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Amphibian Reproduction - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 12:49, 23 July 2008
, 12:49, 23 July 2008→Amplexus
=== Amplexus ===
=== Amplexus ===
* The Amplexus is used in all anurans except the tailed frog.
* Amplexus is a form of pseudocopulation in which a male frog grasps a female with his front legs while she lays her eggs. At the same time, he fertilizes them with the fluid containing sperm.
** Prevents tiring of the limbs during copulation.
* This mostly happens in the water, but some more terrestrial anurans like the disc-tongued frogs (Discoglossidae) perform amplexus on land.
** Grasps the female in an attempt to avoid competition.
* In more advanced anurans like the true frogs (Ranidae), the tree frogs (Hylidae) and the true toads (Bufonidae) the amplexus is axillary, while in less derived anurans (the Archaeobatrachia) and frogs in the Myobatrachidae family it is lumbar (abdominal, in front of the hindlegs).
* Inguinal Amplexus: grasps the female in front of her hindlimbs.
* The Sooglossidae show inguinal amplexus where the male holds the female at the waist just anterior to her hind legs.
* Axillary Amplexus: grasps the female in front of/near her forelimbs.
* Some species show cephalic amplexus where the head of the female is held while others show complete lack of amplexus.
== Salamanders and Newts (Caudata) ==
== Salamanders and Newts (Caudata) ==