Here is information on some different types of toads. Make observations.
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Bufo |
Eastern American toad
The eastern American toad is a medium-sized toad usually ranging in size from 5–9 cm (2.0–3.5 in); record 11.1 centimetres (4.4 in). The color and pattern is somewhat variable, especially for the females. Skin color can change depending on habitat colors, humidity, stress, and temperature. Color changes range from yellow to brown to black, from solid colors to speckled.
The call or voice of a breeding male is a high trill, lasting 6–30 seconds, similar to a ringing telephone.
The toad can secrete a poisonous substance to make taste bad to potential predators. Bufotoxin is a mild poison in comparison to that of other poisonous toads and frogs, but it can irritate human skin and is dangerous to smaller animals (such as dogs) when ingested.
American toads require a semi-permanent freshwater pond or pool with shallow water in which to breed, they also require dense patches of vegetation, for cover and hunting grounds. Given these two things and a supply of insects for food, American toads can live almost everywhere, ranging from forests to flat grassland.
Their diet includes crickets, mealworms, earthworms, ants, spiders, slugs, centipedes, moths, and other small invertebrates.
Some of these toads have been known to live over 30 years and currently a female specimen (over 13 centimeters long) is living healthily into her late 30s. When cold weather comes, these toads dig backwards and bury themselves in the dirt to hibernate.
Dwarf American toad
The dwarf American toad (B. a. charlesmithi), is a smaller version of the American toad which reaches lengths of about 6 cm (2 1⁄4 in) and is generally a dark reddish color ranging to light red in some specimens in isolated populations.
Some specimens have a white dorsal line in the middle of their backs. It eats mainly spiders, worms and small insects.
Sources:
https://kids.kiddle.co/Western_toad