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Amplexus
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=== Physiology === Amplexus has been found to involve different muscles in both male and female amphibians. The forelimb muscles in both males and females have been identified as the key muscles for amplexus that most species use.<ref name=":12" /> These forelimb muscles that are used during amplexus are typically larger in males than females, and for males these muscles contain more oxidative fibers, which could mean that amplexus involves an increased rate of aerobic metabolism.<ref name=":12" /> In addition to those forelimb muscles being larger in males, male frogs also typically have keratin pads or nuptial pads, which are located on their thumbs and contribute to the success of amplexus by assisting in gripping the female for the duration of amplexus.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Chakraborti|first1=S.|last2=Nag|first2=T.C.|last3=Das|first3=D.|last4=Sanyal Chatterjee|first4=T.|last5=De|first5=S.K.|date=2014|title=Cytokeratin localization in toe pads of the anuran amphibian Philautus annandalii (Boulenger, 1906)|journal=Tissue and Cell|volume=46|issue=3|pages=165β169|doi=10.1016/j.tice.2014.03.001|pmid=24698093|issn=0040-8166}}</ref> This amplexus behaviour allows the amphibians' cloacae to be in close contact, while gametes are released.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Propper|first1=Catherine R.|last2=Dixon|first2=Timothy B.|date=1997|title=Differential Effects of Arginine Vasotocin and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone on Sexual Behaviors in an Anuran Amphibian|journal=Hormones and Behavior|language=en|volume=32|issue=2|pages=99β104|doi=10.1006/hbeh.1997.1408|pmid=9367717|s2cid=41855944}}</ref> Additionally, amplexus is thought to help with the alignment of the reproductive tracts of both males and females, which furthermore contributes to successful fertilization.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal|last1=Mollov|first1=Ivelin|last2=Popgeorgiev|first2=Georgi|last3=Naumov|first3=Borislav|last4=Tzankov|first4=Nikolay|last5=Stoyanov|first5=Andrei|date=2010|title=Cases of abnormal amplexus in anurans (Amphibia: Anura) from Bulgaria and Greece|journal=Biharean Biologist}}</ref> A female amphibian may not always be receptive to a male amphibian who is trying to initiate amplexus, as the female may not be ready to produce eggs.<ref name=":02" /> When the female is not ready to engage in amplexus, she will simply vibrate her body, which will then be felt by the male who is clasped to her and he will then stop the amplexus behaviour.<ref name=":02" />
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