Frog Wrestling

Part of the Frogs: A Chorus of Colors exhibition.

When a male golden mantella frog is ready to breed, he makes a chirping call to entice the female. If another male follows with his own call, the two suitors often begin a wrestling match, each frog trying to flip the other onto its back. When the female appears, the "winner" moves toward her. The female lays several dozen eggs, which are then fertilized by the male.

Golden Mantella Frog

Mantella aurantiaca

Class: Amphibia
Family: Ranidae
Size: Up to 1 inch
Food: Insects
Range: Madagascar
Habitat: Tropical wet forest
Life Cycle: The female lays 30 or more eggs beneath leaves, rocks, or loose moss. Tadpoles hatch after 7-12 days and metamorphose 2-3 months later.