UK Press: 'Alien scene' of tadpoles feast

[John]

BBC News, London, UK, 11th August 2009: 'Alien scene' of tadpoles feast

[Breeding of endangered Mountain Chicken Frog, Leptodactylus fallax, and how the mother feeds the tadpoles. Follow the link at the end of this message to see an awesome jaw-dropping video of this behaviour. Be warned though, it might be a little stomach-churning if you're not used to frogs! - News Editor note]

"Alien-like" scenes of tadpoles feasting on eggs emerging from their mother have been caught on camera.

The footage marks the success of a captive breeding programme for the critically endangered mountain chicken frog, one of the world's largest frogs.

In April, 50 of the amphibian giants were airlifted from Montserrat after a deadly fungus swept through the island, devastating the population.

Now several breeding programmes are under way to save the frogs.
Once numbers have been boosted in captivity, researchers hope to reintroduce the frogs back into the wild within the next two years.

Continued (with awesome video): BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | 'Alien scene' of tadpoles feast

[Ebony]

Wow..awesome video. You could even see their wee tummy's filling with the eggs. Thanks for that John

[John]

You're welcome! I was very impressed by it myself!

[Jace]

Wow! Never ceases to amaze me what the lengths some animal parents will go to to ensure the survival of their young-especially in a species once thought to have very little to do with them once the eggs are laid. Hope this program works and they can achieve their end goal.

[into]

That was a cool video! What is also crazy is the next video of the "purple frog" Nasikabatrachus. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7814913.stm

This thing looks like a mole.

[John]

Actually while that mole-like species has novelty value, that body plan and life strategy is common around the world. Here is the Mexican Burrowing toad (also found in south Texas, USA):

CalPhotos: Rhinophrynus dorsalis; Mexican Burrowing Toad

[Kurt]

I was more excited about the footage of the red-eyed stream frog, Duellmanohyla uranochroa.
The original footage we meant to see was also very cool and exciting.

[InfInIty13X]

OMG!!!! I've never seen anything like that! Amazing... you gotta love high-protein foods ya?