How many offspring do frogs have

This big change is called "metamorphosis. All amphibians are predators on other animals and will often eat any animal that is small enough to be swallowed whole. Most can only eat invertebrates, but some larger amphibians will eat small fish, other amphibians, or even small mammals. All amphibians are cold-blooded, like fish, snakes, lizards, and turtles.

Cold-blooded means that the animals cannot control their temperature with body heat, and must use the heat of the sun or their environment to stay warm. Most amphibians live on the ground in wetlands or forests, but some live up in trees, and a few species can survive in deserts and other dry habitats. Most kinds of amphibians live in warm, damp climates, only a few kinds can survive in Michigan.

Adult frogs have several enemies as well, including those that are microscopic. Next, we'll look at some of the threats to frogs' survival and how the absence of frogs could affect human life. With the exception of Antarctica, frogs live on every continent of the world, and they appear in stories and fairy tales in a wide range of cultures.

A common Western fairy tale is of the frog prince -- a princess is dismayed that she has to marry a frog, but when she kisses him, he transforms into a handsome prince. This idea that frogs can change their forms comes from their natural metamorphosis from tadpoles.

In some cultures, frogs also represent fertility, likely because of the noisy appearance of lots of frogs during mating season as well as the huge number of eggs some females can lay.

At the same time, the warty, sometimes gruesome appearance of frogs may have led to them appearing as a companion to witches in fairy tales and plays like "Macbeth. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Prev NEXT. Wild Animals. Red-eyed tree frogs mate on a leaf in the rain forest.

Note the difference in size and color between the male and female. Kissing Frogs. The mating season for amphibians is linked to the seasons of the year. The rainy season prompts breeding for frogs. This happens during the springtime. The rain creates puddles, refills ponds and creek beds, and gives the frogs plenty of places to lay their eggs. Now, in some parts of the world, you might find amphibians mating during the summer months, after a heavy rain.

So, most frogs have the opportunity to mate for a few months each year. Some have more time than others — it just depends on the climate. Then how often do the females lay a clutch of eggs?

The answer to that question is much like clutch size; it depends on the species. Some frogs lay a few eggs at a time but do this several times during the mating season. Others lay thousands at a time and only do this once or twice.

Listed below are more examples. Most frogs lay one to two clutches of eggs per year. Should a frog lay eggs two or more times per season, it will lay fewer eggs than it did the first time.

Each species is different, too. Poison-dart frogs, for example, lay eggs for a male to fertilize them. Eventually, the mother carries those fertilized eggs into the jungle canopy and places them in small pools of water within a bromeliad plant. Once the eggs hatch and the little tadpoles are swimming around, the mother lays unfertilized eggs with each tadpole in order to feed them.

This also passes along the toxins needed in order to make the tadpoles poisonous. Last but not least is the survival rate of the eggs. Like the other sections, this all depends on the type of frog that lays the eggs. Most amphibians leave their eggs shortly after laying them. This is part of the reason they lay so many eggs. The defenseless eggs are left to fend for themselves.

Most of them will die but with such large numbers, it almost always ensures at least a few of those eggs will transition into tadpoles and eventually become full-grown, adult frogs.