Question

What is the function of the jelly on the eggs laid by the frogs?
A) To hold the eggs together
B) To provide protection to the eggs
C) Both A and B
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Frogs are the amphibians that belong to the class Amphibia under the phylum Chordata. These are cold blooded animals that can camouflage. In most of the species, external fertilization takes place. When there are extreme climatic conditions, they live in deep burrows to protect themselves from extreme temperatures.

Complete answer:
External fertilization means fusion of gametes outside the body of female organism. In frogs, the eggs and sperms are released into the water by female and male frogs respectively. The eggs produced by female frogs are large in number because there is very less chances of fusion of sperm with egg. T

he eggs produced by female frogs have a jelly like coating that surrounds the egg. The eggs are also surrounded by vitelline membrane. This vitelline membrane along with jelly coating is called tertiary egg membrane. When the egg passes from oviduct to cloaca, the tertiary egg membrane is deposited on the egg.

The jelly provides following advantages to the egg:
- As the eggs are released inside the water, it is vulnerable to water movements and predators because of its small size. Due to jelly coating, the egg appears large.
- The jelly acts as a receptor so that the compatible sperm easily fertilizes with the egg.
- It also keeps the female eggs moist.
- The jelly coating keeps the eggs together and thus protects it from wind and water.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: Oviducts are also present in male frogs but they do not play any role in reproduction. In male frogs, it is a vestigial organ. In female frogs, the oviduct is very small in size due to the absence of lumen. Hence it is also called rudimentary oviduct.