Category: Toad Tuesday

Common Name: Mount Nimba Viviparous Toad
Scientific Name: Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad family
Locations: Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia
Size:1.1 inches (28.7 mm)

The Mount Nimba Viviparous Toad spends mosts of their time during the dry season (November to March) underground and dormant. The frogs come to the surface once the rains begin. For mating, the males call anytime during the wet season but prefer September. As the name suggests, they are one of the only viviparous species of toads in the world. Viviparaous means that the female toad gives birth to live toadlets instead of laying eggs like most frogs and toads. The female gives birth to between 4-35 toadlets.

There are two subspecies of the Mount Nimba Viviparous Toad – Western Nimba Toad (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis occidentalis) and the Liberia Nimba Toad (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis liberiensis). There are some key differences between the two. For example, the Western Nimba Toad is significantly smaller than the Liberia Nimba Toad. Also, the Liberia Nimba Toad is found in Liberia while the Western Nimba Toad is found in Guinea and the Cote d’Ivoire.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Mount Nimba Viviparous Toad as critically endangered due to mining operations in their range. Sadly, the spot where the toad was first found has become an open mining pit.

Common Name: Amargosa Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus nelsoni
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad family
Locations: United States – Nevada
Size: 3.5 – 5 inches (90 – 127 mm)

The Amargosa Toad is found in the Oasis Valley along the Amargosa River, hence the name. Its species epithet –  nelsoni is in honor of Edward William Nelson (May 8, 1855 – May 19, 1934), an American naturalist. The toad has an extremely small range, so it is considered to be endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list but is not on the United States Endangered Species list. Locals are working to help restore the populations of the toads to avoid it being listed as an endangered species. The cause of the declines of the toads are due to habitat loss and the introduction of invasive species such as the American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeianus) and crayfish.

Interesting fact about the Amargosa Toad is that the males do not call to attract females for breeding. Breeding season for the toads goes from February to April.

Common Name: Arroya Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus californicus
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad Family
Locations: Mexico and the United States
US Location: California
Size: 3 inches (7.6 cm)

The Arroya Toad is only found in southern California and Baja California in Mexico. It is listed as a federally endangered species by the United States federal government. It has been estimated that the toad has lost 75% of its original range due to humans. Much of their habitat has been ruined due to damming of creeks and off roading activities. Invasive species introduced into to the toad’s environment such as American Bull Frog and trouts have feasted on them. These threats must be handled to save the species.

The Arroya Toad has a typical breeding behavior for a toad. Breeding takes place from March to the end of July. The male toads release high calls to attract the females from shallow water bodies. Eventually, the toads meet up and the male will grasp the female in amplexus. The female releases over 4000 eggs and the male will fertilize them. It takes over two months for the tadpoles to develop into toads. Neither parent provides any care for their offspring.

Common Name: Southern Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus terrestris
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad Family
Locations: United States – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia
Female Size: 1.7 – 3.6 inches (44 – 92 mm)
Male Size: 1.6 – 3.2 inches (42 – 82 mm)

The Southern Toad is your typical toad. It is nocturnal and hides in burrows or under rocks or logs during the day. The toad varies in color from reddish brown to dark brown and to gray. They can appear similar to the Cane Toad (Rhinella marina), an invasive species. The Southern Toad has two larger ridges behind their eyes that the Cane Toad lacks.

In the spring / late winter, the toads migrate to a variety of different water bodies, including lakes, ponds, ditches and canals, to breed. The toads breed in temporary and permanent water sources. The males will call from shallow waters close to shore to attract their mates. Once the female arrives, the males will embrace the female in amplexus. The female will lay her eggs and the males fertilize them. Around 2500 – 4000 eggs are laid. Neither of the parents will provide any care from the eggs. The eggs hatch in two to four days and complete metamorphism in one or two months.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes the toad as Least Concern for Extinction. The toads have a wide range, presumed large population, and are tolerable to habitat changes. There are no major threats currently for them.

Common Name: Green Climbing Toad, Evergreen Toad
Scientific Name: Incilius coniferus
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad Family
Locations: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Panama
Male Size: 2 – 2.8 inches (53-72 mm)
Female Size: 3 – 3.7 inches (76-94 mm)

The Evergreen Toad is different than most toads in that it climbs trees and vines, making it semi arboreal. Its been reporter that they can climb at least three feet high. They don’t breed in the trees, like in some species of tree frogs, but in shallow pools and ponds like most toad species. This happens during the dry season from December to April. The males will call from the shallows of these water bodies to attract the females. Once the females arrive, the males will grasp the females from behind in the amplexus position. After the eggs are laid, it takes them about five days to hatch into tadpoles. The tadpoles take 33 days to undergo metamorphism.

While the Evergreen Toad is only listed as Least Concern, that could change. They are naturally found in wet lowland and moist forests areas along the Pacific Coast of Central and South America. These areas are in danger of being destroyed for logging and urban development. Luckily, some of these areas are protected by their governments.

Common Name: Black Toad, Inyo Toad, and Deep Springs Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus exsul
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad family
Locations: United States – California
Size: 1.75 – 3 inches (44.45 – 76.2 mm)

The Black Toad lives in the Deep Springs Valley in Inyo County in California, which explains some of its other names. They are found near springs, marshes, ponds, and bogs as they are more aquatic than most toad species.

Breeding takes place in these water bodies from March into May. The male toads do not make a mating call to attract females due to not having vocal sacs. Mating takes place in shallow water. Once the female approaches, the males grasp the females from behind in the amplexus position. Next, the female starts to lay her eggs and the males fertilize them. The number of eggs the female lays is unknown. The eggs hatch in under 5 days. The larval phase of the toad doesn’t last long, between 3 and 5 weeks long.

The Black Toad is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List due to their small range. Their whole range is on the property of the Deep Springs Valley College. The college grazes their livestock in the area during the winter, when the toads are hibernating, to not disturb the toads. They also take care of the vegetation in the area and protect the streams.

Common Name: Eastern Spadefoot Toad, Syrian Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Pelobates syriacus
Family: Pelobatidae – European Spadefoot Toad
Locations: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Syria, and Turkey
Size: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)

The Eastern Spadefoot Toad lives in Eastern Europe and in Western Asia. Like all spadefoot toads, they have an inner metatarsal tubercle aka the spade on their rear feet. The Eastern Spadefoot Toad’s spade is yellow in color. They use these spades to burrow deep into the ground but they can also use rodent burrows. They come out of these burrows to hunt at night, eating insects, spiders, mollusks, and arthropods.

They breed from February to May depending on latitude. The males will start calling from temporary water bodies such as river or lakeside temporary water bodies or large permanent pools. Once the female arrives, the male will grasp her from behind in amplexus. Then, the female will lay between 5500-6500 egg while the male frog fertilizes them. Neither parent will provide any parental care for their offspring. Depending on locations, the tadpoles will either complete their metamorphosis by the fall or overwinter and complete it next spring.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assess the Eastern Spadefoot Toad as Least Concern for Extinction. The toad has a wide range and a presumed large population. Though populations are doing ok, habitat destruction due to draining wet lands to make room for villages.