If you’ve ever seen a frog sitting still at the bottom of a pond, you may have wondered – how long can frogs hold their breath underwater? As amphibians, frogs have unique adaptations that allow them to survive both on land and in water, including the ability to breathe through their skin.
In this in-depth article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how long frogs can stay submerged.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Most frogs can hold their breath underwater for several hours at a time, with some able to remain submerged for up to a day.
How Do Frogs Breathe Underwater?
When submerged, frogs have two methods for absorbing oxygen – through their permeable skin and via buccal pumping (Ajtić et al., 2013). Let’s explore both gas exchange techniques that allow these incredible amphibians to stay submerged for extended periods.
Cutaneous Gas Exchange
A frog’s skin plays a vital role in respiration. Many aquatic frog species can breathe through their skin (cutaneous gas exchange) because oxygen easily passes through the membranes (Clarke, 1997). Amazingly, up to 40% of their oxygen intake occurs through their super skin when submerged (Wells, 2007)!
The network of blood vessels just under the surface grab that precious O2 and transport it through the body.
Certain adaptations maximize the efficiency of their specialized skin. For example, the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) has thinner skin with an extensive supply of blood vessels. This allows their permeable epithelium to quickly absorb more critical oxygen (Hillman et al., 2009).
Additionally, these semi-aquatic frogs shed their external layer of skin periodically – which exposes a new oxygen-grabbing membrane underneath (Duellman & Trueb, 1994).
Buccal Pumping
Though cutaneous breathing allows extended stays underwater, frogs still need to occasionally come up for air! This is where buccal pumping comes in handy. Buccal pumping is an ingenious method involving the floor of a frog’s mouth and throat (Reilly et al., 1997).
When the mouth and throat muscles expand, the throat balloons out slightly, which forces new water over the permeable lining inside. Dissolved oxygen in the water is then absorbed via blood vessels in those surfaces before the water flows back out.
American bullfrogs are pros at buccal pumping – capable of pumping air multiple times per minute when underwater (Boutilier et al., 1992)! This rhythmic pumping action gives them frequent small bursts of oxygen without needing to surface.
Researchers found bullfrogs can supplement almost 60% of metabolic oxygen demand through buccal pumping alone (DeJongh & Gans, 1969).
Factors That Influence Breath-Holding Ability
Species Differences
There is considerable variation in breath-holding capacity between different frog species. For example, the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) can remain submerged for up to 210 minutes before needing to surface for air, while other species like the northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) or wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) generally need to surface after 15-25 minutes under water[1].
These wide-ranging differences stem from adaptations to species’ native environments and behaviors – aquatic species that feed and hide from predators underwater tend to have greater breath-holding stamina.
Some key anatomical and physiological factors enabling longer submersion times include[2]:
- Larger respiratory surface area in the lungs and skin to extract more oxygen from each breath
- Increased blood and muscle oxygen storage capacities
- Lower metabolic rates to conserve usage of internal oxygen stores
- Abilities to supplement oxygen uptake through cutaneous (through the skin) respiration
Temperature
Water temperature plays an important role in frogs’ submersion survival. Most species can hold their breath longer in colder water, whereas survival time decreases markedly as temperature rises. For example, leopard frogs can typically stay underwater for around 300 minutes at near-freezing temperatures but only about 25 minutes at 20°C/68°F[3].
This effect relates closely to metabolism and oxygen consumption – chemical reactions and cell processes accelerate with heat, quickly using up finite internal oxygen stores. Therefore, colder conditions slow frogs’ metabolic rates and prolong breath-holding capacity.
Activity Level
Frogs also deplete their oxygen reserves faster if active and moving compared to remaining still in breath-holding torpor. For instance, northern leopard frogs could hold their breath for 170 minutes if inactive but only 85 minutes if walking underwater at a moderate pace before oxygen debt forced them to surface[4].
Higher muscular workloads during activity drive up metabolic rates and oxygen demand. So minimizing movement is key to maximizing breath-holding potential.
| Frog Species | Max. Submersion Time |
|---|---|
| African Clawed Frog | Up to 210 minutes |
| Northern Leopard Frog | 15-25 minutes (typical) |
| Wood Frog | 15-25 minutes (typical) |
Record-Holding Amphibians
Australian Desert Frog
The Australian desert frog, also known as the water-holding frog, is capable of storing large amounts of water inside its body, allowing it to survive in dry desert conditions for years at a time without access to external water sources.
This incredible amphibian holds the record for the longest amount of time an amphibian has been observed surviving without water, going for nearly seven years in one observed case according to biologist Erik Wapstra.
These hardy frogs have specially adapted skin and bodies that allow them to absorb and retain moisture from even the smallest amounts of rainfall. According to Wapstra’s research published on the CSIRO website, the desert frog’s skin is highly permeable, allowing the frog to easily take in water from its surroundings.
The water is then stored in the frog’s abdominal sac and lymph nodes. With its water reserves, the desert frog can remain dormant in a cocoon or burrow during drought conditions for extreme lengths of time.
Surinam Toad
The Surinam toad holds the distinction of having one of the most unique and fascinating amphibian reproductive methods in the world. According to Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, the female Surinam toad carries her eggs embedded in the skin of her back.
The eggs then develop into tadpoles while still beneath the skin before emerging as fully developed toadlets.
Once the female releases a hormone that signals the eggs to hatch, the tadpoles will break out from the egg sacs and burst through the skin on the female’s back. The mother then finds a pool of water for the toadlets to swim into upon hatching.
This incredible and gruesome reproductive process is entirely unique to the Surinam toad and allows it to successfully breed even in arid environments without standing water for tadpoles to develop in.
Conclusion
In summary, frogs have remarkable adaptations that allow them to remain underwater for hours or even days at a time without surfacing for air. Their unique breathing methods, like cutaneous gas exchange and buccal pumping, give them flexibility in low-oxygen environments.
While breath-holding ability varies by species and environmental conditions, some frogs can hold their breath for upward of a full day. Understanding the limits of amphibian respiration sheds light on how these semi-aquatic creatures successfully straddle land and water habitats.
