Froglets showing signs of sexual maturity

[Gemma]

I've seen my ACF froglets amplexing a few times in the past week. They're only 3 months old (from being eggs, not from finishing morphing).

Tonight I heard one of the froglets croak for the first time, and he's been croaking all night since :D When I looked at him closer I noticed he has little black hands! I had been calling this one 'her' up until this point, and I didn't think I'd know his sex for at least another few months. I took a video of him that I'll upload when I get chance.

Is it usual for them to be doing this so young? I'm shocked!

[Geoff]

I bred X. borealis several years ago. The eggs were laid on 4 July and the newly-metamorphosed froglets were vocalising just 12 weeks later on 26 September. I never observed amplexus though. The vocalisation occurred during a feeding frenzy or when a frog got unwelcomely close to another. The vocalisation appeared to signal that the frog doing the calling wanted the other frog, or frogs, to back off rather than it having anything to do with mating.

I have though, observed a young male Hymenochirus frog clasping another frog only 6 weeks after metamorphosis, which was surprising.