Trivia question for Feb-12-2011

At first glance, these guys look like some sort of Road-Kill, which is probably what caught Olivia’s attention as she searched for today’s trivia.  Let’s see how everyone does with this amphibious critter:

These guys spend the majority of their lives in water.  Since they lack vocal cords, they use a bony rod located in their larynx to make clicking sounds in order to attract a mate.  While mating, male and female cling to each other while somersaulting through the water.

Fossils on these guys have been found in Israel dating from 145-million years ago.  Like most amphibians, these guys gorge themselves when food is plentiful, which enables them to live when prey is scarce.

So here are Olivia’s questions: Can you tell us what these guys are called and also tell us what is so extraordinary about their breeding cycle?

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Congratulations to Gina for being the first with the correct answer and we also have to mention Nonie for expressing her pleasure with our trivia which caused her to dig a little deeper to find out what this guy is.  This flat looking guy is actually a Surinam toad, also called Star-Fingered toads, or Pipa toads.

The appearance of the toad is somewhat like a leaf. It is almost completely flat, and colored in a mottled brown. Feet are broadly webbed with the front toes having small, star-like appendages which help it to detect prey passing by.

The partners rise from the floor and flip through the water in arcs. During each arc, the female releases 3-10 eggs, which get embedded in the skin on her back by the male’s movements. After implantation the eggs sink into the skin and form pockets over a period of several days, eventually taking on the appearance of an irregular honeycomb.

The larvae develop through the tadpole stage inside these pockets, eventually emerging from the mother’s back as fully developed toads, though they are less than an inch long. Once they have emerged from their mother’s back, the toads begin a largely solitary life.

Here is more on these odd toads: Pipa Toads

Thanks for playing along and don’t forget tomorrow is Valentines Day 😉