THE DARK SIDE OF THE FROG CHORUS

It is the time of year when frogs begin to tune up and sing on “warm” nights.  While this harbinger of spring may be a welcome message that winter will end, it has a dark side.  Males sing to attract females.  This is risky business for all involved.  First, singing males expose themselves to predators when they sing.  Secondly, a female that shows up to meet Mr. Right may find herself at the bottom of a frog pile of overly zealous males.  In some cases, she dies from the ordeal (the dark side).  Ironically, frogs don’t copulate.  Males release sperm to fertilize the female’s released eggs (external fertilization).  All this risky business is to ensure that future froglets contain the male’s genes.