Have you seen this? - Xenopus basking; fertilizing without amplexus?

[findiviglio]

In regards to the basking, I can't speak for frogs, but I have observed basking behavior in Notophthalmus during winter time. Granted, completely different family, but at least its another amphibian. In regards to the second observation, I racked my brain and could not think of something similar. If I had to hazard a guess I would say pheromones still present in the water, but I have absolutely nothing to back that up. Something to ponder.

Alex

Thanks, Alex...I've run into a few other frogs basking in winter, i.e. an American bullfrog, green frogs fairly regularly, but not salamanders. I was particularly surprised because Xenopus is so poorly adapted for land - they will travel overland on wet nights when ponds are poisoned, i.e. in Californiaduring eradication attempts, and will snatch insects from the shore, but lying out seemed beyond what they "should do".