Life Cycle of Amphibians 5

Life Cycle of an Amphibian

• Amphibians lay eggs in water, whereas reptiles lay hard-shelled eggs.
• Amphibian eggs are encased in jelly, whereas reptile eggs are not.
• Amphibians are born with gills to breathe underwater, whereas reptiles are born with lungs.
• Amphibians live in or near water for their entire life, whereas reptiles live in a wide range of habitats.

Amphibian Development

• Amphibians lay their eggs (spawn) in water, often near the edge or in shallow areas.
• Frogspawn forms in clumps, while toadspawn is laid in long ribbons.
• Spawn appears in spring, usually in February or March.
• The embryos inside the eggs start to develop over 7-9 days.
• After 14 weeks, the tadpole will start to develop, eating only plants at this time.

Tadpole to Frog

• The tadpole has a head and a tail but no limbs at this point.
• The tadpole uses nutrients stored in the tail to feed.
• As the tail disappears, the tadpole develops all four legs and starts to take on its adult form.
• The nutrients stored in the tail are used to feed the frog once it has all four legs.
• The frog stops eating vegetation and uses the stored nutrients for growth.