How to Distinguish Between Male and Female Frogs and Toads

Male and female frogs and toads lack the familiar external markings that male and female mammals possess. There are a few ways to tell male and female frogs and toads apart from one another.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Measure the frog or toad. Female frogs and toads are usually larger than their male counterparts because they carry many eggs, which are larger and require more body volume than sperm. Distinguishing between male and female frogs may be difficult using measurements if you are looking at a single frog and do not have another one to compare it to.

2. Examine the thumbs. During breeding season, the thumbs of male frogs and toads are swollen and often have roughened black patches to enhance the ability they have to grip the females. These landmarks can only be used during the breeding season, because after breeding season the males’ thumbs will begin to have a normal appearance.

3. Listen to the noises it makes. Only male frogs call for mates, so if a frog is singing it is a male. Both males and females have the ability to make vocalizations in times of distress so simply making a sound is not a good indicator of gender.

4. Look at the vocal sac, which is the pouch just underneath the chin. During the breeding season, the vocal sacs of males can appear darkened. They begin to appear normal again after breeding, so this landmark can only be used during the breeding season.

5. See who is on top. During breeding, male frogs grasp females from behind and climb on top of their backs. If you find two frogs mating, the one on top is a male.

[Walkaboutangel]

on 1/6/2009 How interesting.... and useful for some reason or another I am sure... lol

Angel