amplexus

thumb|A pair of clicking stream frogs (''Gray's stream frog|Strongylopus grayii) in amplexusthumb|Orange-thighed frogs ([[Litoria xanthomera'') in amplexus]]

Amplexus (Latin "embrace") is a type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species (chiefly amphibians, amphipods, and horseshoe crabs) in which a male grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process, and at the same time or with some time delay, he fertilizes the eggs, as they are released from the female's body. In amphibians, females may be grasped by the head, waist, or armpits, and the type of amplexus is characteristic of some taxonomic groups.