Toad eggs

Toad tadpoles

American Toad

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Amphibia

Order: Anura

Family: Bufonidae

Genus: Anaxyrus

Species: Anaxyrus americanus

American Toads can vary in colouring, but can be recognized by their warty skin, coloured spots, skin glands, and the light line that often runs down the middle of their backs. Thanks to their thicker skin, American Toads are able to inhabit a variety of terrestrial habitats. The American Toad’s thick skin prevents them from drying out when on land. An American Toad’s call can be described as a long musical trill that lasts 6-30 seconds.

While it may not look like it now, in 50-65 days, these tadpoles will grow up into adult American Toads! American Toad tadpoles are small, ranging in size from 18 to 27mm. Their bodies appear black with a clear fin tail. Both adult and tadpole American Toads have poison glands on their skin to deter predators.

American Toads lay eggs that are black and surrounded by a clear jelly. Eggs are laid as double-layered strings around vegetation at the bottom of ponds, marshes, and ditches with shallow water. Two to fourteen days after being laid, the eggs will hatch into tadpoles.