Which animal has the longest gestation period among amphibians?

The Surinam toad or Pipa pipa has the most extended period of gestation among all amphibians. The gestation period of this amphibian species is extraordinary and quite unique; they carry their eggs on their backs. Surinam toads are found in the rainforests of South America in countries such as Brazil, Peru, and Suriname.

A female Surinam toad carries up to 100 eggs on her back, which she fertilizes just before they start growing. Once the eggs are laid by the female, the eggs sink into her skin, where they are held in sacs. The female's skin then grows around the sacs, and after 12 to 20 weeks, the fully formed baby toads emerge from their mother's back.

This species is a master of disguise, its flat, leaf-shaped body allowing them to camouflage perfectly among the leaf litter and debris at the bottom of the streams, ponds, and swamps where they live.

Having the most extended gestation period among amphibians is not the only fascinating survival characteristic of Surinam toads; they also have a unique behavior of shedding their skins entirely, including the skin on their eyes and their feet. This behavior makes them vulnerable to predators and infections; however, they compensate for that by becoming hard to spot and manage to slip under the radars of most predators.