Frog at home. Features of the external structure and movement of a frog in connection with its habitat - Knowledge Hypermarket It is difficult for a frog to live in its usual habitat

There are more than 4,800 different species of frogs that can be found throughout the world. Various environment The habitat in which these frogs live gave rise to the strange-looking species we can find today. This list features ten of the most interesting and unusual frogs, which are known to science today.

10. Brazilian Horned Frog

This amazing frog lives in tropical forests Amazons in South America. The Brazilian slingshot, Ceratophrys aurita, has a distinctive appearance compared to other amphibians. Evolution has done a good job of camouflaging this creature, making it look like a leaf so that the frog can blend in with its surroundings.

A frog can grow up to large sizes, and reach twenty centimeters in length. She buries herself in the leaves so that only her head is visible, and when one of her menu passes by, she quickly grabs it and eats it. This is a very aggressive animal and locals often wear high leather boots to protect their feet from the powerful bites. Despite their aggressive nature, some people keep these frogs as pets.

9. Helen's Flying Frog


This newly discovered frog was first recorded in January of this year, so there is little information available about it. However, this frog is known to be able to fly using its huge webbed feet. A frog glides through the forest canopy of South Vietnam, hiding from predators. Females have patches of skin on their paws that look like wings of sorts, which help them fly. Their large feet help them attach to tree branches after their flight is over. Helen's flying frog - Rhacophorus helenae is quite large in size, sometimes reaching ten centimeters in length.

It was discovered by an Australian scientist in Vietnam, near Saigon. The scientist named the frog after his mother. Biologists were puzzled that such big frog, living so close to Saigon, went unnoticed for so long.

8. Atelope changeable (Harlequin Toad)


Atelopus varius is endemic to Costa Rica and over the past few years, due to the spread of the fungus and climate change, the population of this species of frog has declined rapidly. At the moment, there is only one isolated population left. This species is now dangerously close to extinction.

7. Goliath Frog

Goliath frog - Conraua goliath - is the largest frog in the world. It can grow up to thirty-three centimeters in length, and its weight can reach three kilograms. The Goliath frog is twice the size of the giant African Bullfrog.

The creature is endemic West Africa. It feeds on crabs, small snakes and even other frogs. The Goliath frog does not make any sounds due to the absence of vocal glands. She has huge, powerful paws that allow her to jump long distances, up to three meters. Unfortunately, like many other frog species, the goliath frog is vulnerable to human activity, such as hunting, deforestation and animal trade. These factors have already made this frog species an endangered species.

6. Ovoviviparous Toad (Morogoro Tree Toad)


Endemic to the rainforests and grasslands of Tanzania, the ovoviviparous toad, Nectophrynoides Viviparus, has large glands on its body located near the eyes and limbs. These glands can come in a variety of colors, including orange, grey, green, red and white. The color of the gland usually contrasts with the rest of the frog's skin.

The eggs hatch while still inside the female, and are born into small but fully formed toads. This type of pregnancy is quite rare for amphibians.

5. Venezuela Pebble Toad

The pebble toad usually lives in mountainous areas with a large number steep slopes. In case of danger, such as a tarantula, (one of the main predators that prey on this species of toad), it hides its head and limbs under its body, and then tenses its muscles. Thus, it forms a ball, and then rolls down the nearest hill into a puddle or crevice at its foot.

The pebble toad does not suffer any damage from rolling and bouncing because it is very light and its muscles are very strong. The frog uses this defense mechanism because rolling is much faster for it than jumping, and it cannot jump long distances.

4. Vietnamese Mossy Frog

The lichen copepod, Theloderma corticale, lives in the tropical forests and swamps of northern Vietnam. The frog got its name because of its distinctive camouflage pattern, which resembles moss and lichen. When predators approach, the frog hides its paws underneath itself so that only the mossy areas of its body are visible. This frog has large pads on its feet that help it stay on trees, and its diet consists exclusively of insects. Frogs lay their eggs on the walls of caves, and the tadpoles fall into the water below, where they spend the rest of their lives. The lichen copepod is a popular pet in Asia.

3. Turtle Frog


Turtle frog - Myobatrachus gouldii, found in semi-arid areas Western Australia. She has a very unusual appearance - she looks like a turtle without a shell, with a round pink-brown body, a small head and short limbs. Their limbs are short and muscular, which allows them to dig into the sand and break open termite mounds, which are the frog's main food source.

The turtle frog does not go through the tadpole stage, but instead grows into a fully formed little frog while still inside the egg. Therefore, turtle frog eggs are the largest among the eggs of all frogs in Australia, their size reaches 5 - 7 millimeters in length.

2. Glass Frog

Unusual looking glass frog- Centrolenidae, endemic to the Amazon River basin.

The main part of the body of these frogs is green, but the lower part of their body has transparent skin. This allows you to clearly see their liver, heart and intestines. In pregnant females, even frog eggs located inside are visible. The frog's transparent skin is believed to serve as protection and allow light reflected from the leaves to shine through. This makes it much less noticeable to predators. They live in trees in humid mountain areas and lay eggs on leaves. The tadpoles then fall down into the water and continue to grow to adulthood.

1. Surinamese pipa (Surinam Toad)


First place on this list is Surinamese pipa- Pipa pipa. Like many other frogs, it lives in the Amazon rainforest. This is a large frog that can grow up to twenty centimeters in length. Compared to other species, this frog has a very flat body and tiny eyes. These frogs are typically dirty brown in color and have no tongue or teeth. When searching for a mate, the Surinamese pipa does not croak like regular frogs; instead, it makes high-pitched clicking sounds by striking two bones located in its throat.

Even stranger is the pipa's spawning and reproductive mode. The male attaches to the female in the pond, forming amplexus, a unique form of pseudocopulation. The couple then jumps out of the water several times. After each jump, the female releases several eggs, which are implanted on her back through the skin. These eggs then burrow deeper into the body and within these pockets develop into fully formed peeps. Then, during childbirth, they burst out of the female's skin.

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Purple Frog


The purple frog - Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis, is a unique species of frog and the only member of the family Nasikabatrachidae that is found in the mountains of southern India. The frog has smooth, purple skin and a large, round body with squat limbs. This frog has a small head and a nose like a pig's snout. The purple frog spends most of its life underground and only emerges from its tunnel for two weeks each year. This species has evolved independently over 130 million years, and its closest living relatives are the Seychelles frogs (Sooglossidae frogs), found in the Seychelles.

Frogs (Rana) is a common and widespread name that unites a whole group of animals that belong to the order Tailless amphibians. In a broad sense, this term is applicable to any representatives belonging to the order Tailless, and in a narrow sense, the name applies only to the family of True frogs.

Description of frogs

Absolutely any representatives of frogs are distinguished by the absence of a pronounced neck, and the head of such amphibious animals seems to merge with a short and fairly wide body. Complete absence The tail of frogs is reflected directly in the name of the order, which unites all amphibians. It should be noted that frogs have simply unique vision, so they do not close their eyes during sleep, and are also able to simultaneously look forward, up and to the side.

Appearance

The frog has a large and flat head, on the side of which there are bulging eyes. Along with other land vertebrates, frogs have upper and lower eyelids. Under the lower eyelid of the amphibian, a nictitating membrane is found, which is called the “third eyelid”. Behind the eyes of an amphibian there is a special area covered with thin skin called the eardrum. Two nostrils with special valves are located above a huge mouth with small teeth.

The frog's front legs are characterized by the presence of four rather short toes. The hind legs of the animal are strong and well developed, equipped with five fingers, the space between which is covered with a specially leathery membrane. There are no claws on the animal's fingers. The only excretory part is located in the posterior region of the frog's body and is represented by the so-called cloacal opening. The frog's body is covered with bare skin, quite thickly lubricated with special mucus, which is abundantly secreted by the animal's numerous special subcutaneous glands.

This is interesting! The size of frogs depends on the species, so European frogs most often do not exceed one decimeter, and African goliath frogs are a kind of record holder in terms of size, therefore, with a half-meter size, they weigh several kilograms.

The size of an adult frog varies noticeably depending on the species, but most often varies between 0.8-32 cm. The color of the skin is also very diverse and can be brownish, yellow, green or unusual variegated coloring. Many members of the family prefer to camouflage themselves with herbaceous vegetation, foliage or branches, and therefore have characteristic green, gray and grayish-green skin.

War coloring, as a rule, indicates that the frog is poisonous, which is explained by the presence of special glands on the skin that produce substances that are toxic and harmful to human or animal health. Some frogs easily mimic, imitating dangerous amphibians to escape from enemies.

Character and lifestyle

Frogs are able to move perfectly on land, as well as make huge jumps, climb the crowns of tall trees and dig underground holes. Some species are characterized by the ability not only to swim perfectly, but also to run, walk, quickly climb trees, and even easily glide from a height.

K very interesting features frogs include the absorption of oxygen through the skin. This process is quite successfully carried out on land or in water, due to which the animal belongs to the category of amphibians. However, European grass frogs, which are very widely known in our country, approach water bodies only during the period of active reproduction.

This is interesting! Activity indicators different types and subspecies are very different, so some of these amphibians prefer to hunt exclusively at night, but there are bright representatives who remain tireless twenty-four hours a day.

An interesting fact is that frogs need lungs in order to make rather loud and peculiar sounds called croaking. Sound bubbles and resonators help the amphibian produce the widest range of sounds, which is most often used to attract the opposite sex during the breeding season.

Periodically, adult frogs shed their skin, which is not an organ necessary for the life of an amphibian animal, and then eat it in anticipation of the growth of new skin. According to their lifestyle, all true frogs are sedentary loners, prone to short-term migration over short distances only during the breeding season. Species that live in temperate zones hibernate with the onset of winter.

How long do frogs live?

Unique animals, which are very prominent representatives of the order Tailless amphibians, have different durations life. Its determination in natural conditions is carried out by the method of skeletochronology, which allows one to correctly assess the individual growth rate and the onset of puberty.

This is interesting! According to scientists, a significant part of frog species live in nature for no more than ten years, but numerous observations have shown that certain species and subspecies have life cycle, amounting to thirty years.

Sexual dimorphism

Permanent and seasonal sexual dimorphism is a characteristic characteristic of many amphibians, including some species of frogs. Some poison dart frogs are characterized by enlargement of the finger pads of males, which is used by the amphibians when tapping on the ground and helps to actively attract females. Males of some species are distinguished by greatly enlarged eardrums. Seasonal dimorphism is caused by the presence of so-called gonadotropic hormones in the animal’s body.

This is interesting! There are types with visual inspection which it is impossible to determine their gender in accordance with only one characteristic, therefore it is necessary to compare several morphological characteristics at once.

One of the most striking and pronounced sexual characteristics that are characteristic of male frogs is the formation of nuptial pads as a response to changes in the hormonal background of the testes.

In the frog, such pads are formed on the lower part of the forelimbs, on the fingers and near the mouth, due to which all mature males remain in a mated state with the female even when there is strong movement of water or attack by other animals.

Types of frogs

Today there are more than 550 species of amphibians called frogs. The True frogs family is represented by several subfamilies: African forest frogs, disk-toed and toad frogs, dwarf and true frogs, as well as shield-toed frogs.

Many species are incredibly popular among indoor amphibian connoisseurs and are kept as exotic pets. The most interesting species are presented:

• Dominican tree frog;
• Australian tree frog;
• some poison dart frogs or;
• smooth clawed frog or aibolit frog;
• red-eyed tree frog;
• lake frog;
• sharp-faced frog;
• spadefoot.

To the very unusual species frogs currently include the transparent or glass frog, poison frog cocoa, hairy and flying frogs, bullfrogs, as well as clown frogs and sharp-nosed tree frogs.

This is interesting! Species may have significant differences in structure. For example, copepods have a flattened, as if crushed, body, while piglet frogs, on the contrary, have a swollen body.

Range, habitats

Vertebrates have become widespread in almost all countries and continents, and are also found even in arctic snow conditions. But frogs give preference to tropical forest areas, where there is simply a huge variety of species and subspecies of such amphibians. Frogs primarily inhabit fresh water bodies.

True frogs are representatives of the family Anura amphibians, which have become almost universally distributed, with the exception of South America, southern Australia and New Zealand. Our country is inhabited mainly by the grass frog (Rana temporaria) and the pond frog (Rana esculenta).

It should be remembered that the distribution of some subspecies and species of frogs may well be limited by natural causes, including rivers, mountain ranges and deserts, as well as man-made factors represented by highways and canals.

In tropical conditions, the diversity of amphibian species is much greater than in zones characterized by cold or temperate climates. Certain species and subspecies of frogs are able to live even in salt waters or beyond the Arctic Circle.

Diet of frogs

Insectivorous frogs belong to the category of predatory animals. Such amphibians with great pleasure eat a large number of mosquitoes, as well as all kinds of butterflies and small invertebrate animals. Particularly large adult insectivorous individuals do not disdain prey that is even more impressive in size, which can be represented by some species of animal frogs and relatively small relatives of their own.

This is interesting! Frogs of many species bring great benefits to people. They actively destroy and eat many worms, bugs and insects that are harmful and dangerous to humans and plants.

Hunting for their victims is carried out by frogs using a sticky and fairly long tongue, which deftly catches midges, dragonflies, moths and other winged creatures directly in flight. Among the currently existing species and subspecies of frogs, omnivorous amphibians are also known, which happily use fruits or berries for food.

The toad, or true toad, is usually classified as a member of the class Amphibians, the order Tailless, and the family Toads. It is worth noting that many people confuse the toad family with the frog family. There are even languages ​​that use one name to identify these amphibians.

Description of the earthen toad. How is it different from a frog?

The earth toad has a slightly flattened body. The amphibian's head is large with strongly pronounced parotid glands. The upper jaw is completely missing teeth. The eyes are quite large, the pupils are located horizontally. There are fingers on the front and hind limbs, which are connected to each other by swimming membranes.

Many people wonder why the frog jumps and the toad walks? Main reason is that The land toad has rather short hind legs, therefore the amphibian is very slow, not as jumpy as a frog, and swims poorly. However, individuals have another unique ability– they can catch insects flying by with a lightning-fast movement of their tongue. Frogs have smoother skin than toads and need constant hydration. This is why frogs spend most of their time in ponds. Toads have drier and keratinized skin; it does not need moisturizing. It also has warts.

The earthen toad also has poisonous glands that are located on its back. These glands secrete mucus, which, when it comes into contact with the skin, provokes an unpleasant burning sensation, but is not capable of causing much harm to a person. The amphibian can easily hide from enemies, as it has gray, brown, black and spotted colors. If an individual is bright in color, this may indicate its toxicity.

As for the size of the amphibian, then length ranges from 2.5 cm to 53 cm. The weight of large species can reach more than a kilogram. Average duration The lifespan of an amphibian toad is about 30 years. There are also some species that can live up to 40 years.

Main types of amphibian toads

Currently, science knows about 579 species of amphibian toads, which are divided into 40 genera, a third of which can be found on European territory. Only 6 species from the genus Bufo live in the CIS countries:

• ordinary;
• green;
• Far Eastern;
• Caucasian;
• reedy or smelly;
• Mongolian

It is worth reading the descriptions of the above types in more detail.

Where do toads live?

Because there are so many different species of ground toads, their range is very wide. The list of places where these amphibians are distributed does not only include Antarctica. Even in Australia it was recently artificially bred population of poisonous toad aga.

Ground toads live in a variety of geographical areas:

• on swampy shores;
• on floodplain meadows;
• in the steppes;
• in arid deserts.

It is also worth noting that toads are terrestrial inhabitants, and they enter reservoirs only to spawn. Amphibians lead a solitary lifestyle, and gather in groups only during the mating season.

What do toads eat?

If we talk about the method of feeding, then ground toads are typical predators. They feed mainly on small invertebrates:

• butterflies;
• snails;
• worms;
• insects;
• insect larvae;
• fish fry.

The diet of larger species may include:

• small rodents;
• lizards;
• frogs.

Amphibians are more active at night and twilight. Amphibians jump out from ambush at their prey.

Reproduction

The mating season in temperate climates usually begins in the spring. In tropical regions, this period falls during the rainy season. During the mating season, females and males gather near water bodies. The male attracts females with the help of a special resonator, which is located behind the ears or on the throat, emitting peculiar sounds. When the female approaches the male, he climbs onto her back and fertilizes the eggs she lays. The clutch consists of two gelatinous cords and contains up to 7 thousand eggs. After the females finish spawning, they leave the pond and settle down on its shore.

In the period from 5 days to 2 months, larvae appear. This period depends on the type of amphibian. The larvae turn into tailed tadpoles, and then into young tailless individuals. Puberty in young individuals it occurs only a year after birth. In Africa, there are some species of ground toads that are viviparous. Currently, they are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book.

While weeding your beds, you have probably more than once come across frogs unexpectedly jumping out from under your feet, or fat, clumsy toads hastily crawling to the side. Some people are disgusted by these animals. Meanwhile, frogs and toads, with their tireless hunt for any small harmful creature, bring invaluable benefits to your garden.

Let's take a closer look at their life and activities and maybe you will even develop sympathy for these amazing creatures.

Frogs and toads belong to amphibians, that is, their life is closely connected with water, but some species as adults live and hunt only on land. Among the inhabitants of our gardens, two types of frogs are most often found - grass and sharp-faced.

The grass frog has a gray-brown or brown back with multi-colored spots, a light belly with dark spots.

Of the toads, the two most common types are: the gray or common toad, with a dark brown back, and the green toad - the back is light gray with large green spots.

The tadpoles hatched from eggs lead a completely fish-like lifestyle, breathe through gills, and feed on algae.

Adult frogs and toads eat animal foods. In search of food, they go quite far from the water, sometimes 1.5-2 km, but they return only to their native body of water to spawn. By what signs they find the right path still remains a mystery. Scientists tried to transfer the toads to someone else's pond, but the proximity of water did not tempt them and they stubbornly went in search of their own pond. There were even cases when a pond was covered with earth for some reason, and still in the spring frogs and toads gathered near it, and one could see them sitting on the ground in complete confusion, like people who found ashes on the site of their home .

Although frogs live on land, sharp-faced frogs and green toads are better adapted to dry air and high temperature, live even in steppes and semi-deserts, yet the characteristics of their body indicate a close connection with water.

The frog has lungs, but they are poorly developed, and it breathes not so much with its lungs as with the entire surface of its body. For some time, a frog can live without lungs at all. She breathes through her skin both in air and in water. Experts checked how long a frog could sit in the water without surfacing: it turned out that the toad lasted about 8 days, and the grass frog about a month.

In order for the skin to transmit oxygen well, it must be thin and always moist. This is why frogs living on land prefer damp habitats. During the day they hide from the heat under leaves and grass, and go hunting at dusk or at night. Water easily evaporates through the thin skin, cooling the surface of the body, so the frog always seems cold. Indeed, her body temperature is always several degrees lower than the ambient temperature. Not only air, but also water penetrates through the skin. The frog does not drink water with its mouth. To get drunk, it is enough for her to swim in the dew or press her belly to the wet earth.

Like all cold-blooded animals, the frog is characterized by reduced energy metabolism. Not only the lungs are poorly developed, but also the heart. Food is digested very slowly. A beetle that gets into the stomach of a frog remains alive for more than an hour. Since frogs do not have their own internal “stove,” their activity is very dependent on air temperature. At temperatures below 10°C, they barely move at all. Therefore, you can imagine how difficult it is for frogs in winter, because they die at a temperature of -1°C.

Grass frogs overwinter in bodies of water that do not freeze to the bottom, burrowing into the bottom silt. All processes at this time are slowed down, the blood barely flows, but, nevertheless, growth does not stop and the maturation of the reproductive elements continues in order to be ready for spring. The sharp-faced frog winters on land, huddled under snags, stones, leaves, in mouse and mole holes. Toads also spend the winter on land, often climbing into the basements of houses for the winter. Winter hibernation lasts from 150 to 200 days, depending on the duration of the cold period. In winter, most of the frogs and toads die, by spring only 2-5% remain.

And yet, despite the reduced energy supply, frogs are excellent hunters. Their reaction to the appearance of prey is exceptionally fast and accurate. A special role in this is played by the eyes, which are called thinking eyes. And for good reason: the frog reacts only to moving objects. Stationary food does not make her want to hunt, and she may starve to death surrounded by stationary insects.

It is used to destroy pests on sugar cane plantations and is specially imported to those areas where this crop is widespread, for example to the Hawaiian Islands, to the island New Guinea. In some cases, the sugarcane harvest depends solely on the activity of the aga toad. Our toads are inferior to them both in size and in gluttony, but nevertheless their usefulness for the garden is so high that in some European countries they have become a market product, and if desired, a gardener can buy himself a toad at the market.

Frogs eat insects, but they themselves are eaten without mercy by larger animals. For example, frog and toad eggs and tadpoles in large quantities They destroy fish and snakes, and even a large lake frog living in the water will not refuse to grab a tadpole swimming by. On land, frogs also have many enemies. They are eaten by birds and almost all mammals, including minks, hedgehogs, otters, foxes, and badgers. Frogs are hunted by 92 species of birds, and toads by 18. Toads have some protection - skin poison glands, but this is not a barrier for owls, rooks, raccoons, and badgers. Frogs constitute the main food of snakes and vipers, not to mention the birds living near the water - herons, gulls, cranes.

When there are few rodents, foxes and wolves begin to hunt frogs. Only their high fertility saves frogs and toads from complete destruction. One female lays, depending on the species, from 2 to 4 thousand eggs. At the beginning of summer, when young frogs and toads come to land, the number of amphibians increases tens of times, but in the spring of next year, as noted, only 2-5% of all this abundance remains. In fact, most frogs and toads die after they, having reached sexual maturity, fulfill their main duty to nature - lay eggs. In captivity, where nothing threatens, a frog can live 18 years, a toad - 35 years.

And yet the main enemy of frogs and toads is man. No amount of fertility can save you from it. Drainage of swamps, plowing of floodplain lands and, finally, the use of pesticides lead to the rapid and complete disappearance of many species of amphibians. In Switzerland and Germany, almost all species of amphibians are on the verge of extinction and are under protection: it is forbidden to kill, catch, sell, or collect them. Fortunately, we haven’t run out of frogs yet and are briskly jumping around our beds. They do not require any special attraction measures, as for birds. But still, they will feel more comfortable in your garden, and therefore hunt more actively, if the plants in the beds are planted so close that their leaves form a continuous canopy above the ground, under which reigns the damp, cool twilight, so loved by frogs and toads.

If you come up with the now fashionable idea of ​​​​making an artificial pond on your site, do not forget about frogs when determining its size and populating it with vegetation. Regardless of the area of ​​your pond, it is recommended to make its bottom according to certain rules. On one side, the bottom should have several ledges, smoothly descending to the deepest part of the pond. The opposite wall is made vertical. The maximum depth of the pond should be at least 90-100 cm, so that in this place the water does not freeze to the bottom and some species of frogs can overwinter there. The ledges and bottom are made strictly horizontal so that dead plant debris is evenly distributed over their surface and gradually rots without the formation of toxic gases that can poison the inhabitants of the pond. The uppermost, i.e., shallowest ledge is planted with marsh vegetation, here favorite place stay of pond frogs living in water. Shrubs and tall grasses are placed on the opposite bank of the pond so that frogs living on land can take refuge there during the heat of the day. You can even make artificial shelters on the shore for their overwintering by placing small piles of stones and brushwood.

If you can accomplish all this, then your soul will be at peace: you have done everything possible for your frogs. Now it's up to them

N.M. Zhirmunskaya

Stories about nature. Episode 3. Toads - life in water

Series of messages " Helpful inhabitants vegetable garden N.M. Zhirmunskaya

2 Useful inhabitants of the garden. Birds in the garden. N.M. Zhirmunskaya

3 Useful inhabitants of the garden. Jerzy. N.M. Zhirmunskaya

4 Useful inhabitants of the garden. Shrew - do not confuse it with a mouse! N.M. Zhirmunskaya

5 The enemies of our enemies are our friends N.M. Zhirmunskaya

6 Useful inhabitants of the garden. Ants are a hardworking people. N.M. Zhirmunskaya

7 Useful inhabitants of the garden. Frogs and toads. N.M. Zhirmunskaya

Ground toad belongs to the tailless amphibians. This is a squad. The class is simply called amphibians. There is a family of toads in the order. It includes over 40 genera. There are 579 species. They are called earthen because with the onset of cold weather and during the day during the hot period they hide in burrows, bury themselves between roots and stones.

Description and features of the earthen toad

Ground toad in the photo and in reality is larger than a frog, has drier, rougher skin. It is covered with wart-like growths. Frogs do not have this, nor do they have the ability to catch insects in flight with lightning speed.

The toad picks them up with his tongue. But frogs have elongated hind legs. This allows animals to jump. Toads lack this ability. Additional differences from frogs are:

• loose body without clear contours
• head lowered to the ground
• an abundance of glands on the back that often produce poison
• dark skin with earthy undertones
• absence of teeth in the upper jaw

Ground toads have developed sexual dimorphism. Males are much smaller than females and have calloused first toes on their front paws. It helps determine the sex of the earthen toad.

The calluses on the feet of male ground toads are overgrown skin glands. They help to stay on the partner's back during mating. Hence the hugging and grasping reflexes developed in males.

The ear glands are also enlarged in earthen toads. This applies to both sexes. The ear glands are called parotids.

The size of toads reaches up to 30 centimeters in length. In this case, the weight of an individual can be 2.3 kilograms. There are also miniature representatives of the order, about 3 centimeters long.

Lifestyle and habitat

Short-legged and heavy-bodied toads slowly waddle. In moments of danger, amphibians arch their backs. This visually makes the toads larger, scaring off offenders. Frogs simply jump away from the latter.

Toads are sometimes capable of a single jump, but they make it if the “trick” of arching their back does not work.

Having rougher, keratinized skin than frogs, toads can stay away from water bodies for a long time. There is no need for constant moistening of the integument. More precisely, parotids take on this function. They produce a moisturizing secretion.

The life of the earth toad is divided into phases of rest and activity, not only during the day and at night. The last one is waking time. Life is also divided into periods of heat and cold. By winter, toads burrow into the ground to a depth of about 10 centimeters. There, animals fall into suspended animation, slowing down their vital processes.

Toads can burrow in deserts, meadows, and forests. The main condition is the presence of a body of water nearby. It's not about moisturizing the integument of toads. They need water to reproduce. Eggs are deposited in swamps and lakes.

During the mating season sound of a toad sometimes sounds like a quack. Frightened amphibians may squeak. The croaking typical of frogs is characteristic of toads rarely and in a lower, throaty tone. The croaking typical of frogs is characteristic of toads rarely and in a lower, throaty tone.

Types of ground toads

Of the nearly 600 species of ground toads, 6 live in Russia. The list opens with the common one. It is also called sulfur. The abdomen of the amphibian is highlighted. The back of the toad is dark gray.

Length common toad does not exceed 7 centimeters. Body width reaches 12. You can see the animal in Central Asia and on Far East.

In addition to the common ground toad, the list of Russian species includes:

1. Far Eastern. She, like the gray one, has orange eyes. However, the color of the Far Eastern toad is variegated. On a whitish background there are brick-colored spots and black markings. Far Eastern toads inhabit flooded meadows and damp, shady forests.

There are many of these on Sakhalin, along east coast Russia. Outside its borders, the species is widespread in China and Korea.

2. Green. It is also spotted, but the markings are green and smaller than those of the Far Eastern one. The drawing looks openwork. Background - light gray. There are also orange dots scattered along the back. The coloring is similar to a camouflage print.

There is a green toad in middle lane Russia on water meadows and marshy areas.

3. Mongolian. This toad is grey-olive. Greenish spots. They are different sizes. The abdomen is light. The warts of males are spiny. The skin projections of females are smooth. Representatives of the species live in the western part of the country.

4. Caucasian. It is brown and larger than other Russian earth toads, reaching a length of 13 centimeters. The name suggests the habitat of amphibians. In the Caucasus Mountains, toads gravitate toward damp caves.

5. Reed. Similar to green, but smaller. The color of the toad's spots is brighter. Instead of orange dots on the back there are brown ones. Reed toads are on the verge of extinction. If you're lucky, representatives of the species can be found in Kaliningrad region.

Some frogs are added to the true earth toads. In about half of languages, there is no distinction between concepts. Thus, the African black rain frog is both black ground toad. The corners of her mouth are downturned. This makes the animal seem sad. The body of an amphibian is always swollen.

True toads outside of Russia include, for example, the American cone-headed and cricket toads. The last one is yellow-green. This is the main tone. The pattern is brown-black. The cricket toad's belly is cream-colored, and its neck is white in females and black in males.

The cone-headed toad is 3 times larger than the cricket toad, reaching 11 centimeters in length. The name of the species is due to the prominent grooves near the eyes. The outgrowths are located longitudinally. Representatives of the species are colored differently, but warts on the body are always lighter or darker than the main tone.

The largest toad in the world, the Blomberga, also lives outside of Russia. Representatives of the species are found in Colombia, in Ecuador. There the toads reach 30 centimeters in length. The underside of the animal's body is pinkish-white, and the top is painted grass-green.

Blomberg's antipode is the Kihansi splasher. The body length of this toad does not exceed 2 centimeters. This is the limit of males. Saki is a centimeter larger. However, there are few toads of the species themselves. Animals live within Tanzania. There is a waterfall called Kihansi. Amphibians are named in his honor. They historically live on 2 hectares at the foot of the waterfall.

To conclude the chapter, let's mention the aga toad. She is the most poisonous member of the family. In terms of size, large agas are only 2-4 centimeters inferior to blombergs. Toad venom is produced by glands throughout the body. The largest ones are on the head.

The poison shoots towards the offender. The toxin seeps through the skin. Therefore, it is dangerous to hold aga in your hands. Predators that bite an amphibian die within a few minutes. The poison blocks the heart.

Externally, aga is distinguished by the presence of prickly warts on the back and limbs. The animal also has more keratinized skin than other toads. The upper eyelid of the agi is bordered by a special semicircular protrusion. The color of the toad is gray-brown with dark spots on top. The markings are larger on the back and smaller on the lower body.

Animal nutrition

What does the ground toad eat? partly depends on where it lives. The diet is summarized by a 100 percent protein base. Toads do not eat plant foods. Predation is limited to eating insects.

The exception is the diet of the aga. Due to the poison, the amphibian also manages to infect small birds, rodents, and reptiles.

In the vast expanses of Russia, toads eat mainly fillies, ants, earwigs, slugs, caterpillars, click beetles, etc. Most on the list are pests. That's why ground toad in the garden or in farmland it can be useful.

However, amphibians are rarely greeted there with open arms. It's a matter of popular beliefs. Some believe that they take on her warts the moment they touch the animal. Others believe that toads represent the forces of darkness. Still others associate the heroine of the article with death.

To be fair, we note that there are also positive interpretations of the image of the earthen toad. For example, it is a symbol of wealth. Celtic peoples call the toad the lord of the earth.

Reproduction and lifespan

The answer to the question is How do ground toads reproduce? in Russia, unambiguously, - external fertilization. The egg is released outside the body. There the male fertilizes. The eggs of toads are their eggs. Its females lay it in a pond. The males fertilize the eggs there.

Toads choose puddles, ponds, ditches, and river backwaters as reservoirs for spawning. Outside Russia, there are species that lay eggs in rapids. In this case, the tadpoles are equipped with suckers. They are located on the abdomen. With the help of suction cups, tadpoles are attached to algae, bottom stones, and snags.

Abroad there are also ground toads that lay their eggs outside bodies of water. Representatives of the Philippine species place their eggs in the axils of tree leaves. Toads choose greenery at a height of several meters.

Exceptions among toads are also those that use a cycle of internal fertilization. This viviparous species. Their eggs develop in dilated oviducts. Interestingly, all viviparous toads are miniature, not exceeding 3 centimeters in length.

How long do earth toads live? also depends on the type. The majority limit is 25 years, with a minimum of 5 years. However, representatives of large species lived up to 36 years.

How to get rid of earth toad

Feeding on insects, toads do not disdain strongly smelling ones and are not afraid of contrastingly colored ones. Birds of Prey they ignore them. Therefore there is from benefits of earth toad. Harm or Amphibians do not cause damage to the garden. But for the sake of the benefits they bring, many species of toads have spread throughout the planet.

So yeah, for example, I got into and on Hawaiian Islands. The last of the settlers were released into the cane fields. The toads quickly destroyed the pests, preserving the crop harvest.

Despite the benefits of the heroine of the article, many people think how to get rid of earth toad. It's a matter of beliefs, stereotypes and simply aversion to amphibians. Methods for exterminating toads include:

• keeping poultry that will eat amphibians
• clearing the area of ​​fallen leaves, boards, bark and other places where toads can hide
• periodically mowing the grass needed by toads for shading and shelter

The only way that toads actually harm vegetable gardens is through burrows. When making them for shelter, amphibians can touch the roots of plants. Some gardeners complain that their cucumbers and tomatoes are literally falling through the cracks. However, for such a result there must be a lot of toads. Often, only a few individuals live in one area.