David Element
Wildlife Photography
and Digital Video Images
_ Amphibians and Reptiles 9 - Common Frogs 2
COMMON FROG Rana temporaria
- Common Frog tadpoles suffer from extensive predation - a pattern which is repeated throughout their lives. The second and third photographs illustrate the consequences if a tadpole strays into the clutches of a Water Boatman Notonecta sp. In the final analysis only two tadpoles from each mass of spawn will on average survive to breed, so the apparent over-production of frogspawn is clearly a necessity. This seemingly risky reproductive tactic appears to work well unless a breeding population becomes isolated and in-bred or a habitat dries out or becomes unsuitable as a consequence of land development. Photograph four shows a pair of adults doing their best to redress the balance. The final two images are captured mini-DV close-ups.
- See Amphibians and Reptiles 2, Amphibians and Reptiles 4 and Amphibians and Reptiles 15 for further photographs of Common Frogs.
Links to 'ARKive' species accounts:
- For further information about the Common Frog use the following link: http://www.arkive.org/species/speciesOverview.do?id=4839
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