Welcome to the world of the Agalychnis callidryas; otherwise known as:
The red-eyed tree frog.
In an on-line article about this fascinating creature, author Jennifer S. Holland from the National Geographic described the perilous journey of these tropical frogs during their mating season in Central America.
According to Holland's article, the female frog searches for prime locations (located over water) where her fertilized eggs can be left to hatch. And this is where the drama of life and death takes a whole new twist!
Whether it's snakes, wasps, or some other creature hell-bent on feeding its appetite, these sacs of eggs make for an easy target. In fact, these two predators alone, decimate up to HALF of the total number of fertilized eggs!
But just like any good drama, these determined little amphibians are not about to go down without a fight!
In her article, Holland describes how the eggs can hatch "within seconds" (prematurely up to two days) when they're attacked. And according to research conducted by Boston University biologist Karen Warkentin and her colleagues, the eggs can differentiate between a predator, a gust of wind, or a rain shower through the vibrations in the egg jelly.
But in an astonishing discovery that has mystified the researchers, not only can the eggs differentiate between the various types of "disturbances", but they can also tailor their responses to fit them as well!
According to Warkentin, when a snake bites into the eggs, "all the embryos try to wiggle free". When a wasp attacks (more precision), only the neighboring eggs begin to hatch, and when a rainstorm hits, it "triggers nothing at all".
Absolutely amazing!
If you'd like to read the entire article, click HERE.
And for more amazing facts about the world we live in, visit:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
(Boy! And I thought I had it tough!).
Photo credit: Christian Ziegler.
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