Frog and toad | Types, Habitat, Diet, & Characteristics (2024)

natterjack toad (

Bufo calamita

)

See all media

See all related content →

frog and toad, (order Anura), amphibians belonging to the order Anura, which, because of their wide distribution, are known by most people around the world. The name frog is commonly applied to those forms with long legs and smooth mucus-covered skins, while toad is used for a variety of robust short-legged forms, especially those with rough skins. The name toad is applied so unevenly that one member of a family may be called a toad and a closely related member a frog. The familiar members of the family Bufonidae may be distinguished as “true toads.” In this article, frog is applied generally to all members of order Anura and toad to those for which it has traditionally been used. There are roughly 7,300 species of living frogs and toads.

Frogs are used as teaching tools from grade school through college. One of the first biology lessons many children receive is through the rearing of the larvae, known as tadpoles or pollywogs, in science classes. Students become familiar with frog anatomy and embryology in biology courses.

People in various parts of the world eat frog legs, and some kinds of toads are used in insect control. Certain South American Indians use the poisonous secretions of some kinds of frogs for poison arrows and darts (see poison frog), and now biochemists are studying the possible medical uses of the constituents of the poison. The biologist interested in evolution finds a vast array of interesting and often perplexing problems in the study of frogs, such as the relatively sudden decline of many frog species since the late 20th century.

General features

Size range and diversity of structure

Although all frogs are readily recognizable, there are great varieties of sizes and of structural modifications. Many frogs are tiny animals; perhaps the smallest is the Brazilian Psyllophryne didactyla, adults of which measure 9.8 mm (0.4 inch) or less in body length (with legs drawn in). However, the West African goliath frog, Conraua goliath, has a body length of nearly 300 mm (12 inches). Many frogs and toads have smooth moist skins. Toads of the genus Bufo are familiar as “warty” amphibians, the skin being highly glandular and covered with tubercles (small, round nodules). Frogs of many other families have rough tubercular skins, usually an adaptation for life in the less humid environments. The opposite extreme is found in the small arboreal (tree-dwelling) frogs of the tropical American family Centrolenidae, in which the skin on the underside is so thin and transparent that the heart and viscera can be seen through the skin. In most species, cutaneous gas exchange (that is, breathing through the skin) supplements the oxygen taken in by the lungs; however, the lungless Barbourula kalimantanensis of Borneo obtains all its oxygen through its skin.

Britannica QuizWild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Pronounced structural differences between species can also appear in the head. Whereas the head in many species is smooth and rounded, some species diverge from this pattern. The skull of the Malayan leaf frog (Megophrys nasuta) has evolved to mimic the shape and texture of leaf litter on the forest floor. The head of the banded horned tree frog (Hemiphractus fasciatus) is triangular with hard bony hornlike processes above its eyes and near the rear of its skull. Likewise, the shovel-headed tree frog (Triprion spatulatus) has a wide skull that shields the rest of its body from attack, whereas disc frogs (Synapturanus) have developed pointed snouts that aid in burrowing.

Most frogs move by leaping. The long and powerful hind limbs are straightened rapidly from the crouching position, propelling the frog through the air. Many arboreal frogs—especially members of the families Hylidae, Rhacophoridae, Centrolenidae, and others—have adhesive disks on the ends of the fingers and toes and leap from branch to branch or from leaf to leaf (see tree frog). The families Bufonidae, Rhinophrynidae, and Microhylidae and certain burrowing species in other families have relatively short hind limbs and move forward by series of short hops. Some bufonids actually walk instead of hop. Highly modified members of the hylid subfamily Phyllomedusinae have opposable digits on the hands and feet and walk slowly along branches, deliberately grasping the branch in the manner of tiny lemurs. Many kinds of frogs have membranous webbing between the fingers and toes; in the aquatic species, the webbing on the feet aids in swimming. The extreme in this specialization is seen in the aquatic family Pipidae. Members of that family normally never leave the water. In regions of the Earth subjected to long dry periods, frogs must seek cover to avoid desiccation; they have behavioral and structural adaptations to conserve water.

Special offer for students! Check out our special academic rate and excel this spring semester!

Learn More

Although many frogs are unimpressively coloured, some species are brilliantly marked. The most common colours are brown, gray, green, and yellow. Uniformly coloured frogs are the exception rather than the rule. The markings of a frog may seem bold when observed out of the natural habitat, but they usually are concealing or visually disruptive when the frog is in its environment (see below coloration).

Distribution and abundance

Because of their morphological and physiological adaptations, frogs are able to inhabit most regions of the world except the extremely cold landmasses at high latitudes and some oceanic islands that they have been unable to colonize because of the barriers provided by salt water. Frogs live in desert regions below sea level and in montane areas up to elevations above 4,560 metres (15,000 feet). Some members of the genus Rana live north of the Arctic Circle. Although widely distributed on Earth, frogs are most diverse and abundant in the tropics, and five or six of the 28 families are restricted to the tropics. In most temperate areas of the world, the number of species of frogs at any one locality is usually fewer than 10, but in the tropics, especially in rainforests, the number of species is much greater. At one locality in the upper Amazon basin in eastern Ecuador, 83 species are known to occur, about the same number as is known for all of the United States.

In a complex environment such as a tropical rainforest, the large number of species of frogs partition the environmental resources in a variety of ways. In the humid tropics, frogs can be active throughout the year, but many species are seasonal in their breeding activity. Various kinds of sites and different seasons are used for calling and egg laying; such temporal and spatial separation avoids interspecific competition. Frogs feed mostly on insects and other invertebrates, and the abundance of food in tropical rainforests probably places no competitive restrictions on this aspect of environmental resources. Some large species eat vertebrates, including small rodents and other frogs.

Frog and toad | Types, Habitat, Diet, & Characteristics (2024)

FAQs

What is the habitat of toad and frog? ›

Frogs and toads are found in nearly every type of habitat, almost everywhere on Earth except Antarctica. Frogs don't have fur, feathers, or scales on their skin. Instead, they have a moist and permeable skin layer covered with mucous glands; this allows them to breathe through their skin in addition to their lungs.

What is a frog's habitat and diet? ›

Frogs feed mostly on insects and other invertebrates, and the abundance of food in tropical rainforests probably places no competitive restrictions on this aspect of environmental resources. Some large species eat vertebrates, including small rodents and other frogs.

What is a toads diet and habitat? ›

American toads need a semi-permanent pond or oth- er shallow waterway in order to breed, get water and live when young. They also need deep vegetation for cover and hunting. rocks and even in wood piles. These toads eat a variety of foods such as worms, ants, spiders, mealworms, crickets, slugs and more.

What are the characteristics of frogs and toads? ›

Frogs usually have big, bulging eyes, while toads' eyes are more subtle in appearance. One of the biggest physical differences between frogs and toads is their skin. While frogs have smooth or slimy skin that is moist, toads have thicker, bumpy skin that is usually dry.

What is the diet of a frog? ›

Frogs eat spiders, grasshoppers, and crickets. They will eat almost anything that comes their way in the wild. What do frogs eat besides bugs? Other than bugs, frogs will eat animals smaller than them, such as fish, other frogs, and even small birds.

What do frogs and toads eat? ›

Frogs and toads, quite simply, are meat eaters. Their dinners may take the form of tiny fruit flies or large mice.

What does a frog habitat need? ›

Climbing branches and live or artificial plants are appropriate for tree frogs. For ground-dwelling species, provide hiding places and burrowing substrate. Frog enclosures need to be moist but not wet. Regular misting with non-chlorinated water may be necessary in areas with low humidity.

What is a frogs habitat like? ›

Though many species are found in watery environments such as ponds and wetlands, many adult frogs live in woodlands or grassy areas and return to ponds only to breed each year. To stay moist, frogs seek damp hiding places, such as under leaves, rocks, logs or debris piles.

What makes a good frog habitat? ›

Frogs naturally prefer cooler, moist places. This can be achieved by the careful placement and partial burying of terracotta pots or ceramic pipes. Provide thick leaf litter with rocks and logs to hide in, and digging spots for burrowing frogs.

What is the habitat of toad? ›

Toads are found on every continent, excluding Antarctica. Adult toads generally prefer moist, open habitats like fields and grasslands.

What is a toads special habitat? ›

Common Toads prefer deeper water bodies in which to breed, including fish ponds, farm ponds, reservoirs or village ponds. They have rough, 'warty' skin and tend to crawl rather than hop. Common Toads produce a toxin from a pair of glands on their back which makes them distasteful to would-be predators.

What is the perfect toad habitat? ›

Location is key when establishing toad houses. Find a shady spot adjacent to the garden where they can hunt for protein-rich insects or other prey. Easy access to water is also important to these garden friends and may be as easy as placing a shallow reservoir nearby.

What are frogs and toads attracted to? ›

Thus, the most essential requirement for attracting frogs is an accessible source of fresh water that's out of direct sunlight. If you don't have a pond or other built-in water source in your yard, simply place some large, shallow dishes of water in a shady area of your lawn or garden.

Is it safe to touch toads? ›

After you touch amphibians or reptiles, wash your hands so you don't get sick! Contact with amphibians (such as frogs and toads) and reptiles (such as turtles, snakes, and lizards) can be a source of human Salmonella infections. human Salmonella infections, especially among young children.

Can toads breathe underwater? ›

Breathing underwater isn't easy for many species of amphibians, so they might need to surface for air if they're working hard (escaping a predator, for example) whereas they can meet their oxygen needs underwater if they're at rest. Many frogs and toads can even breathe through thick mud during hibernation.

What is the habitat of a frog? ›

Frogs thrive in a large number of environments from tropical forests to frozen tundras to deserts. Their skin requires freshwater, so most frogs live in aquatic and swampy habitats. There are a number of exceptions, including the waxy tree frog, which can be found in the arid region of Gran Chaco of South America.

What is the main habitat of a frog? ›

Most adult frogs live in damp places in woods near streams or ponds. But when mating season comes, usually in the spring, they migrate to ponds, wetlands, and seasonal pools to lay their eggs. The eggs hatch into tadpoles, a completely aquatic stage that breathes with gills and eats algae.

What is the habitat of the common toad? ›

Habitat: woodland, grassland and gardens as adults. Ponds as tadpoles. Predators: carnivorous mammals like otters and hedgehogs, grass snakes, herons, birds of prey.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Trent Wehner

Last Updated:

Views: 6104

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Trent Wehner

Birthday: 1993-03-14

Address: 872 Kevin Squares, New Codyville, AK 01785-0416

Phone: +18698800304764

Job: Senior Farming Developer

Hobby: Paintball, Calligraphy, Hunting, Flying disc, Lapidary, Rafting, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.