Woodhouse's toad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woodhouse's toad
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Bufonidae
Genus:	Anaxyrus
Species:	A. woodhousii
Binomial name
Anaxyrus woodhousii (Girard, 1854)
United States range of A. woodhousii
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Synonyms
Bufo woodhousii Girard, 1854

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The Woodhouse's toad (scientific name: Anaxyrus woodhousii) is a fascinating amphibian. It's a medium-sized toad, usually about 4 inches or 10 centimetres long. These toads live naturally in the United States and Mexico. There are three different types, called subspecies, of the Woodhouse's toad. Sometimes, Woodhouse's toads can even have babies with another type of toad, the American toad (Anaxyrus americanus), where their homes overlap.

What's in a Name?

The Woodhouse's toad was first officially named in 1854. A French scientist who studied amphibians and reptiles, Charles Frédéric Girard, described it. He named it Bufo woodhousii to honor an American doctor and naturalist, Samuel Washington Woodhouse.

Later, in 2006, scientists decided to group North American toads differently. They moved many toads from the large group called Bufo into a new group, or genus, called Anaxyrus. That's why this toad's scientific name became A. woodhousii.

There are three recognized subspecies, which are like different varieties, of the Woodhouse's toad:

• Rocky Mountain toad – Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii (named by Girard, 1854)
• East Texas toad – Anaxyrus woodhousii velatus (named by Bragg and Sanders, 1951)
• Southwestern Woodhouse's toad – Anaxyrus woodhousii australis (named by Shannon & Lowe, 1955)

Interestingly, another toad, Fowler's toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), was once thought to be a subspecies of the Woodhouse's toad.

How to Spot a Woodhouse's Toad

The Woodhouse's toad is a sturdy amphibian. It can grow up to 127 mm (5 in) long from its snout to its vent (the opening at the end of its body). Its head has noticeable ridges, called cranial crests, located in front of and between its eyes. It also has long, large glands behind its eyes, known as parotoid glands. These glands can release a mild toxin to protect the toad from predators.

The toad's back is usually grayish-brown or yellowish-brown. It has many small dark spots. A thin, light-colored line often runs down its spine. Its belly is lighter in color and usually doesn't have spots.

Male Woodhouse's toads have a special pouch on their throat called a vocal sac. When they want to attract a mate, they inflate this sac and make a call. Their call sounds a bit like a sheep's bleat and lasts for about one to three seconds.

A Woodhouse's toad at the Wildlife World Zoo.

Where Do They Live?

Woodhouse's toads live across a large part of North America. You can find them from Mexico in the south all the way up to Washington in the north. They can live in places as high as 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level.

In the United States, these toads are found in many states. These include Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

They like to live near water. In western areas, they often live in wooded areas next to streams and rivers, called riparian corridors. In higher places, they make their homes in wet meadows, ponds, reservoirs, and lakes. You might even spot them in cities, near canals, ponds, or on farms with irrigation.

The East Texas toad, a type of Woodhouse's toad, photographed in the Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas, in 2019.

Daily Life and Reproduction

Woodhouse's toads are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night. They hunt for food like insects and other small creatures without backbones, called invertebrates. If you see outdoor lights at night, you might find these toads gathered underneath them. They are there to catch the insects attracted to the light!

Reproduction happens at different times of the year, depending on where the toads live. Male toads will call out from or near standing water to attract females. The female then lays her eggs in long, jelly-like strings in calm water. This can be in ditches, ponds, pools, or lakes.

The eggs hatch into tadpoles. These tadpoles usually take about five to eight weeks to grow and change. This process of changing from a tadpole to a small toad is called metamorphosis.

Protecting Woodhouse's Toads

The Woodhouse's toad lives in a very large area and has a big population. It can adapt to many different types of homes and even tolerate some changes to its environment. Because of this, its population seems stable.

Scientists have not found any major threats to this toad. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as a species of "least concern." This means they are not currently worried about it becoming endangered.

In some parts of central Arizona, Woodhouse's toads sometimes mix with or take over areas where the Arizona toad (Anaxyrus microscaphus) lives.

See also

In Spanish: Sapo de Woodhouse para niños