Alex McCartney – Mexico 2024 #1

During the Summer months, the emergence of froglets from water bodies across the globe can be some of the most incredible spectacles possible to witness within the Amphibian class; and perhaps none more so than that of the Mexican Burrowing Toad (Rhinophyrus dorsalis). This somewhat odd-looking frog is not actually a toad at all, despite its name, and is actually the only living member of the Rhynophyridae family, which diverged from other amphibians some 190 million years ago. As a result of this long period of independent evolution, Mexican Burrowing Toads have developed a number of unique physiological and behavioural traits which separate them from other frogs.

Although many frogs have short breeding periods; the burrowing toads take this to an extreme level, with their breeding period lasting only two or three days after the first heavy rains of the season. The explosivity of this breeding period, along with the sheer number of individuals that emerge from their fossorial lifestyles at the same time, results in an incredibly large number of tadpoles appearing at the same time within the aguadas and small ponds of the Mayan Selva. But perhaps the most incredible part of this explosive breeding approach, is that throughout their early life, every juvenile within this species is at exactly the same point within their developmental phase; and this means that when the froglets choose to emerge, they do it as one. This en-masse emergence can number in their thousands from every aguada across the forest, covering their shores. Naturally this too promotes a feeding frenzy, with many wading birds swooping down to feed on the tiny froglets, and Speckled Racers and Black Striped Snakes slithering through the long grass along the shore looking for a quick meal; but then, just as quickly as it started, it ends, and the burrowing toads return to their subterranean lives for another year.

In this photo, I wanted to focus solely on these froglets, capturing the story of their journey away from the aguada, without losing the desperation of their plight.

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