For years, scientists believed they had completed the Kama Sutra for frogs. With over 6,600 species of frogs and toads, this process took quite a while, but everyone agreed they copulated in only six positions. Now, a Casanova species from India has demonstrated a seventh position. Researchers have named this move the dorsal straddle, thus expanding the annals of the ‘Kermit Sutra.’

Bombay Night Frog Mating Sexual Position

Froggy style will never be the same after scholars observed the male Bombay Night Frog’s bold new positioning during a two-year study.  Within the 6,600 known frog and toad species, nearly all the males hold onto the female during sex. For Nyctibatrachus humayuni, the Bombay Night Frog’s scientific classification, it is all about positioning. Rather than holding onto his mate, he grasps nearby leaves or branches to get a better angle. What makes this even more impressive is that this species has very short limbs.

Bombay Night Frog Mating Sexual Position

The small, brown, speckled frogs observed during this study were centered in the biodiversity hub of the Western Ghats mountain range in India. Most active during monsoon season, researchers endured forty very wet nights in order to watch the mating frogs. In addition to discovering the new amphibian sexual position, scientists from the University of Delhi and the University of Minnesota also witnessed a snake eating the frogs’ eggs. Until now, according to researchers, there had never been evidence that Asian snakes consumed the eggs of Asian frogs.

Bombay Night Frog Mating Sexual Position

Researchers involved in this study learned more than just a new sexual position used by the frog. As their findings published in PeerJ show, the Bombay Night Frogs do not have direct contact during the egg laying and fertilization process. Using his innovative grasping position, the male deposits his semen on the female’s back before leaving. Once the male has left, then the female lays her eggs. Fertilization occurs as the semen slowly drips down her wrinkled back. Basically, this is the equivalent to a disgusting game of Plinko on The Price Is Right television show. While most of the scientists’ research highlighted the uniqueness of the male Bombay Night Frog, the female is also worthy of special note. She is one of only 25 frog and toad species that calls the male during breeding season.

(source)

Steve Pame

Steve Pame

A part-time graduate student and high school teacher, Steve enjoys just about anything that makes him forget all the student loans he'll never be able to pay back. He enjoys visiting his extended family, spread throughout the world, whenever he has a chance.