What happens to a tadpole after it grows its front legs?

 After a tadpole grows its front legs, it is well on its way to becoming a frog (or toad, depending on the species). This process is part of metamorphosis, a series of changes that tadpoles undergo to transition from being fully aquatic creatures to being amphibious adults.

Once the front legs have developed, here are the steps that typically follow:

1. Rear legs development: Even before the front legs appear, the tadpole will usually have developed its rear legs. Development of limbs generally starts with the back legs, followed by the front legs.

2. Lungs development: While the tadpole has gills to breathe underwater as a young larva, it will start to develop lungs as it grows legs. With the development of lungs, the tadpole will start to spend more time at the surface of the water to breathe air.

3. Absorption of the tail: As the tadpole continues to metamorphose, its tail will begin to shorten and get absorbed into the body. This is a gradual process where the tail becomes smaller and smaller until it disappears entirely. The tail's nutrients are not wasted; they are reabsorbed and used by the growing frog.

4. Changes in diet: Tadpoles are generally herbivorous, feeding on algae and plants in the water. As they develop into frogs, their diet transitions to being carnivorous. The young frog will start hunting for insects and small invertebrates.

5. Transition to land: Once the tail has disappeared and the frog has fully developed lungs and legs that can support its body, it is ready to leave the water and live on land. Frogs are amphibians, so even as adults, they will spend time both on land and in water.

This transformation from tadpole to adult frog typically takes several weeks or months, depending on the species and environmental conditions. The entire process of metamorphosis allows the tadpole to move from its life in the water to a life on land as an adult amphibian.