Anaxyrus debilis

The North American green toad, Anaxyrus debilis, also known by its old name Bufo debilis, is a species of toad found in the southwestern United States in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and Texas, as well as in northern Mexico in the states of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Durango, and Zacatecas. It is commonly called green toad (with many variants).[2]

Green toad
Western green toad, Anaxyrus debilis insidior

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Anaxyrus
Species:
A. debilis
Binomial name
Anaxyrus debilis
(Girard, 1854)
Synonyms

Bufo debilis Girard, 1854
Bufo insidior Girard, 1854

Description

Green toads are typically bright to pale green in color, with black spotting.[3] They are not large toads; adult males are about 37–46 mm (1.5–1.8 in) in snout–vent length and females 44–54 mm (1.7–2.1 in).[4]

Habitat and reproduction

Green toads are relatively widespread and at least locally common.[1] They are secretive, however, only readily found during and immediately after periods of rainfall; their habitat is semi-arid and often very dry. Breeding occurs from late March to August, stimulated by summer rains. Males move from drier, terrestrial habitat to aquatic breeding sites where they form choruses. Females are attracted by chorusing males. Breeding aggregations do not usually last long, only a few days.[4]

Subspecies

Two subspecies, originally described as separate species, can be identified,[2][3][4] but this distinction is disputed:[2]

  • Eastern green toad, Anaxyrus debilis debilis
  • Western green toad, Anaxyrus debilis insidior
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See also
  • European green toad (Bufo viridis), a species that is only distantly related, but shares the same common name.

References
  1. "Anaxyrus debilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004. 2004. Retrieved 24 May 2014.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Anaxyrus debilis (Girard, 1854)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  3. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (2013). "Green Toad, Bufo debilis". Checklist of Amphibian Species and Identification Guide. U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  4. "Anaxyrus debilis". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
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