How does the midwife toad reproduce?

How does the midwife toad reproduce?

• A. Lays eggs on land in a dry nest.
• B. Lays eggs directly in water in a large egg sac.
• C. Gives birth to live young.
• D. Lays eggs in foam nests above water.

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is a distinctive form of parental care and the separation of egg placement from larval development. Midwife toads lay their eggs on land rather than directly in water. The female deposits a clutch on vegetation or other surfaces, and the male fertilizes the eggs as they are laid. After fertilization, the male carries and protects the developing eggs, typically around his hind legs or in a specialized pouch, forming a conspicuous mass. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles are released into nearby water, where they continue developing into froglets. This combination of terrestrial egg deposition, male-driven care, and aquatic larval development is what sets midwife toads apart from species that lay eggs in water or build foam nests.

The key idea here is a distinctive form of parental care and the separation of egg placement from larval development. Midwife toads lay their eggs on land rather than directly in water. The female deposits a clutch on vegetation or other surfaces, and the male fertilizes the eggs as they are laid. After fertilization, the male carries and protects the developing eggs, typically around his hind legs or in a specialized pouch, forming a conspicuous mass. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles are released into nearby water, where they continue developing into froglets. This combination of terrestrial egg deposition, male-driven care, and aquatic larval development is what sets midwife toads apart from species that lay eggs in water or build foam nests.