SHIRINBAI NETERWALA SCHOOL
Maneck Nagar, Tumsar
Department of Biology
(Science)
A
Project Report
On
Study of the metamorphosis of frog’s tadpole through
specimens.
Submitted By:
Karan Bhandarkar
Class XII – (Science)
Guided By:
Mr. Yuvraj Sonewane
SHIRINBAI NETERWALA SCHOOL
Maneck Nagar, Tumsar
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Master Karan Bhandarkar
completed his/her practical work for class 12- Science
of subject Biology (044) during the academic year
2022-2023 prescribed by CBSE Board under the
supervision of Mr. Yuvraj Sonewane.
Guided By External Examiner Principal
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude towards our
biology teacher Mr. Yuvraj Sonewane sir as well as our lab assistant
Mr. M.S.Chandel sir who helped and guided me to do the project on
the topic “Study of the metamorphosis of frog’s tadpole through
specimens .”
While researching this project I came to know about new things due
to which my knowledge regarding this topic also increased. This is
only because of the teacher who gave me this amazing project, I am
thankful to them.
I am drafting this project not only for good marks but it is also to
increase my creativity, and skill in doing the project and to enhance
my knowledge about this topic.
I also want to express my deep gratitude and sincere to our principal
Mr. P Bimal sir hating for this encouragement and for all facilities that
he provided for this project.
CONTENT
I. Life cycle of a frog
II. Stage 1: Egg phase
III. Stage 2: Larval phase
IV. Stage 3: Metamorphosis of frog
V. Stage 4: Adult Frog
VI. Bibliography
What Is the Life Cycle of a Frog?
Frogs have four main stages of life:
1. Egg phase
2. Larval (tadpole) phase
3. Metamorphosis (tadpole to frog)
4. Adulthood
Stage 1: Egg Phase
The first phase of a frog’s life is the egg phase.
Frog eggs (or frogspawn) differ from the eggs of birds or reptiles,
as they have no solid outer shell.
Instead, they consist of a yolky center surrounded by a matrix of a
protein called albumen.
This layer protects the delicate embryo from harm, while the yolk
provides nutrients for growth.
Female frogs can each lay up to 4,000 eggs! Most species lay their
eggs in large clumps known as “egg masses.”
The chance of survival to adulthood is slim for young frogs – only
around four percent.
By laying as many eggs as possible, mothers increase the chance
that a few will survive to adulthood and pass on their genes.
Frogs lay their eggs in the Springtime (in temperate climates) or at
the beginning of the wet season (in tropical climates).
For protection, frogs tend to lay their eggs in vegetation near the
surface of the water.
The gelatinous albumen coating helps the eggs to stick to surfaces
and stay put.
Some species even make “nests” out of bubbles!
The eggs remain stuck in place for one to three weeks as the
embryos mature. Before leaving the egg, they need to develop
internal organs, gills, and a strong tail to prepare them for their next
phase of life!
Stage 2: Larval Phase
The larval phase begins from the moment young frogs emerge from
the egg. Frog larvae are more commonly known as a tadpoles
Tadpoles look more like primitive fishes than frogs.
All tadpoles are fully aquatic, meaning that they live in water.
They lack lungs to breathe air and possess simple gills instead. Their
paddle-shaped tails are adapted to help them to swim.
All adult frogs are carnivores by nature. Tadpoles can consume a
range of foods. Their diet varies depending on size and species.
Many smaller tadpoles feed on algae or sift through detritus (organic
waste).
Others, like the New Mexico spadefoot toad, are voracious
predators!
Predatory tadpoles will happily eat anything small enough to be
swallowed, including other tadpoles.
A tadpole’s job is essentially to eat as much as it can to provide
energy for growth.
There are three main types of feeding in tadpoles depending on the
species.
It also needs to evade predators and survive until metamorphosis.
Tadpoles have many predators such as fishes, dragonfly larvae,
and even other tadpoles!
Stage 3: Metamorphosis of Frog
Frog is included as amphibian because they live in the water
and on land. Frog is also metamorphosis, they are complete
metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is a biological process by
which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching,
involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the
animal's body structure through cell growth, and
differentiation. Before producing the egg, the frog does
amplexus. amplexus happens when the male frog tends to
clasp the female underneath in an embrace. He climbs on her
back, and reaches his arms around her "waist", either just in
front of the hind legs, just behind the front legs, or even
around the head. Amplexus can last several days. Usually, it
occurs in the water, though some species, like the bufos on
the right mate on land or even in trees. While in the amplexus
position, the male frog fertilizes the eggs as they get are laid.
Frogs tend to lay eggs single eggs in masses. There may be
thousands of eggs laid at once. It becomes surrounded by a
jellylike covering, which protects the egg. The female may or
may not stay with the eggs to take care of the young after she
had laid them. The egg slowly develops. The mass of cells in
the egg comes to form an embryo. Organs and gills begin to
form, and the embryo lives off the internal yolk. This supplies
it with nutrients for 21 days. After its 21-day development
period, the embryo leaves its jelly shell and attaches itself to a
weed in the water. This quickly becomes a tadpole. The
tadpole has a long tail and lives in the water. It has external
gills like a fish to absorb oxygen and feed on algae. It is
extremely vulnerable and must rely on its camouflage to
protect it. Color range from brown, green, or gray. After about
five weeks, the tadpole begins to change. It starts to grow
hind legs, which are soon followed by forelegs. Lungs begin
to develop, preparing the frog for its life on land. Over time,
the tadpole becomes even more frog-like. Its mouth widens, it
loses its horny jaws, and its gills are lost. The tail becomes
much smaller, and the legs grow. The lungs are almost
functioning at this point. After that froglike became frogs
between 12to and 16 weeks, depending on water and food
supply, the frog has completed the full growth cycle, a fully
developed frog with lungs, legs, and no tail emerges from the
water. This frog will live mostly on land, with occasional
swims. Eventually, it finds a mate. The way this is done varies
depending on the species. The female lays the eggs, the
male fertilizes them. And then the whole process begins
again.
Stage 4: Adult Frog
Once frogs have left the water, they instinctively know how to hunt
and survive on land.
Most metamorphosed frogs are well adapted for terrestrial life, but
they still need access to water.
Some species only require water to breed, while others live close to
ponds and lakes to shelter from predators and prevent drying out.
Other frog species, such as the African dwarf frog and the African
clawed frog, remain aquatic throughout their entire lives.
All adult frogs need to drink water, which they absorb through their
skin.
Bibliography
https://study.com/academy/lesson/life-cycle-of-a-frog-project-
ideas.html
https://www.slideshare.net/hannahshane_soriano/frog-
metamorphosis
https://www.scribd.com/doc/147326748/Study-of-Developmental-
Stages-of-a-frog
