious lifestyle.

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The Reproductive System


 

The urogenital system develops to allow for reproduction in adulthood.

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The Skeleton


 

The skeletal structure develops to accommodate the change from tail swimming to using legs to move around. The skull also needs to be remodelled for a frog's change in vision.

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The Nervous System


 

A tadpole sees from eyes that are positioned on opposite sides of the head. During metamorphosis, the optical nerves develop to accommodate a frog's binocular vision, where the eyes are positioned at the front of the head.

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1. Mating and Laying Spawn


 

Male and female frogs go to ponds in the winter. They mate in the spring, and the female lays big clumps of eggs.

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2. Frog Spawn


 

Frogs eggs are called frogspawn. Each round black egg is about 1 mm wide and is surrounded by a blob of jelly. Other animals produce spawn as well, which you can look at here.

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3. Maturing Frog Spawn


 

After a few days, the eggs begin to grow into tiny tadpoles inside the jelly.

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4. Hatchlings


 

Then the tadpoles hatch! They are about 5 mm long and they can’t swim (yet). They can bend their body from side to side using special muscles along their trunks and tails.

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5. Young Tadpoles


 

When their tail is big enough, they swim off into the pond to start to feed. At first they have gills (the pale protrusions from the head region in the left photo) so they can breath underwater like fish. Young tadpoles feed by grazing the surface of pond weeds and also eating tiny floating plants called algae.

Click here to play a tadpole feeding game called Taddypole!

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6. Maturing Tadpoles


 

Later they develop lungs and can swim up to the surface of the water to breath. The gills are absorbed back into their bodies and eyes develop. Older tadpoles are then able to feed on small animals like young insects.

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7. Mature Tadpoles


The next stage in development is to grow back legs. Tadpoles during this stage need to eat meat in order to get the proper nutrients to grow.

If you are looking after tadpoles, be careful as they can eat each other if you don't give them meat to eat! Click here to learn more about how to look after tadpoles as pets.

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8. Froglet


Finally, tadpoles grow front legs and their tail shrinks until it almost disappears. This is when they climb out of the pond and start living on dry land. Small frogs are commonly called froglets.

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9. Adult Frog


The little froglets will stay by the pond and slowly grow over the summer, eating small insects and worms. They will hibernate just like other adult frogs in damp spots near ponds from autumn until the next spring.

After four years, the new frogs will become adults and will be ready to mate and begin the cycle again.

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Copy - 9. Adult Frog


The little froglets will stay by the pond and slowly grow over the summer, eating small insects and worms. They will hibernate just like other adult frogs in damp spots near ponds from autumn until the next spring.

After four years, the new frogs will become adults and will be ready to mate and begin the cycle again.

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Desert Habitats


Desert habitats are the driest habitats in the world. Most people only think of very hot habitats as being deserts, but cold habitats can be deserts as well! Animals and plants that live in deserts have the ability to survive on very little water and animals can control their body temperatures so they stay at the right level.

 Some examples of plants and animals that live in deserts are cacti, the desert tortoise and the artic fox.

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