In the kids section of the local paper they had a short (kids length) article about the Surinam toad. I found it fascinating for a couple of reasons,I had never heard of this creature before and it has the most sensible reproductive system in perhaps the whole of the animal kingdom. First is their body design which resembles a dead leaf,so predators tend to leave them alone,when it is time to reproduce the female releases her eggs which the male fertilizes them carefully presses onto her back. Her skin then grows over the eggs in a kind of honeycomb fashion and after around 80 days the toads emerge fully developed and ready to live their lives without further ado. Once the mother sheds the skin she is ready to start the cycle again. Seriously doesn't it make more sense to carry the young this way instead of in the front which makes for back aches no matter the species,or at least I assume it must as pregnant animals seldom seem too comfy.
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