'It's risky for male frogs out there': Female frog drags and attempts to eat screaming male

A larger green frog photographed with a smaller brown frog hanging out of its mouth.

Breeding seasons can be dangerous for male frogs that attempt to impress a potential mate: They can quickly find themselves being dragged off and eaten by an unimpressed female, researchers have discovered.

For the first time, scientists in Kooragang Island in New South Wales, Australia have observed adult female green and golden bell frogs (Litoria aurea) preying on their male counterparts during breeding season. They detailed their findings in a study published June 12 in the journal Ecology and Evolution.