Purple Lipped Ice Frog

The purple lipped ice frog is a sub-species of ice frog found in the waters of the northern Aici River. Its most defining feature, its dark purple lips, are caused by its diet of fish which call the poisoned waters of the Aici home. These toxins commonly seep into the frog's saliva, making it the only venomous frog in Leland.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Mating season for this species is late spring and early summer. This can be a very noisy time of year near common mating areas as males will shriek in order to attract females. The frogs reproduce by externally fertilized eggs, with females releasing thousands of eggs at a time into the water. Most of these eggs will fall prey to other animals or die off for environmental reasons, but those that survive will hatch into tadpoles in about two weeks.

Growth Rate & Stages

Once hatched, it takes approximately 15 weeks for a tadpole to develop into a frog. A young frog will not reach sexual maturity for two years.

Ecology and Habitats

While the purple lipped ice frog has developed a tolerance for the toxins present in its environment, it doesn't require them to survive. Like others of its species, the frog will thrive in any cold-water habitat.

Biological Cycle

During the winter, the purple lipped ice frog will burrow into the ground to hibernate. Like other ice frog species, it is able to withstand its entire body freezing. This is done to protect the frog from predation during the times it will be unable to escape danger. in the spring, the frog thaws with the rest of the world and by late spring is ready to mate.

Geographic Distribution