The diagram illustrates the life cycle of a frog, beginning with mating and ending with the development of an adult frog.
Overall, it is a cyclic and natural process which consists of eight stages, starting with fertilisation and the laying of eggs in water, and culminating in the emergence of a fully grown frog that is capable of reproducing, thereby restarting the cycle.
In the initial stage, adult frogs mate in water, after which females lay clusters of eggs, known as frogspawn. Within approximately 7 to 10 days, these eggs hatch, and tiny tadpoles emerge. At this stage, tadpoles feed primarily on algae and remain fully aquatic.
Over the following weeks, the tadpoles gradually grow in size and undergo a series of transformations. At around six weeks, they begin to develop hind legs, while at nine weeks, forelimbs appear and their bodies lengthen. By the twelfth week, the tadpoles evolve into froglets, marking the start of pulmonary breathing, though they still possess tails.
Eventually, the froglets lose their tails entirely and transition into young frogs. After about four years of maturation, these young frogs become fully developed adults, capable of reproduction. Once mating occurs, the life cycle begins anew.