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Story: Frogs

Tadpole

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Tadpole

All the frog species introduced to New Zealand need pools of water for their tadpoles to develop. Over several weeks the tadpoles grow legs and lose their gills – the colder the water, the longer the process takes. They are then ready to leave the pool. They differ from the young of native frogs, which hatch with their legs already formed, and live out of water, although they need damp conditions.

Using this item

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10036294

by Rod Morris

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How to cite this page

Paddy Ryan, Frogs – Ecology and reproduction, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/10004/tadpole (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Paddy Ryan, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Hugh Dickson
01 October 2015
Q; Will non native species if introduced affect native species?