A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
Click on a picture for a larger view
Eggs, Tadpoles and Development of
American Bullfrog - Lithobates catesbeianus
Shaw, 1802(= Rana catesbeiana)
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| A small group of eggs in water in a dish © Aureliano Gaglione |
Egg mass found in late July in Marin County © Aureliano Gaglione |
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| American Bullfrog Tadpoles | |||
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| Mature tadpole in water, San Bernardino County | Mature tadpole, San Bernardino County | Mature tadpole, Yolo County | Tadpole out of water, Del Norte County © Alan Barron |
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| Mature tadpole, Orange County © Jeff Ahrens | Group of tadpoles, San Bernardino County |
This unusually-pigmented bullfrog tadpole was found in Sacramento County © Grayson B. Sandy | Tadpole, San Luis Obispo County © Matt Willis |
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| Mature tadpole, San Luis Obispo County © Matt Willis |
Mature tadpole, San Luis Obispo County © Matt Willis |
Mature 4-legged tadpole, still living in water, but put on land for this photo. | |
| A Mature Tadpole Transforms Into A Frog | |||
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| Mature tadpole, Merced County | |||
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| This is the same tadpole shown in the row above 3 weeks later, one day before it left the water and transformed into a frog (shown in the series below.) | |||
The following series of pictures shows the American Bullfrog tadpole shown in the two rows above, in full metamorphosis - it leaves the water to breathe air and live on land, gradually losing its tail and transforming into a juvenile frog with the body of an adult. Click here to see a larger view |
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| Day 1 of living on land |
Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 |
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| Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 |
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| Day 9 - Tail is completely absorbed |
Day 14 | Day 29 | Day 29 |
| Short Videos |
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| Although they are quick to swim to the bottom when first approached, American Bullfrog tadpoles will usually calm down and resuface, where they slowly swim, float, and socialize. | Mature 4-legged tadpoles at a small pond in Oregon. | Short Video Mature American Bullfrog tadpoles eating dead carp in a pond in Washington County, Oregon. © Chris Rombough |
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