When we look at the world around us, we can’t help but be amazed at the things that we see. In reality, there are things that we may never see, but thanks to the Internet, we get to understand a little more about our world.
We would like to introduce you to a rather unusual creature that lives in the rainforests of South America. It is known as the Surinam toad (pipa pipa) and it has a rather unusual reproductive fact behind it that you have to know.
Most of us are familiar with how animals give birth but the Pipa pipa gives birth while upside down through its back. This way of giving birth makes it one of the more fascinating things to consider in the world around us.
When the Surinam toad mates, the female embeds fertilized eggs into pockets of the skin on her back. Small openings are created by the embryos as they grow, so her back is essentially a breathing, living nursery.
When ready to give birth, the small toadlets burst out of the openings, ready to take over the world. It may seem like something out of a science fiction movie, but it is actually scientific fact.
Something else that is unusual about the Pipa pipa is how the male attracts females. Most toads will croak to get the attention of the females, but the Surinam toad makes a clicking sound by snapping a bone in his throat. After the couple meet up, they engage in an unusual display, flipping through the water in arcs
This is more than just something interesting to watch, the female is actually releasing up to 10 bags every time they flip. At the same time, the male is embedding them into her back.
It takes a few days but the eggs gradually sink into the skin of the female, forming a honeycomb pattern of pockets. That is where the embryos will develop.
When they mature, they don’t become tadpoles as is the case with many other toads. They are released from their pockets as fully developed toadlets, although they are less than 1 inch long each. The mother does not care for them at that time, they go out to live their own lives, and the mother sheds the skin used during the birthing process so she can repeat the cycle again.
The world is an interesting place and the more you look at it, the more interesting it gets.