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Giant Tadpole: |
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tgoacher Member Joined: 05 Dec 2004 No. of posts: 2  View other posts by tgoacher |
Posted: 05 Dec 2004 I cleaned my garden pond out yesterday, which has a thriving frog community and I discovered the largest tadpole I have ever seen (see pic). I have only ever seen common frogs in the pond, so I assume something has gone wrong with the metamorphosis. Can anyone give me any further info? Thanks in advance, Tony Goacher
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Danny13 Senior Member Joined: 03 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 52 View other posts by Danny13 |
Posted: 05 Dec 2004 Wow, that is one big tadpole. The only thing i can suggest is that it might be some kind of genetic problem making it unable to complete the metamorphasis. Either that or its just a big fan of compulsive eating. |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 05 Dec 2004 Common frog tadpoles do sometimes fail to metamorphose it is often reported. Usually they over-winter and complete metamorphosis the following year. I can't really see from the picture but if you are sure it is a native tadpole but just rather big, leave him in the pond until next year and wish him well! Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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tgoacher Member Joined: 05 Dec 2004 No. of posts: 2 View other posts by tgoacher |
Posted: 05 Dec 2004 He's safe and sound back in the pond now. I'll let him get on with it. I just hope I wont need to get a bigger pond! Thanks for your comments. Tony
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evilmike Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2004 No. of posts: 85 View other posts by evilmike |
Posted: 05 Dec 2004 i always find that theres always a few that dont mature in their first year, these then have a good head start over their new brothers and sisters next year, and should emerge as froglets earlier that 2005s spawn. its quite common, may be brought on through cold summers, food shortages or just tadpoles that dont want to grow up hehe could make a gd project if not already done! Mike Lister BSc hons Ecology & Env management |
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Daniel S Member Joined: 24 Mar 2005 No. of posts: 4 View other posts by Daniel S |
Posted: 25 Mar 2005 Last May (2004) when I was at my nans house i was looking in her pond and found and caught about 25 huge tadpoles they were about 4 inches long.I think i caught most of them so why were they all so big not just 1 or 2 ? They were like the one in the picture but had smaller heads and a few had back legs. Daniel S |
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AJfr0ggy Member Joined: 08 Aug 2003 No. of posts: 28 View other posts by AJfr0ggy |
Posted: 05 Apr 2005 Ive found one which has overwinteresd, which has well developed hind legs, and with probably be a froglet in the next couple of weeks. It is not big though, an absolute max of 1.5", probably smaller. That one does look big. Do those eyes look a bit different???
Ajfr0ggy
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 05 Apr 2005 Surely this is US bullfrog, if so knock it on the head. I found a few stragglers on display at a garden centre last year, and convinced the manager there to euthanise them. Tony |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 06 Apr 2005 Difficult to see from the photograph but does not really look like the tadpole of the American Bullfrog to me. Where abouts in the country is the pond where it was found. David British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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Daniel S Member Joined: 24 Mar 2005 No. of posts: 4 View other posts by Daniel S |
Posted: 28 Apr 2005 aobut the tadpoles in my nans pond,they are definitely gone but they had smaller heads than the one in the picture and the tails were about 3 and a half inches only some had back legs an they were a brwony colour???????????????  Daniel S |
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renmew Member Joined: 31 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 1 View other posts by renmew |
Posted: 31 Jan 2006 I bought three large tadpoles from an aquarium in California for my classroom. They were bought in mid-September, and as of today Jan 31st, have not changed in the slightest. One did pass away recently, but the other two are large and appear healthy. When will these guys become frogs? They are the very large type described above, almost three inches long with a large grapeish head. |
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djp_phillips Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 180 View other posts by djp_phillips |
Posted: 31 Jan 2006 this reminds me of the Western Spadefoot: Tadpole: Around 10 cm long (sometimes even up to 17 cm long!), crest does not extends to body. Tail up to 2 times body length.The tadpole has light spots on sides and a large eye. How much did you pay for the tadpoles? Western Spadefoot Reptiles & Amphibians of France: www.herpfrance.com European Field Herping Community: www.euroherp.com |
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