Eggs adhere in and out of water: midwife toad

1 of 1 Alytes muletensis / tuurio and w.. / License

The eggs of the midwife toad stick to the male toad's legs in and out of water via sticky egg strings.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Move or stay put >
	Attach >
	Temporarily

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Waterproof adhesives.

[Collapse all sections] Summary

"After the pair lays and fertilizes strings of twenty to sixty eggs, the father thrusts his legs through the egg mass. The sticky egg strings adhere to him, and he stumbles around for the next few weeks with the eggs entwined around his thighs and waist. Periodically he dips into shallow water, ensuring the eggs don't shrivel up and die. When the tadpoles are nearly ready to hatch, they flip about in their egg capsules. The wriggling of the twenty to sixty embryos likely tickles the male's body and stimulates him to hop to a pond." (Crump 2005:53)

About the inspiring organism

Alytes muletensis
Alytes muletensis (Sanchíz and Adrover, 1979)
[Midwife toad]

IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
Habitat(s): Artificial - Aquatic, Artificial - Terrestrial, Wetlands

Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Waterproof adhesives.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Adhesives, medical, food, marine, building, plumbing

References

Crump, M. 2005. Headless Males Make Great Lovers & Other Unusual Natural Histories. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. 199 p.

Eggs adhere in and out of water: midwife toad

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