What is the life cycle of a frog?

The life cycle of a frog is fascinating and well known because it involves such major changes in form.

The juvenile frog is an aquatic fish-like animal that then changes (metamorphoses) into a more or less terrestrial animal with four limbs.

This two stage life cycle gives the name to the order: Amphibia, and of course we are familiar with this term, as in common day use it refers to meaning both land and water.

To reproduce, adult frogs first need to attract and locate each other.

In most frogs, a signal produced by the male has evolved that serves to attract females - this is the famous frog call. Eggs of frogs are usually laid in a moist or watery environment.

These soft, jelly-like eggs are left unguarded to hatch into aquatic larvae, commonly known as tadpoles (pictured).

Over various stages the larvae will then undergo transformation into a more terrestrial adapted adult.

Frogs of the Australian tropical rainforest have developed variations.

The ‘Stony Creek Frog’,

actually builds a nest separate but close to the creek to mate and lay her eggs.

The ‘Barred Frogs’ lay their eggs out of the water, but near the edge, so the tadpoles are eventually washed in.

The microhylids have the unusual reproductive strategy of laying eggs that hatch directly into little frogs; they skip the usual larval stage of the tadpole. The eggs do not dry out in the moist leaf litter of the rainforest.

Some species of microhylid, such as Spheophryne fryi, have been observed guarding their nests of eggs.