Tadpoles vs. Snake: Babies Hatch Super-Quickly to Escape
Transcript
HERE ARE RED-EYED TREE FROG TADPOLES WAITING TO HATCH FROM THEIR EGGS.
AND HERE’S A HUNGRY PARROT SNAKE LOOKING FOR A MEAL.
WHAT’S A BABY FROG TO DO?
ANSWER: SUPERFAST HATCHING!
THE TADPOLES STORE ENZYMES THAT DISSOLVE THEIR EGG CASE.
UNDER THREAT, THE TADPOLES RELEASE THE ENZYMES EARLY, SO THEY HATCH FASTER.
THE TADPOLES DROP TO SAFETY.
RESEARCHERS AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY RECORDED TREE FROGS HATCHING EARLY TO ESCAPE PREDATORS, SUCH AS SNAKES AND WASPS.
IT BRINGS A WHOLE NEW MEANING TO THE TERM "ESCAPE HATCH."
