The “Frozen” Miracle: How Wood Frogs Beat the Calendar to the Breeding Pond

Wood frogs are highly dependent on environmental conditions to determine whether they are active. After fattening up during ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Red-Eyed Treefrog Eggs Hatch a Plan to Escape Warming Temperatures

A new study from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) shows that red-eyed treefrog embryos hatch early when exposed to high ammonia levels — an environmental cue that it’s too hot and ...
Science Daily

Why do tree frogs lay their eggs on the ground?

A curious aspect of tree frogs is that they often lay their eggs on the ground where the risk of predation by natural enemies is greater than in the trees where they live. A research team suggested ...
New Scientist

Spotted salamander eggs hatch more easily if nibbled by predators

For spotted salamander embryos nearing hatching, they get by with a little help – not from friends, but from animals that are actually their predators. Voracious frog tadpoles chew on the egg masses, ...
Smithsonian Magazine

There’s No Wrong Way to Make a Tadpole (or Froglet)

You’re probably familiar with the story of how frogs make more frogs. It goes like this: When a lady frog and a dude frog love each other very much, they play a little game of piggyback that results ...