Sonoran green toad facts for kids
The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis) is a type of toad that belongs to the Bufonidae family. You can find this toad in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Quick facts for kids Sonoran green toad |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Bufo debilis retiformis Sanders & Smith, 1951 |
Contents
Where the Sonoran Green Toad Lives
The Sonoran green toad is special because it lives only in certain areas. This is called being endemic. You can find it in Pima and Pinal counties in Arizona, USA. It also lives in northern Mexico, especially in the west-central part of Sonora State.
These toads live in places that are dry or semi-dry. They like flat areas with grass, creosote bushes, mesquite trees, and tall saguaro cacti. They can be found at heights from about 150 meters (490 feet) to 900 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level.
Sonoran Green Toad Behavior and Life Cycle
The Sonoran green toad is a nocturnal animal. This means it is active mostly at night. We don't know much about what it does when it's not breeding. Scientists think it might be fossorial, which means it lives underground for most of the year. It probably comes out only when it rains a lot. It's also not clear if it aestivates, which is like a long sleep during dry, hot periods.
Breeding and Tadpoles
Sonoran green toads usually breed in July and August. The male toads appear at breeding spots one or two days after heavy rain. They choose places like ditches, temporary pools of water, creek beds, and cattle tanks. The males call from low plants close to the water. Their call sounds like "the buzzer on an electric alarm clock."
When a female toad hears the call and arrives, she and the male move into the water. They mate, and the female lays a batch of eggs. The temporary pools where they breed can dry up quickly. Because of this, the eggs usually hatch within three days. The tadpoles then grow and change into small toads in about two to three weeks. This change is called metamorphosis.
Conservation Status
The Sonoran green toad is inactive for about ten months of the year. This makes it hard for scientists to study them. However, experts believe the toad's population is stable. They have found the toad in most of the places it used to live. They have also discovered it in several new locations.
Sometimes, female toads are collected for the pet trade or for research. But other than that, they don't face many big threats. In fact, more irrigation (watering of land) might even create new habitats for them. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has looked at its situation. They have decided that its conservation status is of "least concern". This means they are not worried about it becoming endangered right now.
See also
In Spanish: Sapo verde de Sonora para niños
