Darwin's Frog Spits Out Its Young
Posted on July 5, 2012
The Darwin's frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) was discovered by Charles Darwin in forests in South America. The frogs are great at playing dead when threatened. They also have a very unusual way of taking care of their young.
The male Darwin's frog gulps up its young and carries them as tadpoles in an enlarged vocal sac to give them a better chance of survival. The tadpoles remain in the father's vocal sac until they become froglets. Here is a video of a male Darwin's frog spitting out some froglets. They are also sometimes called vomit frogs because of their unique developmental process. This poor father frog has 19 tiny froglets to release. Take a look:
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