2. CONTENTS
Introduction
Diversity and Distribution
Characteristics of toads
Classification
Sub orders
Suborder Archaeobatrachia
Suborder Mesobatrachia
Suborder Neobatrachia
3. INTRODUCTION
Toads are rough skinned and does not have tail
present in them.
They belong to order anura.
Toads and frogs both include in order anura. Toads
differ from frogs in having rough dry and warty skin
with parotid glands.
There are also some differences on the basis of leg
length, movement vibration, skin appearance, and
skin moisture.
4.
5. DIVERSITY
Order anura have 30 families and 300
genera. There are 4000 species of
toads and frogs.
True toads belong to the family
bufonidae.
Toads come in variety of colours.
6. Diversity in Pakistan
Diversity of toads in district Abbottabad are
1. Himalayan toad (Bufo himalayabus)
2. Green toad (Bufotes pseudoraddei)
3. Marbeled toad (Duttaphrynus stomaticus)
4. Makran toad (Duttaphrynus olivaceous)
According to survey in province Singh during
2010 through 2013 reported 7 species of
amphibians representing 2 toads
species(Stomaticus and D.melanosticus)
7.
8. DISTRIBUTION
Toads are nearly cosmopolitan in
distribution found both in tropical
and temperate region except
Antarctica. They are generally
found in forests, grasslands and in
humid areas such as beneath piles
of leaves , branches, rocks. They
mostly live in moist habitat. A few
species of toads are also terrestrial.
Several species are listed
endangered.
9. CHARACTERISTICS
APPARENCE:
Toads are tailless amphibians.
They have dry skin, short legs and parotid
glands(used for defense purpose).
TOXINS:
Parotid glands produce poisonous secretion
i.e. Bufotoxin can cause death in small
animals and allergic reaction in humans.
10. CONTINUE
FEEDING:
Most toads eat insects and
other arthropods. Some
species eat reptiles small
mammals and even other
amphibians.
FLIP AND GRAB FEEDING:
Tongue attach to anterior
margin autotoxin jaw and
flips out to capture prey.
11. CONTINUE:
MOVEMENT:
Due to short legs they do not hop like frogs but walk
on the land.
Gaseous exchange
They use lungs and gills for gaseous exchange.
VOCALIZATION:
Use larynx and vocal cords for vocalization to
attract female on breeding place.
REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT:
External fertilization and larvae convert into adults
by metamorphosis.
12. CLASSIFICATION
KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Anura
FAMILY: Bufonidae
GENUS: Bufo
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bufo bufo
COMMON NAME: Common toad
13. SUBORDER
ARCHAEOBATRACHIA
5 Families 6 genera and 27 species.
Family Bombinatoridae:
2 genera and 10 species
Oriental Fire bellied toads(Bombina orientalis)
Brightly coloured red yellow and black pattern on toad.
Found in europe and areas of asia with moderate
climate.
Larvae are herbivores and adults are carnivores.
Female lay 80 – 300 eggs.
They cannot flip their tongue like other anurans.
14. Representative species
Bombina bombina
Bombina orientalis
Bombina variegata
Barbourula busuangensis
15. SUBORDER
MESOBATRACHIA
6 Families 21 genera 168 species.
Family Pelobatidae
1 genera 6 species
Example European spade foot toad
Get their name because of presence of spade on hind
limb which help in effective burrowing.
Found in Europe Northwestern Africa and western
asia.
10cm in length.
Feed on invertebrates such as ants
17. CONTINUE
Family Rhinophrynidae
1 genera 1 specie
Mexian burrowing toad(Rhinoprhynus
dorsalis)
Found in tropical and subtropical
region.
Head is small and triangular.
Legs are short.
Spade like appendages reinforced
with keratin.
Dark brown to almost black in colour.
Female toads are larger than males.
18. CONTINUE
Family Scaphiopodidae
2 genera 7 species
American spadefoot toad
It is a native of north America
They are round with short legs
and protruding eyes.
Dully coloured.
Burrowers.
Representative species
1. Scaphio couchii
2. S. holbrooki
3. S.hurterii
19. Suborder Neobatrachia
21 families 352 generas 5000 species
Family Brachycephalidae
1 genera and 35 species
Saddleback toads
Tiny toads 1cm
Found in Argentina Brazil
Eggs laid on land, cover it in soil to
protect from heat and predators.
Representative species
Brachycephalous auroguttatus
B. coloratus
B. mariaeterezae
20. Family Bufonidae
It has 25 generas and 300 species.
True toads belong to this family.
Common toad
They are widespread and common in mainland Britain.
It belongs to genus bufo. Bufo is large genus of 150
species of true toad.
It is terrestrial , hiding under logs and stones or
burrows in day. It enters water only to breed and
spawn.
21. CHARACTERISTICS
Found everywhere except Polynesia, Australia, Antarctica.
Dark brown, grey and olive green to sandy coloured appearance.
Forelimbs and hind limbs are short. It walks rather than hop.
They have length up to 13cm. Females are larger than males.
Eggs are pigmented.
Common toads live between 10 to 12 year.
Common toads are equipped with natural toxin bufotoxin and
bufogin which they secrete when threatened.
These toxins cause nausea respiratory and muscular disturbance
and also effect heart functioning, if swallowed by man.
23. CANE TOAD
Scientific name: Rhinella marina
Terrestrial toad
Female can lay thousands of
eggs.
High reproduction rate
Largest toad
Their toxic skin can kill many
animals.
24. Summary
Toads belong to order anura. They are
nearly cosmopolitan in distribution.
They are tailless amphibians. They
differ from frogs in having rough skin.
Order anura has 3 suborders. Family
bufonidae contain true toads.
