Whether they glue themselves together or form mating ‘balls’, frogs take part in some surprising reproductive practises. And the Japanese tree frog is no different.
- These frogs glue themselves together when mating. But sometimes they get stuck in the wrong position..
- This animal fakes death to avoid having sex
These tree-dwelling creatures take part in leks, where they gather in one area and the males perform courtship displays to woo females.
- They don’t fight for mates – they perform dance battles. What kind of bizarre mating ritual is this?
When a female pairs with a male, she rubs her back legs together to secrete a foam-like substance. This creates a nest about the same size as a grapefruit. In it, she lays hundreds of eggs.
However, the foam nests (and the female’s loud calls) can attract even more males, where they compete for the opportunity to fertilise the eggs.
- Mating is a deadly business for these females, as the males are so desperate to breed they don't care if the females get killed in the process
- This rare Indian tree frog has upside-down sex in dank holes – scientists have just figured out why
And in footage for the BBC TV series Japan: Earth’s Enchanted Islands, the camera team managed to film the whole event.
“Much to our surprise, the scene rapidly descended into something resembling a Roman orgy,” wrote producer Gavin Maxwell in a BBC blog.
“The sight of a mass of amorous frogs writhing around together in slippery foam is one that will stay with me for a while.”
As temperatures rise, the foam nest begins to dry and forms a protective barrier for the tadpoles inside. When the rain comes and dissolves the nest, they’re ready to drop into the pools of water in the paddy field below.
Top image: a Japanese tree frog rests on a plant. Credit: 池田正樹 (talk)masaki ikeda, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
