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How do stream tadpoles use suckerlike mouths to stay in moving water?
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frog and toad
The natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) lives in northern Europe.
In highly modified stream tadpoles, the mouth is located ventrally and is adapted to function as an oral sucker. By using this specialized mouth, the tadpole is able to anchor itself firmly to stones within the stream. This attachment allows the tadpole to remain stable in moving water while it moves slowly across the stones to graze on the coating of bacteria and algae.1