explain fertilization in frog
Answers
For the few frog species that use internal fertilization, the males use an intromittent organ. This is a tail-like structure located at the end of their bodies that they use to transfer sperm into the female.
A top image of a fanged frog resting on a white surface. The frog is brown, and it's 4 limbs are slightly spread out. Additionally, it has an intromittent organ on it's tail end. This organ extends out away from the body and is relatively small in relation to the other limbs.
In general, the intromittent organ allows a male to deliver sperm to the female during internal fertilization. Scientists were puzzled that the male fanged frog did not appear to have this organ. Image by Mokele.
However, such an organ has not been found in male fanged frogs. This has left scientists puzzled as to how the eggs are fertilized. Unfortunately, no one has seen this fanged frog mate in the wild.
So, how do we know that these frogs use internal fertilization? Simply put, since the scientists saw the frog give birth to live tadpoles, fertilization must have occurred within the frog’s body. Fertilization would need to have occurred so that the tadpoles could develop inside the female frog’s body in the first place.
There is still much to be learned from the fanged frog, such as how females know when to give birth. But then again, there remains much more to be discovered in this strange, bizarre, and amazing world of ours.
Most people learn about the basics of frog reproduction in elementary school. Frogs lay eggs in water, and the eggs hatch into tadpoles that grow into frogs. Only about half of all frogs follow these exact steps, but there are a few rules of thumb about frog reproduction. All frogs reproduce sexually, and all hatch from eggs.
In almost all frogs, egg fertilization happens outside the female's body instead of inside. The female releases her eggs and the male releases his sperm at the same time. In order to make sure that the sperm reach the eggs, the male and female get into a mating posture called amplexus. The male climbs onto the female's back and clasps his forelegs around her middle. Frogs can stay in amplexus for hours or even days as the female releases as few as one or as many as several hundred eggs.