What is the juvenile form of a frog called?

The juvenile form of a frog is called a tadpole. Tadpoles are aquatic larvae that hatch from frog eggs and usually have a rounded body, a long tail, and gills for breathing underwater.

As a tadpole develops, it undergoes metamorphosis. Hind legs usually appear first, followed by front legs; the tail is gradually absorbed, the gills disappear, and lungs develop for breathing air. Its diet may also change from mostly algae and plant material to the diet of an adult frog.

“Tadpole” is the standard everyday and biological term for a frog’s larval stage. “Larva” is a broader scientific term that also applies to many other immature animals, while “pupa” describes a developmental stage in insects such as butterflies and beetles. Some frog species have unusual life cycles and may skip a free-swimming tadpole stage, but the classic juvenile frog remains a tadpole.