News tagged with toads
Traffic harms Asturian amphibians
The roads are the main cause of fragmenting the habitats of many species, especially amphibians, as they cause them to be run over and a loss of genetic diversity. Furthermore, traffic harms two abundant species ...
Apr 12, 2012 |
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Invasive plant protects Australian lizards from invasive toad
An invasive plant may have saved an iconic Australian lizard species from death at the hands of toxic cane toads, according to research published in the March issue of The American Naturalist. It's an int ...
Feb 22, 2012 |
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New study suggests how toads might predict earthquakes
The trouble with earthquakes, other than their obvious devastation, is that thus far they have proved to be very nearly impossible to predict, despite considerable effort towards that goal; being able to do ...
Dec 02, 2011 |
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Eradicating cane toads with 'their own medicine'
Sydney University biologists have discovered cane toad tadpoles (Bufo marinus) communicate using chemicals excreted into the water, a finding that may help to impede the Cane Toad invasion of the Kimberley.
Nov 14, 2011 |
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Frog trade link to killer fungus revealed
The global trade in frogs, toads and other amphibians may have accidentally helped create and spread the deadly fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, which has devastated amphibian populations worldwide.
Nov 08, 2011 |
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Climate change will show which animals can take the heat
Species' ability to overcome adversity goes beyond Darwin's survival of the fittest. Climate change has made sure of that. In a new study based on simulations examining species and their projected range, researchers ...
Sep 29, 2011 |
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An unprecedented role reversal: Ground beetle larvae lure amphibians and prey upon them
Usually it's the frog that catches the unsuspecting bug for a tasty snack, but in an unprecedented predator-prey role reversal, a certain group of ground beetle larvae are able to lure their amphibious would-be predators ...
Sep 21, 2011 |
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Could tadpole weaponry be used against cane toads?
A chemical produced naturally by cane toad tadpoles may one day be used to help control the invasive species, according to new research published today.
Aug 31, 2011 |
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The end is in sight for amphibian fungal disease
Over the past 30 years, around 200 species of amphibians have disappeared due to chytridiomycosis, a fungal infection. The scientific community has attempted to fight the pathogen, without success. Now, an ...
Jul 27, 2011 |
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Borneo rainbow toad seen for 1st time in 87 years
Scientists scouring the mountains of Borneo spotted a toad species last seen in 1924 by European explorers and provided the world with the first photographs of the colorful, spindly legged creature, a researcher ...
Jul 14, 2011 |
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Livestock grazing not to blame for Yosemite toad decline
(PhysOrg.com) -- Livestock grazing is apparently not the culprit in the steep decline of Yosemite toads and their habitat, according to the results of an extensive, five-year study conducted by UC Davis, UC ...
Jun 07, 2011 |
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Big leap in understanding frog threat
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Sydney researchers have identified two new parasite species causing disease among endangered Australian frogs. They say they are most likely native, overturning a commonly held ...
May 25, 2011 |
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Researchers turn to museums to track down clues in mysterious amphibian declines
There's a crisis among the world's amphibians -- about 40 percent of amphibian species have dwindled in numbers in just three decades. Now, museum jars stuffed full of amphibians may help scientists decide ...
May 02, 2011 |
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Giant fire-bellied toad's brain brims with powerful germ-fighters
Frog and toad skins already are renowned as cornucopias of hundreds of germ-fighting substances. Now a new report in ACS's Journal of Proteome Research reveals that the toad brains also may contain an abundance of antiba ...
Apr 13, 2011 |
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Toad task force
An army of volunteers will be wading into ponds across the UK this spring to map the spread of a killer amphibian fungus.
Apr 06, 2011 |
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Toad
A toad can refer to a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura. A distinction is often made between frogs and toads by their appearance, prompted by the convergent adaptation among so-called "toads" to dry habitats. Many "toads" have leathery skin for better water retention, and brown coloration for camouflage. They also tend to burrow. However, these adaptations are not reliable indicators of its ancestry. Because taxonomy reflects only evolutionary relationships, any distinction between frogs and toads is irrelevant to their classification.
For instance, many members of the frog families Bombinatoridae, Discoglossidae, Pelobatidae, Rhinophrynidae, Scaphiopodidae, and some species from the Microhylidae family are commonly called "toads". However, the only family exclusively given the common name "toad" is Bufonidae, or the "true toads". Some "true frogs" of the genus Rana have also adapted to burrowing habitats, while a bufonid species in the genus Atelopus are conversely known by the common name "harlequin frogs". Similarly to frogs, toads also display metamorphosis from tadpole to sexually mature adult.
For more information about Toad, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
