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Adult Gray Treefrogs are well known for their distinctive trills and charismatic appearance. But the tadpoles are just as remarkable as the adults. When you swipe a net through a pond in eastern North America, and find a tadpole with a bright red tail, you know that you have found a Gray Treefrog tadpole. No other tadpole in North America has such a distinctive tail.
Why are the tails of Gray Treefrog tadpoles so conspicuous? The wetlands that they live in often contain predators, including Giant Water Bugs and Predaceous Diving Beetles, that feast upon the tadpoles. Many tadpoles are eaten before they can metamorphose into froglets and leave the dangerous waters. Their bright red tail is one part of a suite of adaptive traits that help Gray Treefrog tadpoles survive attacks from predators.
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