Texas Toad

Anaxyrus speciosus

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The Texas toad or Anaxyrus speciosus are usually 2-3.5 inches in length. The skin coloration is gray with yellow-green or brown spots. The cranial crest of this species i…

How to identify

The Texas toad or Anaxyrus speciosus are usually 2-3.5 inches in length. The skin coloration is gray with yellow-green or brown spots. The cranial crest of this species is absent or weak and it lacks stripe down its back. The tubercles on the feet of the Texas toad are black and sharp-edged.

Range

This species is found in the Southern United States where it is native to Texas and Northern Mexico.

Habitat

The Texas toad is a desert species and is usually found in dry grassland, savannahs with scattered mesquite, sandy and inundated soils and open woodland. The Anaxyrus speciosus feeds on insects, ants, bugs and beetles. Breeding takes place after heavy rains during which male counterparts assemble at temporary ditches, poos and cattle ranks and call continuously, especially at night. The eggs are laid by females in water and hatch within two days. It takes between eighteen and sixty days for tadpoles to metamorphosize into juvenile toads.

Similar species

The arroyo toad or Anaxyrus californicus possesses horizontal pupils and has a dorsal coloration of greenish grey or salmon color. There is also a presence of light-colored stripe across its head and eyelids. The juveniles may or may not have black spotting. The Canadian toad or Anaxyrus hemiophrys is brown in color and has a median yellowish line on its back. There are two to three rows of brown spots on the side of this species. Another distinguishing feature of the Canadian toad are the two spots on its upper lip, one just below the tympanum and the other is a large spot that extends from the parotid gland to the front of the humerus. The Southern toad or Anaxyrus terrestis or Bufo terrestis has knobs on its head which is the distinguishing feature, spurs that pints backwards extending as far as the parotid glands. The dorsal surface of this species may be covered with warts.