Tired of aggressively amorous males? These female frogs play dead

Spring is a dangerous time to be a female European common frog. After a winter-long hibernation, these amphibians congregate in shallow ponds to mate and lay eggs. The gatherings can turn ugly fast; male frogs, which vastly outnumber females, will regularly harass, intimidate, and coerce their counterparts into mating.

Scientists have long assumed the females have little means of defending themselves. But they may be less helpless than previously thought. Today in Royal Society Open Science, researchers report that female European common frogs (Rana temporaria) have a few tricks to escape unwanted mating, including duping a ribbiting Romeo into thinking he’s encountered another male, wriggling out of his grasp, or even playing dead.

Ghost Archive : https://ghostarchive.org/archive/lpREJ