Parental care in amphibians provides benefits to offspring survival. There are various types of parental care exhibited by different amphibian species, including selecting protected nesting sites, defending eggs or territories, directly transporting tadpoles to water, gluing or carrying eggs attached to the body, and even viviparity in some species. Parental care improves offspring chances of survival by protecting eggs from predators and ensuring young amphibians safely reach water once hatched.

1. Parental care in amphibians
Presented by –
Nisha Arya
MSc 3rd Sem
Kumaun University

2.  Introduction
 Types
 Benefits
 References
Contents -

3.  Definition- Looking after the eggs or young until they are
independent to defend from predators, is known as
Parental care.
 Amphibians shows great diversity in Parental care.
INTRODUCTION

4. Protection by nests, nurseries or shelters
Direct carrying by parents
TYPES

5. 1. Selection of site – Many amphibians lay eggs in
protected moist microhabitats on land. Many tropical
frogs and toads lay eggs on land near water. Many tree
frogs lay their eggs not on land but on leaves and
branches over hanging water. E.g. Rhachophorus,
Hylodes.
2. Defending eggs or territories- Males of green frog Rana
clamitans and other species maintain territories and
attack small intruders to defend eggs. Male or female
even guards the eggs.
Protection by nests, nurseries or
shelters

6. 3. Direct development – In some terrestrial or tree frogs, such
as Arthroleptis and Hylodes, the eggs hatch directly into little frogs
thus avoiding larval mortality.
4. Foam nests – Many amphibians convert copious mucous
secretions into nests for their young.
5. Mud Nests – In Brazilian tree frog Hyla fabre, the male digs a
little crater-like hole or nursery in mud in shallow water, in which
the female lays her eggs.
6. Tree nests – The south American tree frogs Phyllomedusa
hypochondrales, lays eggs in a folded leaf nest with margins glued
together by cloacal secretion.

8. 1. Coiling around eggs - in congo eel, Amphuima and
certain caecilians, the female lays large eggs in burrows in
damp soil and carefully guards them by coiling her body
around them until they hatched.
2. Transferring tadpoles to water – some species of small
frogs in both tropical Africa and South America, the hatching
tadpoles fasten themselves to the back of one of the parent
with their sucker like mouth and transported to water.
3. Eggs glued to body – Many amphibians, instead of
remaining with the eggs, carry the eggs glued to their body.
Eg. Dusky salamender
DIRECT CARRYING BY PARENT

9.  4. Eggs in back pouches- In marsupial frogs or toads,
the female carries the eggs on her back, either in an
open oval depression, a closed pouch or in individual
pockets.
5. Viviparity – Some anurans are ovoviviparous. They
retain eggs in the oviducts and the females gives birth to
living young.

10.  It is important for survival of young one.
 It improves offspring quality in a way that leads
to increased offspring survival and reproduction
in the future when parents are no longer
associated with offspring.
Benefits of parental care

11. Kotpal R.L. , A text book on vertebrates
References

12. Thank you