Western Toad
Anaxyrus boreas
Amphibia
COMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- 9-11 yrs
- Size
- Medium
- Diet
- Insectivore
- Activity
- Crepuscular
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Freshwater wetland
- Range
- North America
- Movement
- Walking
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Toxins
- Status
- Common
About
The Western Toad is a large, warty toad native to western North America, recognizable by the pale stripe running down its back. Unlike most toads, it lacks a vocal sac, so males produce a soft, high-pitched chirp that sounds more like a peeping chick than a typical toad call.
Life cycle
- 1.eggA jelly-coated egg is laid in water and develops over days into an aquatic larva.
- 2.tadpoleA gilled tadpole swims and grazes on algae, slowly absorbing its tail and growing limbs.
- 3.juvenileA near-adult amphibian leaves the water with new legs and lungs, smaller than the mature form.
- 4.adultFully grown at adult size, breathing air.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Amphibia
- Order
- Anura
- Family
- Bufonidae
- Genus
- Anaxyrus
- Species
- Anaxyrus boreas