Surinam pipa frog. Toad lifestyle and reproduction

(Pipa pipa) in anticipation of offspring. In addition to its outstanding appearance, this amphibian from the pip family (Pipidae) is also known for its non-trivial method of reproduction - the metamorphosis of the cubs completely occurs in eggs, which the mother carries on her back until hatching.

The Surinamese pipa is a South American species and lives in the Amazon Basin. The most vivid and accurate description of the pipa is known to us, perhaps, from the book Three Tickets to Adventure by Gerald Durrell: “He opened his palms, and I saw a strange and ugly creature. To be honest, it looked just like a brown toad, but one that had been run over by a very heavy steamroller. Her short, thin paws stuck out rigidly at the corners of her square body, as if seized by rigor mortis. Her muzzle was sharp, her eyes were tiny, and she was all flat as a pancake.

Pipas are practically helpless on land, but are well adapted to life in muddy slow-flowing waters and spend almost all the time at the bottom, and their coloring allows them to merge with dirty shapeless leaves. Pipa's menu includes small invertebrates, crustaceans, and fish. Like other amphibians from the Pipidae family, the Surinamese pip do not have a tongue; they suck their prey with water, creating a negative pressure in oral cavity. And they also help themselves with their front legs, on the fingers of which there are no membranes, but star-shaped tactile tentacle organs are located - they are convenient to examine the substrate in search of prey. Because of them, the pipu is also called the starfin.

The mating call of male pips is made by clicking two paired cartilaginous discs located in the larynx, so their “song” resembles the ticking of a clock. During amplexus, the males hold the females with their front paws around the waist, and the pair describes arcs, periodically rising to the surface of the water to take in air. The circle begins with the fact that the female pushes off the bottom with her front and hind legs on one side, together with the male turns over through her side and ends up with her belly up. In this position, they hang literally for a second, and the female places eggs between herself and the male (up to 10 eggs for each revolution). The male tamps them with his stomach into the skin of her back, having previously fertilized them. At the same time, they begin to lower themselves head down, gradually assuming a normal position, after which they go to a new circle. Such a “dance” can last more than a day, until the female lays all the eggs, and there can be up to 110 of them! Then the male separates, and the skin future mother begins to grow coarse, protecting the caviar and the babies developing in it.

Durrell described the process as follows: “At the beginning of the mating season, the skin on the back of the female becomes soft and loose, like a sponge, and after fertilization, the eggs are embedded in it, forming cup-shaped depressions in it. The upper part of the eggs, protruding above the surface of the skin, hardens and forms, as it were, small convex domes ... When the cubs grow up, they wring out the lid on the top of the pocket and go out into a new world that threatens them with dangers from everywhere.

For the entire metamorphosis from the moment of laying the eggs to the release of the frogs from the skin "pockets", it takes from 12 weeks. Small pips appear fully formed, only the “stars” on tiny fingers are missing. The kids are already adapted to the outside world, they know how to swim, dive and are ready to feed on small earthworms, tubifex and daphnia.

After all the frogs have hatched, the female molts, removing hardened skin, so that in the next rainy season she will release another generation of small peeps into the light, or rather into the water.

Alena Shurpitskaya

On earth, there are often creatures with whom nature, it would seem, has played a cruel joke. Their appearance is often impressive, but more often causes unpleasant associations and misunderstanding. One such unusual species is the pipa frog, also called the Surinamese frog. At first glance, the Surinamese pipa resembles a lizard caught under a skating rink.

The frog has a large, flat body, smoothly turning into a triangular head, four limbs: the front, relatively short, with thin fingers, the rear, much thicker with swimming membranes. The fingers on the forelimbs of the pipa are equipped with outgrowths in the form of stars, for which it is sometimes called the star-toed toad. The hind limbs are not very different from those of ordinary toads, used for movement in the water. There is a set of tentacles in the jaw area, but no tongue. Appearance can be assessed in the photo.

Toads can reach up to 20 centimeters in length, but more often it does not exceed 12 centimeters.

Habitat

Surinam frogs live in the rivers of the Amazon, as well as distributed in the following countries:

• South America;
• Peru;
• Brazil;
• Bolivia.

The pipa spends its entire life in the water. Usually these frogs live in small ponds and do not leave them throughout their lives. There are seven types of Surinamese toads. Travelers report that the pipa leads a quiet, clumsy lifestyle. Languidly creeps along the bottom of the forest swamps. Also, some individuals of this species live in irrigation canals, on plantations.

Nutrition, behavior

The pipa feeds on what it can find at the bottom. Using the forelimbs, the frog loosens the bottom, trying to catch nutrient particles. The main species is the Surinamese toad, which is active at night and does not leave the water area.

Despite their special love for water space, frogs of this species have pulmonary and skin respiration characteristic of terrestrial species.

Males in mating season make interesting sounds, clicks with a metallic sound.

reproduction

The Surinamese pipa impresses not only with its specific appearance, but also with its special breeding process. Newborn representatives of this species, being formed young frogs, come out into the light directly from the back of the mother.

As soon as the Surinamese pips reach sexual maturity (about 6 years), a rather fascinating process begins. It all starts with the fact that the male is trying to "saddle" the female, in order to fertilize. If the female is ready, her the body goes numb, frogs begin mating dance. This process begins at night and lasts until morning, when the female pipa lays a certain number of eggs. After the female dives to the bottom, trying to catch them. The male helps the female collect the eggs and “pastes” them into her back. Females of this species of toads have special cells on their backs where future offspring fit.

After the future pips are sorted into cells, the female Surinamese toad begins to get rid of the “excess”. On the back, in the birthing compartments gray liquid appears, absorbing fertilized pipa eggs, separating them from debris and unfertilized eggs. This process is completed by a molting frog.

Eggs develop in the same way as other frogs, only in a very specific place. Little pips get their food from the mother's body. After a while, young Suriman frogs open the veil that hides them from the outside world and leave the back of the mother pipa.

Usually toads mature within two weeks. A couple of days before the “departure from the nest”, the capsule in which the pipa tadpole exists increases in size and cracks. Young peeps make a march to the surface of the reservoir to breathe. Some frogs succeed only on the third or fourth attempt.

At first, tadpoles feed on bacteria and ciliates. Having reached a length of 34-40 millimeters, tadpoles begin to grow limbs and lose their tail, given period they live off the accumulated protein in the body and nothing else. As soon as the tail disappears, a full-fledged mouth is formed, the frog begins to eat live food and breathe with the help of lungs.

Surinamese pipa as a pet

If desired, these unusual creatures can be kept at home as a pet (not everyone likes dogs and cats). At the same time, it is important to provide them with suitable conditions. First of all need a large and deep aquarium(more than a hundred or two liters). Pipa is nocturnal, therefore it is worth providing for her (them) the maximum number of small “shelters” and general dim lighting.

Frogs feed on all kinds of trifles, you can use:

• Bloodworm;
• earthworms;
• Water fleas;
• Even small fish.

The feeding process takes, on average, ten minutes. As soon as she ate remove any waste so that the new resident of the aquarium does not pick up any infection.

For aquarium decoration Surinamese pipa inside you can use artificial and real plants, there are no restrictions in this regard. The bottom can be strewn with gravel, although the toad will not care at all.

Pipa Corvalho, also known as the Brazilian pygmy pipa, is a frog that does not see well, but sensitive paws help her perceive the world.

This species of amphibian lives in the north of South America. It can be found in the mountains at an altitude of up to 1000 meters. In countries where the pipa Corvalho is found, the most serious insult for a woman is "señora pipita".

Description of Pipa Corvalho

The body length is 8-9 centimeters. Flattened body, triangular head. At the tips of the front fingers are stellate formations - very sensitive nerve endings, thanks to which the frogs dig in the ground and look for food. Peeps need sensitive fingers because they have poor eyesight and are blind.

There are no swimming pads. Males are smaller than females, and their bodies are flatter and darker in color, their eyes are small.

The body color of an adult is gray-brown. The coloring of young individuals is lighter, and the belly is almost white.

Lifestyle of the pygmy Brazilian pipa

Corvalho pipas live exclusively in water. They are common in stagnant water bodies located in the lowlands and at an altitude of up to 1000 meters. They are found among snags, plants, in the muddy bottom. If the habitat is optimal for the pipa, it does not try to leave its reservoir, but if the conditions for life are not suitable, then frogs of any age get out of the water.

Corvalho pips eat a lot, and always greedily. When the rivers overflow, the pips prowl in the flooded places. During drought and drying up of reservoirs, pips sit motionless in small puddles, waiting best time. If the pipa is frightened, then it dives to the bottom and burrows into the mud.

Reproduction of pipa Corvalho

The male flirts with the female, but if the female does not reciprocate, he quickly falls behind her. When the female is ready to mate, the male grabs her, and she becomes numb, and a spasm passes through her body.

Feeling the trembling, the male tightly embraces the body of the female. Pips can swim holding each other throughout the day. Most often, the male finds the female at night, and they mate at dawn.

The pair swims and suddenly turns upside down at a distance of 5-10 centimeters from the surface of the water. The male is at the bottom, and he unstuck from the female. At this time, the female lays 6-12 eggs. The eggs slide down and fall between the abdomen of the male and the back of the female. The eggs are fertilized, after which the frogs turn over, and the male presses the eggs into the back of the female.

Every 5-15 minutes, the acts of laying eggs are repeated. In total, the frogs turn over about 50 times.

Each female lays about 170 eggs. The color of the eggs is ivory, and their diameter is 1.4 millimeters. The eggs lie in a solid layer, they are pressed into the mother's body by about one fourth, and over time they are almost completely immersed in the growing skin. If the eggs are not fixed, then they fall to the bottom and their development does not occur.

Tadpoles have spherical bodies, the diameter of which reaches 2.5-3 millimeters. The tail is transparent, its length reaches 7-9 millimeters. The tadpoles of the Brazilian pygmy pipa gather in groups, rapidly hiding from predators. They can also be buried in silt. On the second day they begin to feed, they are filter feeders. First, tadpoles have hind legs, and then front ones. After 6-8 weeks, tadpoles undergo metamorphosis. The body length of young pipa reaches 35-40 millimeters. Puberty in them occurs at a body length of 6 centimeters.

Keeping a dwarf Brazilian pipa

Pips easily climb glass, sticking to it with their stomachs. They can crawl through even the smallest gaps between the lid and the walls of the aquarium.

Pip Corvalho is kept in aquariums with a large bottom area. For these frogs, the depth of the water is not important, and they do not need a shore. At the bottom of the aquarium should be silted soil. If there is no soil, then several shards are placed on the bottom of the aquarium.

The water should not contain chlorine and chloramines. It is desirable to decorate the aquarium with plants, but you can do without them. Pips do not spoil plants. Adults (from the third month of life) are fed with dry and combined food, as well as pieces of meat and fish.

Pips get along well with large and small fish. Large cichlids and ancitruses can beat frogs.

Breeding Pip Corvalho

For reproduction and development, peeps need water with a temperature of 20-30 degrees and a hardness of 5 degrees. Aeration for tadpoles is harmful. The ratio of males to females should be 1:1. A pregnant female must be given rest. The development of embryos at a temperature of 26-28 degrees occurs in 15 days. Eggs ripen unevenly. A day before the hatching of the tadpoles, the shells of the eggs swell, and holes appear on their tops.

Origin of the species and description

Pipa's head is triangular in shape and exactly the same flattened as the whole body of this tropical frog. The eyes are located on top of the muzzle, they are devoid of eyelids and are very small in size. One of the most interesting features gastrointestinal tract is the absence of teeth and tongue in these animals. Instead, the digestive organs are modified skin flaps located at the corners of the mouth. They look somewhat like tentacles.

Video: Pipa

Another significant difference from all other frogs is that the front legs of this amphibian do not have membranes at their end and end with elongated fingers. And what is even more surprising is that they do not have claws, which distinguishes the Surinamese pipa in general from all higher animals. But on the hind limbs there are skin folds, they differ in their power and are located between the fingers. These folds make the movement of the frog under water very confident.

The body length of the Surinamese pipa almost never exceeds 20 cm. Rarely, when giant individuals are found, the length of which reaches 22-23 cm. The skin of this animal is very rough and wrinkled in its structure, sometimes black spots can be seen on the back. One of the most significant evolutionary "achievements" that allows the Surinamese pipa to adapt to the conditions environment, is a dim (unlike the vast majority of tropical frogs) color. These frogs have gray-brown skin and a light belly.

Often there is a dark strip that goes up to the throat and covers the neck of the toad, thus forming a border on it. The sharp, bad smell an already unattractive animal (“aroma” resembles hydrogen sulfide).

Appearance and features

Pipa belongs to the class of amphibians, the pipa family. Specific unique features begin already at this stage - even compared to its relatives, the pipa has a lot of differences, because of which many zoologists, when they first encountered this outlandish animal, generally doubted whether it was a frog. So, the first significant difference from all other amphibians (and frogs in particular) is its special physique.

For the first time noticing a flat frog, the thought arises that she was very unlucky, because she looks like she has been driven over by a skating rink several times. Her body in its shape resembles one that has fallen from some tropical tree leaf, because it is thin and flattened. And without knowing all the subtleties, even admit that in front of you is not a fallen leaf, but creature with warm-water tropical, it is very problematic.

These amphibians almost never leave the aquatic environment. Yes, in the dry season they can move to those that have not yet dried up, but apart from those that have changed dramatically weather conditions nothing will ever frighten these homebodies from their place. Pipa in general is a clear example of the impact of evolution on the animal organism - due to long life Under water, the eyes of these amphibians became small and lost their eyelids, atrophy of the tongue and tympanic septum occurred.

The Surinamese pipa, which lives in the Amazon basin, was most aptly described by the writer Gerald Durrell in his work Three Tickets to Adventure. There are the following lines: “He opened his palms, and a rather strange and ugly animal appeared before my eyes. Yes, in appearance it looked like a brown toad that was under pressure.

Her short and thin legs were well-placed at the corners of a square body that looked like rigor mortis was reluctantly recalled. The shape of her muzzle was sharp, her eyes were small, and the shape of a pipa resembled a pancake.

Where does pipa live?

The preferred habitat of this frog is water with warm and muddy water not characterized by a strong current. Moreover, the proximity to a person does not frighten her - Surinamese pips settle near human settlements, they are often seen not far from plantations (mainly in irrigation canals). The animal simply loves the muddy bottom - by and large, the layer of silt is the place of residence for it.

Such amazing creatures inhabit the territory, and. There they are considered “reigning amphibians of all fresh water bodies” - Surinamese pips lead an exclusively aquatic lifestyle. These frogs can be easily seen not only in all kinds of ponds and, but also in irrigation canals located on plantations.

Even a long period of drought is not able to force them to crawl out onto solid ground - pips prefer to sit out in half-dried puddles. But along with the rainy season, a real expanse begins for them - the frogs fully take their souls away, moving with the flow of rainwater through flooded downpours.

The more surprising it becomes strong love pip Surinamese to water - taking into account the fact that these animals have well-developed lungs and rough, keratinized skin (these signs are more characteristic of terrestrial animals). Their body resembles a small flat 4-coal leaf with sharp corners on the sides. The place of transition of the head to the body is practically not expressed in any way. The eyes are constantly looking up.

Another habitat for Surinamese pipas is human aquariums. Despite not being very attractive appearance and the outgoing smell of hydrogen sulfide, people who are fond of are happy to breed these mysterious frogs at home. They unanimously argue that it is very interesting and informative to follow the process of gestation of larvae by the female with the subsequent birth of tadpoles.

In the event that, after reading the article, you feel sympathy for the Surinamese pipa and firmly decide to have such a frog at home, then immediately prepare a large aquarium. One amphibian should have at least 100 liters of water. For each subsequent individual - a similar volume. What is there - it turns out that the Surinamese pipa is only in wild nature adapts to any conditions. In captivity, she experiences severe stress, and in order for this animal to give birth, it is necessary to provide a number of conditions.

These include:

• ensuring constant oxygen saturation of the aquarium;
• constant temperature regime. Fluctuations in values ​​are permissible in the range from 28C to 24C;
• dietary variety. These frogs need to be fed not only with dried food for aquarium fauna, but also with earthworms, waterfowl larvae and pieces of fresh fish.

In order for the Surinamese pipa living in the aquarium to feel as comfortable as possible, sand with fine gravel and live algae should be poured onto the bottom.

What does pip eat?

With its powerful and long fingers located on the front paws, the toad loosens the soil and looks for food, and then sends it to the mouth. She helps herself in such a noble process with growths on her paws. Given the fact that they vaguely resemble stars, this frog is usually called the "starfinger". The diet of the Surinamese frog consists of various organic residues located at the very bottom of the reservoir, in the ground.

Also, pipa eats:

• small fish and fry;
• waterfowl insects.

Pipa frogs almost never hunt on the surface. Unlike ordinary frogs, which we are used to seeing, they do not sit in the swamp and do not catch flying insects with their long tongues. Yes, they have rough skin, a large lung capacity, but the Surinamese pipa feeds only when deeply buried in the silt, or simply while in the water.

Regarding the rainy season, some researchers noted how during the rainy season, South American amphibians appear on the coast and travel many hundreds of kilometers in order to find warm and dirty puddles located nearby. Already there they warm up and bask in the sun.

Now you know what to feed the pipu frog. Let's see how she lives in the wild.

Features of character and lifestyle

Like many other tropical frogs, when water bodies become shallow or dry, the Surinamese pipa sits for a long period in dirty, shallow puddles or ditches, patiently waiting for better times to come. Frightened, the amphibian quickly dives to the bottom, burrowing deeper into the silt.

It is impossible not to dwell on the behavioral features of hatched tadpoles. For example, strong tadpoles strive to reach the surface of the water as soon as possible and grab a bubble of life-supporting air. Weak "descendants", on the contrary, fall to the bottom and float to the surface only after 2-3 attempts.

After their lungs open, tadpoles can swim horizontally. Moreover, at this stage they demonstrate flocking behavior - it is easier to escape from and get food. The frog, which previously laid eggs on its back, after the release of tadpoles, rubs against stones, wanting to remove the remnants of eggs. After molting, the sexually mature female is again ready for mating.

Feeding of tadpoles occurs starting from the 2nd day of their life. Their main diet (no matter how strange it may sound) is ciliates and bacteria, because by their type of nutrition they are filter feeders (like mussels). For feeding in captivity, nettle powder is optimal. Reproduction and development of Surinamese pips occurs at T (in vivo) from 20 to 30 °C and hardness not exceeding 5 units.

Social structure and reproduction

The male in sexual activity makes specific clicking sounds, unequivocally hinting to the female that he is ready to make her a pleasant and exciting time. The male and the female perform courtship dances directly under water (during this process, each other is “evaluated”). The female lays several eggs - in parallel with this, "her chosen one" pours them with her seminal fluid.

After that, the female dives down, where the fertilized eggs fall directly on her back and immediately stick to her. The male also takes part in this process by pressing the eggs to his partner with his hind legs. By joint efforts, they manage to evenly distribute them in the cells located along the entire back of the female. The number of eggs in one such clutch varies from 40 to 144.

The time during which the frog will bear its offspring is about 80 days. The weight of the "luggage" with eggs on the back of the female is about 385 grams - it is a very difficult task to carry around the clutch for pipa around the clock. The advantage of this format of caring for offspring lies in the fact that upon completion of the masonry formation process, it is covered with a dense protective membrane that provides reliable protection. The depth of the cells where the caviar is placed reaches 2 mm.

Staying, in fact, in the body of the mother, the embryos receive from her body everything they need for their successful development. nutrients. The partitions separating the eggs from each other are abundantly permeated with vessels - through them oxygen and nutrients dissolved in the eggs are supplied to the offspring. Somewhere in 11-12 weeks, young pips are born. Achievement of puberty - only by 6 years. The breeding season coincides with the rainy season. This is not surprising, because pipa, like no other frog, loves water.

Pip's natural enemies

Pipa Surinamese is a real delicacy for terrestrial predators and larger amphibians. Regarding birds, representatives of the families most often feast on these frogs, and. Sometimes they are eaten by storks, ibis, herons. Most often, these majestic and noble birds manage to grab the animal right on the fly.

But the greatest danger is for the Surinamese pipa, especially the water ones (just like for everyone else living on any continent). Moreover, even excellent camouflage does not help them here - in hunting, reptiles are more guided by tactile sensations and the definition of heat radiated by living organisms. Large swamps are also not averse to eating such a frog.

Moreover, if adults have at least some chance to save their lives by quickly running away or hiding from the pursuer, then tadpoles are absolutely defenseless. Countless numbers of them die, becoming food for aquatic insects, snakes, fish and even dragonflies. By and large, every inhabitant of a tropical reservoir will “consider it an honor” to feast on a tadpole.

The only secret of survival is the quantity - only the fact that once a female Surinamese pipa lays about 2000 eggs, saves the species from extinction and allows you to keep the population stable.

Population and species status

Pipa is predominantly distributed in the South American river basin. These frogs can be seen in almost all countries of this continent. Some zoologists have noted the presence of these frogs in. The vertical limit of the range is up to 400 meters above sea level (that is, even at such a height there are Surinamese pips).

Despite the fact that the Surinamese pipa is officially classified as an amphibian, this frog is considered obligate. water view- in other words, she constantly lives in the water, which significantly limits the distribution of the population of the species. Pipa Suriname prefers bodies of water with stagnant water or with slow flow- the area captures numerous river backwaters, as well as ponds and small forest reservoirs. Frogs skillfully hide in the fallen leaves, abundantly covering the bottom of the reservoir. Due to the fact that they move very clumsily on land and (unlike most other frogs) are not able to jump over long distances, individuals out of the water become easy prey.

Regarding the status of the species in nature, today the number of Surinamese pipa and its dynamics are considered stable. In spite of a large number of natural enemies and the influence of the anthropogenic factor, the species is often found within its own range. There is no threat to the abundance of this species, although in some places there is a decrease in populations due to human agricultural activities and significant deforestation of territories. Pipa surinamese is not included in the lists of endangered species, it is found in the territories of nature reserves.

Pipa Surinamese differs from all other representatives of amphibians in many ways - only she does not have one long tongue, intended for catching insects, there are no membranes and claws on the paws. But she is perfectly disguised and the best of all amphibians takes care of her offspring, carrying eggs on her back.

For the topic, I saw in the tape.

Pipa surinamese(Pipa pipa) is distinguished by an ugly, almost quadrangular and flat body, a triangular, pointed head towards the muzzle, which is not separated from the body, and thin front legs. The toes of the front legs have several processes at the end, which is why the pipu was called the "star-claw" (Asterodactylus); hind legs are thicker and rather long, with long, sharp toes joined by full swimming membranes; in old animals, the skin on the back is folded, and in old females it is even cellular; one or two pairs of tentacles are visible in front of the eyes, on the sides of the upper jaw, and another pair hangs near the corners of the mouth.

Distributed in South America. The range covers Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. It leads an aquatic lifestyle, settling, as a rule, in small natural reservoirs or in irrigation canals on plantations. The pip genus includes 7 species. Its representatives do not leave the water throughout their lives.

The pipa uses a scavenger strategy when getting food. With its forelimbs, it digs up the soil, stirring up the silt, and snatches food particles from it. Can be used to power and stationary objects.
Spacious aquariums are used to keep peeps. The volume should be no less than 100 liters per steam, but 200 - 300 is better. Fine gravel can be poured onto the bottom, although pips can do without soil. The aquarium can be decorated with live and artificial plants, good water filtration is required. Optimum temperature 26 degrees. Food - large bloodworm, earthworms, small fish.

There are no webs on the front paws, but there are long thin fingers - just like a musician! True, with their help, the pipa does not play the piano, but loosens the bottom silt, extracting something edible from there. At the tips of the fingers are leathery star-shaped appendages, for which the Surinamese pips are often called star-paws.

Strong hind legs with normal frog-like membranes serve them for movement in the water. The color of the flattened 20 cm body of adult peeps varies from blackish-brown to gray. The belly is light, but sometimes a dark stripe runs along it.

If you want to start this miracle of nature in your apartment, you will have to purchase a spacious aquarium for 100, and preferably 200 or 300 liters, decorate it with live or artificial plants and pour fine gravel on the bottom. The water in it should be warm (about 26 degrees) and well aerated. You can feed Surinamese pips with bloodworms, earthworms and small fish.

Former travelers say that the pipa lives in dark forest swamps, slowly and clumsily crawling along the ground and spreading a piercing smell, similar to the smell of burning sulfur. Observers for the most part describe the strange way the pipa reproduces, confirming the information reported by Sibyl Merian, and refuting only her erroneous assumption that young pips are born on the mother's back.

pip frogs and toads live almost entirely in aquatic environment. To do this, they have flattened organs and relatively large membranes on their paws compared to the rest of the body.

Many reptiles developed along a completely unique evolutionary path in a relatively small geographical area.

There are a few different types Surinam toads. The common pipa species is better known as the Suriname common toad.

Unlike other tongueless toads, Surinam toads have sensitive areas on the tips of their front paws. They do not have claws and are mostly nocturnal.

When people first saw what was happening with the Surinamese pipa, they did not believe their own eyes: the kids at the pipa appeared right from the back.

And not some, but quite formed. And not just one or two, but dozens. An excellent connoisseur of nature and animals, the English naturalist D. Durrell, who once observed the birth of pipa cubs, wrote: Even before that, I had to witness the greatest number of the most diverse births. But only in rare cases did what I saw absorb and astonish me, as on that night ..

Of course, the appearance of children from the back of a pipa is not at all childbearing in the true sense of the word. The eggs and larvae of the pipa develop like the eggs and larvae of all other amphibians. It just happens in an unusual place.

As soon as the female lays an egg, the male picks it up and carefully places it on the female's back, in a special cell. He does the same with the second, and the third, and the fourth, and with all the other eggs. To keep them better, he also presses them with his chest. The cells in which the eggs are laid become deeper every day and acquire a six-sided, honeycomb-like shape, and the eggs seem to grow into the back of the female. At the same time, the upper part of each egg dries up, forming a translucent dome. It is there, in these honeycombs, under translucent domes-lids, that everything that is supposed to happen happens.

First, embryos develop, then tadpole larvae appear, they also develop and turn into tiny toads. There is enough moisture in such cells-cells, the embryos and larvae receive food through the walls of the cells from the mother's body. Having formed, the tiny creatures raise their domes-lids, survey the unfamiliar world and, having gathered courage, crawl out of their cradles. Together with their mother, but soon they leave her and begin an independent life.

Suriname Pipa

Suriname Pipa!
Are you sure you know her?
Do not know?
How so?
That's it!
Ah ah ah!
I blush for you!
You may not know Panda
Tuataru
Or Griffon Vulture -
But it's impossible not to know
What kind of animal
Suriname Pipa!

Although she lives
In a distant country - in Suriname
And so rarely, poor thing,
Meets with us;
Even though she's not pretty
(Only modesty adorns her!)
Although she is from the family of frogs -
Get to know her
It doesn't interfere at all!

There,
In the shadow of the algarroba, quebracho
And other exotic flora,
Frogs and toads in the evenings
Leading unceasing choirs.
Among the croaks
Ucanya,
Squeak, rumbling and wheezing
I hear your pure voice
Suriname Pipa!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

At the frogs
family feelings,
Usually weak.
About offspring
Usually
Don't be too sad
Toads.
And she -
This humble daughter Suriname, -
Even though the toad
But
An exceptionally gentle mother!

Yes,
She doesn't dream
Anyhow
Eggs:
All eggs
Lying on her back
Like a soft feather bed.
To the mother's body
(And heart!)
They grow;
AND,
Knowing no worries
Tadpoles grow in them

Grow up slowly...
Until the deadlines are fulfilled -
kids
Pull and pull and pull
From mother juice...
And then they run away
skipping
And they completely forget about their mother.
(It happens,
According to rumors
Not only in Suriname alone...)

So lives
Suriname Pipa.
Now -
I dare to hope
You
At least in part
Met her!
If they ask you:
"What kind of animal is the Surinam Pipa?" -
Answer:
"It's a toad
But a special type of toad!"