AMPLEXUS FOR DUMMIES

If you are a male frog or toad, please continue to read.  All others should cease and desist.  As a male frog/toad you need to find a female.  This can be accomplished by sitting near a body of water and calling to the ladies.  You could, through your calling, reveal your location to predators and become a snack.  If you don’t want to risk it, you could hang out near another calling male and then beat him to the female.  Regardless of your method, you need a female.  Once you find a female, hop on her back and squeeze her for all you’ve got.  You are in for a wild water ride.  This is called amplexus which is Latin for “embrace” - awww. 

If you are a quality male (I’m not sure what the criteria is) the female will release her eggs into the water and you can release your sperm to fertilize them.  No copulation necessary.  You guys are external fertilizers, bummer.  On the up side, there is no need to tend the eggs.  Your biological purpose in life is complete without obligations. 

If you are not a quality male (again, I’m not sure what the criteria is) the female isn’t going to release her eggs for your lameness.  That female is a hot commodity and there are a ton of males waiting for her.  They likely won’t wait.  Males will jump on males on males on a female with the hope of fertilizing the eggs.  Unfortunate females have been seen weighted down by many males, all in amplexus like some kind of crazy vertical frog/toad conga line.  This, of course, has a scientific term… multiple amplexus or it is called a mating ball.