Females respond to the calling males by moving around a breeding pool, going near several males before selecting one to breed with. The older, larger males can often be identified by a deeper or faster call. The female will sit near and sometimes touch the male to indicate her interest. The male climbs onto the female, which then swims with the attached mate to a location within the male's breeding territory and begins laying eggs. Males may cling to the females for several hours in amplexus, externally fertilizing the eggs as they are laid.
Males fight for prime calling sites, defending the territory they claim.
Dominant males that claim preferred breeding sites attract more females. Satellite males, which are often smaller, quietly wait nearby to intercept an approaching female. In some species, satellite males may steal the perch of a dominant male that leaves to breed with a receptive female. All rights reserved.