Which rainforest frog carries its tadpoles inside its vocal sac?

Darwin’s frog carries its tadpoles inside the male’s vocal sac.

Darwin’s frogs are small South American frogs found in temperate forests and rainforest habitats of Chile and Argentina. After the female lays eggs, the male guards them. Once the embryos develop into tadpoles, he takes them into his vocal sac, where they remain during a crucial part of development.

The young later emerge as miniature frogs rather than free-swimming tadpoles. This unusual form of parental care protects offspring from many aquatic predators and environmental hazards. It is different from the reproductive strategy of the Surinam toad, whose young develop in pockets in the female’s back.

The species is named after Charles Darwin, who encountered it during the voyage of HMS Beagle. Darwin’s frog is threatened by habitat loss and the fungal disease chytridiomycosis.