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Carol Rollins | all galleries >> Eclectic Collections >> Potpourri > 113 Tadpoles In a Road Puddle!
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31-JUL-2010 C Breton

113 Tadpoles In a Road Puddle!

Around Home, Texas Canyon, Dragoon, Ariz

We are in our Monsoon here in Arizona and had rain every day last week where I live. So, puddles in the road came and stayed. I was surprised to see movement in one of the road puddles and even
more so to discover hundreds of Tadpoles!

"Tadpoles are young amphibians that live in the water. During the tadpole stage of the amphibian life cycle, most respire by means of autonomous external or internal gills. They do not usually have arms or legs until the transition to adulthood, and typically have dorsal or fin-like appendages and a tail with which they swim by lateral undulation, similar to most fishes.

As a tadpole matures, it most commonly metamorphosizes by gradually growing limbs (usually the legs first, followed by the arms) and then (most commonly in the case of frogs) outwardly absorbing its tail by apoptosis. Lungs develop around the time of leg development, and tadpoles late in development will often be found near the surface of the water, where they breathe air. During the final stages of external metamorphosis, the tadpole's mouth changes from a small, enclosed mouth at the front of the head to a large mouth the same width as the head. The intestines shorten to make way for the new diet.[1] Tadpoles are consumers. Most tadpoles are herbivorous, subsisting on algae and plants. Some species are omnivorous, eating detritus and, when available, smaller tadpoles.[2] However, other tadpoles are normally safe from cannibalistic predation because all tadpoles in a given body of water are the same age and, therefore, the same size.

An exception to the rule of distinct differences between the tadpole (juvenile) and adult (frog, toad, salamander, etc.) stages is the axolotl. Axolotls exhibit a property called neoteny, meaning that they reach sexual maturity without undergoing metamorphosis." Wikipedia


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Lieve Snellings12-Aug-2010 09:20
oh dikkopjes...
amazing to follow how they then get legs and arms and become frogs........
Neal Nye05-Aug-2010 11:16
You have to grow up fast in that environment! Fascinating images of these interesting creatures.
Bryan Murahashi05-Aug-2010 03:39
Fabulous find and captures, Carol. Nice info as well.
Guest 05-Aug-2010 02:21
Interesting and informative, great images! V
Hank Vander Velde05-Aug-2010 00:22
SUPER images and info Carol. Thanks for sharing.
LynnH04-Aug-2010 21:25
I'm with Tom, I hope the water stays long enough for them to mature. It is a quick process in the summer heat, ours usually mature in a couple weeks at the most. Love the photos!
Tom Munson04-Aug-2010 19:33
I hope the water stays till they mature. Terrific image, Carol!
Patricia Kay04-Aug-2010 17:43
Great shots of these cute tadies Carol...now you must dig a pond in your garden for them...lol...BV
Sam Rua04-Aug-2010 17:04
Nice captures, Carol. My youngest is really fascinated with these right now.
Walter Otto Koenig04-Aug-2010 16:30
A very cool find Carol. It must be unusual for you to have these at this time of year.
Katie Chew04-Aug-2010 15:22
Well captured. V
Guest 04-Aug-2010 15:21
Amazing images Carol.. excellent find! V
Milan Vogrin04-Aug-2010 14:53
Nice info and photos.
Ann...04-Aug-2010 14:49
What a find in a road puddle! Great images.
Jess. ( Lady.D.)04-Aug-2010 14:30
That a great set Carol and interesting information, well done....
Guest 04-Aug-2010 14:17
very cute :) V
Paolo Peggi (aka Bracciodiferro)04-Aug-2010 13:58
Nice image well captured! Vote
Paolo
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