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Amphibian reproduction
Most amphibians live on land, returning to water each year to breed. The eggs of amphibians are protected by a jellylike substance and need to be laid in damp places.
Amphibians laying their eggs in water normally leave them alone, but those laying eggs on land usually watch over them to protect them from predators.
Once hatched, the larva feed on yolk from their egg until they are able to find food for themselves. The change from larva to adult is called metamorphosis.
Golden Mantilla Frog
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Male golden mantilla frogs attract their mate by chirping. If there is a shortage of females, males compete for their mate by wrestling and trying to flip their opponent onto his back. The female lays eggs at night near water, which are fertilised by the successful male. The tadpoles hatch after six days and wriggle to the nearest water. After six weeks, the tadpoles metamorphose into frogs, reaching sexual maturity at twelve to fourteen months.
Axolotl
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Axolotls court each other by dancing! By rippling his lower body and tail, the male invites the female to follow him. He deposits a packet of sperm, which the female picks up by shaking her tail. Fertilization takes place internally. Two weeks later, the female lays two hundred eggs, attaching them to plants using her back legs. The eggs hatch after a fortnight. The young axolotl remain attached to the plants until they are fourteen days old, when they become fully independent.
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