Brown Leaping Frog Tadpoles Thrive in Trees, Feeding on Wood – A Rare Discovery

Frogs are well-known for their amazing survival strategies.  From behemoths that swallow entire clutches of cobras (please see article below) to tadpoles that develop within their parents’ vocal sacs, frog facts are truly stranger than fiction.  Recently, it was discovered that the tadpoles of India’s Brown Leaping Frog, Indirana semipalmata, are unique in both habitat choice and diet (please see photos of this frog and its tadpole).

A Unique Tadpole Habitat

Biologists at the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station inKarnataka,Indiawere amazed to discover several clutches of Brown Leaping Frog eggs adhering to tree bark. While other frogs are known to lay eggs on land, in such cases the tadpoles are carried by rain or their parents to water to complete their development; Smoky Jungle Frog and certain other tadpoles develop within a moisture-retaining nest.

The Brown Leaping Frog eggs were at least 10 feet from water, and not in a position to be carried there by rain.  Also, this was the first time any frog has been observed attaching eggs to tree bark.

A Diet of Tree Bark

Upon hatching, the tadpoles were observed feeding upon tree bark – the only known example of such a food being consumed by a tadpole.  They remained at least 10 feet from any source of water, but were kept hydrated by frequent rains.

That is all we know to date concerning this most unusual frog – I eagerly await information on the transformation process and other aspects of its natural history, and will post updates when available.

India’s Unique Endemic Frogs

The genus to which Brown Leaping Frog belongs contains 10 species, all of which are endemic to the Western Ghats region of South India.  Several Indirana species deposit their eggs on rocks near rushing streams, and the tadpoles are believed to spend at least some time on land.