Tadpole Park Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

ROTSIP: This cache appears to be gone, and it seems unlikely that it will be replaced soon, Because the CO has been inactive for more than a year, so I'm archiving it.
If the cache is replaced, then please contact me to re-enable this listing.
Thanks for the past fun.

Regards,
Rodney Pistorius (ROTSIP)
Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer for Africa

IMPORTANT
To respond, please email rodneyp@yebo.co.za
Please DO NOT click "reply", because I will not receive it.

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Hidden : 6/9/2012
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This little park is right across the road from the house we moved into when I was 13. It has gone through times of good and bad maintenance over the years; currently it is being well maintained. There is a long slide and swings and a beautiful little pond.
When my son was 5, they did the frog life cycle at school, so we went to this park and collected tadpoles so he could see them grow, hence the name of the cache. Entrance to enclosed area off 1st Ave.
 

The frog has an interesting life cycle that starts with an egg. The eggs hatch and its life as tadpoles (occasionally known as polliwogs) starts. They typically have oval bodies and long, vertically flattened tails. They have no eyelids and a cartilaginous skeleton, initially they have gills for respiration (external gills at first, internal gills later) and tails for swimming.
From pretty early on they develop a gill pouch that covers the gills and the front legs, the lungs are developed in an early stage as an accessory breathing organ.
Tadpoles don’t have true teeth, the jaws in most species usually have two elongated, parallel rows of small keratinised structures called keradonts in the upper jaw while the lower jaw has three rows of keradonts, surrounded by a horny beak.
 
While tadpoles are typically herbivorous, feeding mostly on algae. Some species are carnivorous at the tadpole stage, eating insects, smaller tadpoles, and fish. Cannibalism has been observed among tadpoles. Early developers who gain legs may be eaten by the others, so the late bloomers survive longer.
 
At the end of the tadpole stage, frogs undergo metamorphosis, in which they undergo a transition into the adult form. This metamorphosis last typically only 24 hours and consists of:
  • The disappearance of the gill pouch, making the front legs visible.
  • The transformation of the jaws into the big jaws of predatory frogs (most tadpoles are scrapers of algae or are filter feeders)
  • The transformation of the digestive system: the long spiral gut of the larva is being replaced by the typical short gut of a predator.
  • An adaptation of the nervous system for stereoscopic vision, locomotion and feeding
  • A quick growth and movement of the eyes to higher up the skull and the formation of eyelids.
  • Formation of skin glands, thickening of the skin and loss of the lateral line system
  • An eardrum is developed to lock the middle ear.
 
The disappearance of the tail is later and after the tail has been reabsorbed, the animals are ready to leave the water. The material of the tail is being used for a quick growth of the legs. The disappearing of the larval structures is a regulated process called apoptosis. After metamorphosis, young adults may leave the water and disperse into terrestrial habitats, or continue to live in the aquatic habitat as adults.
 
Enjoy this, our first hide.
Please replace the cache as found.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Jurer b' jurer pbhyq V or? Ba gur tebhaq be va n gerr? Lbh'yy svaq zr pybfr gb n obt, Va n gerr be va n ybt.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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