#anaxyrus fowleri

[banefolk]

Mab’s Drawlloween Day 12: Toad

My favourite toad is the Fowler’s toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), a little poisonous toad native to eastern North America. According to field guides and conservationists it’s not supposed to be in Ontario past Lake Erie, but I see it all the time in the Ottawa Valley. A lot of critters (and plants and fungi) are moving up here due to climate change and habitat encroachment.

I don’t just love toads because they’re poisonous, I love them because they are perfect. They haven’t needed to evolve in millions of years. They are “sit and wait” hunters, similar to spiders that are ambush predators. They just chill in the dirt and dead leaves and wait for food to come to them. Their whole life is “just bugs”. The creators of “work smarter, not harder”. They have a lot to teach us about patience, strategy, playing dumb, and doing well despite being lazy. Role model material, honestly.

[snaileyesnatureblog]

Anaxyrus fowleri (Fowler’s toad)

The Fowler’s toad, ranging from 5-9.5cm in length, can be found in the Eastern United States. It can range in color from gray, to cologne green, to brown, to a rusty red, with dark wart spots. As an adult, it will have a pale stripe along its back.

The Fowler’s toad typically loves in areas near wetlands in open woodlands, sand prairies, meadows, and beaches. During the winter months, and time of hot, dry weather, it will burrow underground.

The adults of this species will eat insects and other small land invertebrates, but will usually avoid earthworms. The tadpoles will eat algae and bacteria mates.

Predators to this species include snakes, birds, and some small mammals. In order to avoid predation, the Fowler’s toad has adapted both camouflage to stay hidden, and a noxious compound secreted by their warts. This compound will deter some predators and can kill some small mammals.

[herpsandbirds]

Fowler's toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), family Bufonidae, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA

Photograph by Adrian Bara-Popa

[markscherz]

What species are the characters in Frog And Toad Are Friends?

The book was illustrated by Arnold Lobel, who grew up in New York. Based on this, I guess toad is an Anaxyrus americanus or A. fowleri. Frog is pretty obviously Lithobates catesbeianus.

[alcnfr]

Probably NOT, a Fowler's Toad  (Anaxyrus fowleri)  out enjoying the warm afternoon today.

Someone, who likely knows more than me, said this is an American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)...

[ashleymint]

fowler's toad, Anaxyrus fowleri

[wrotten]

Fowler's toad

[markscherz]

Qwopflop500 is based in the northeastern USA, based on their Reddit activity. Assuming this was taken near home, it can only be Anaxyrus americanus, A. fowleri, or one of the very few A. terrestris that ranges into the northeast. Based on iNaturalist observation frequencies, A. americanus is by far the most likely.

[templeofthe-frog]

the SHEER amount of toads I’ve herped in this last week is crazy. and this isn’t even ALL OF THEM.

correct name if I’m wrong but I believe they’re all fowlers toads (anaxyrus fowleri)??

regardless. very cute and all soooooo jumpy. tiny babies for baby herp season <3

#toads #fowlerstoads #babyfrogseason #herping #ADORABLE

[minister-erik]

FOWLERS TOAD (anaxyrus fowleri) - Composition Saturday

© Erik McGregor - erikrivas@hotmail.com - 917-225-8963

[godmybackhurts]

Well! A lot of toads in the genus Anaxyrus, being the North American toads, often have native ranges with a lot of overlap. So, because of that, a lot of them will hybridize naturally, since their calls are quite similar and they're Kinda Stupid. The most common are, I believe, A. woodhousii & A. americanus, as well as A. terrestris & A. fowleri. (The only one of those I feel needs explanation for the common name is A. terrestris, the Southern toad)

HOWEVER

The Oak toad, A. quercicus, is simply Too Tiny to hybridize with anyone, despite the fact that they share a range with A. terrestris, A. fowleri, and A. americanus. The reason they are too tiny is because they grow to a maximum length of 1.3 inches, whereas the others generally grow to about 4 inches

Oak toads with quarter, left. Southern toad in my hand, right.

The cool thing about these hybridizations is the fact that the offspring are usually fertile, which introduces more genetic diversity and the like

Wanna hear about hybridization in the Anaxyrus (North American toads for those who don't know) genus?

Literally always

[herpsandbirds]

How much do you know about hybridization in the Anaxyrus genus? I've been getting Very Into It recently and wanted to know if there's anyone else who likes the topic

Anaxyrus Hybridization

I do know that they can hybridize, but I can't say that I know that much about the topic.

Here's what I found out, so far...

Great Plains Toad (Anaxyrus cognatus):  hybridize with American toad, Woodhouse's toad, red-spotted toad, Texas toad, Canadian toad, and Colorado River toad 

Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris):  hybridize with American toad and Fowler's toad 

Arizona Toad: hybridize with Woodhouse's toad 

Fowler's Toad:  hybridize with American toad and other species

Woodhouse's toad: hybridize with Arizona toad 

If you haven't read it, check out this paper:

Microsoft Word - Fontenot dissertation.figuresinappendix.doc

Anaxyrus - Wikipedia

Anaxyrus a. americanus X Anaxyrus fowleri - MAC MARZOLINI

American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus), family Bufonidae, Jacques-Cartier National Park, Quebec, Canada

photograph by Cephas 

Great Plains Toad (Anaxyrus cognatus), family Bufonidae, found in the central U.S. and northern and central Mexico

photograph by Brandon Bourassa

Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), family Bufonidae, NJ, USA

photograph by Aspen Mahan

Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris) in defensive position, family Bufonidae, northern FL, USA

photograph by Dick Bartlett

[ysmlr]

i should make a frogblog.

this my good girl, Hopper (i’m a preschool teacher and the kiddos mamed her)! She’s a fowler’s and i’ve had her for a bit over a month, she almost got squished by a 4 yr old on the playground.

[alcnfr]

A Toad came wandering out of the woodpile this morning, likely a Fowler's Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri).

[lovingexotics]

Fowler's Toad Anaxyrus fowleri Source: Here