The Great Plains toad is grey, brown, and green in color, with darker colored blotching. It can grow to anywhere between 5.1 and 11.4 cm (2 and 4.5 in) in length. Its primary diet is various species of cutworms. It prefers grassland habitat with loose soil that is easy to burrow in. Breeding occurs throughout the spring and summer months, most often immediately after heavy rainfall. In dry areas it may only emerge from its burrow for a few weeks when conditions are right, and usually at night, but in areas with permanent water bodies and abundant rain it may be active all day.[4] Its mating call is a very loud, harsh chirping noise repeated many times, very fast.
EcologyEdit
The great plains toad feeds a range of insects such as lepidopterans, dipterans, hymenopterans, coleopterans, ants, and termites. The toad is preyed upon by the plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix), among others.[3] It uses chemoreceptors to sense chemical cues left by the snake.
The great plains toad occur in deserts, grasslands, semi-desert shrublands, open floodplains, and agricultural areas. When inactive they burrow underground. Breeding takes place in temporary water bodies such as rain pools, flooded areas, and ponds; they can also use margins of reservoirs. The eggs and larvae develop in shallow water and metamorphose after 17 to 45 days.[1][3]
ConservationsEdit
The Great Plains toad has wide distribution and is not considered threatened, although it may suffer from road kills, farming, and suburban sprawl, increased droughts, and urbanization.[1]
ReferencesEdit
^ abcdIUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Anaxyrus cognatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T54612A196333146. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T54612A196333146.en. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
^Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Anaxyrus cognatus (Say, 1822)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
^ abc"Anaxyrus cognatus". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
^Grismer, L. L. (2002). Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 69.
Further sourcesEdit
Frost, D. R.; Grant, T.; Faivovich, J. N.; Bain, R. H.; Haas, A.; Haddad, C. L. F. B.; De Sá, R. O.; Channing, A.; Wilkinson, M.; Donnellan, S. C.; Raxworthy, C. J.; Campbell, J. A.; Blotto, B. L.; Moler, P.; Drewes, R. C.; Nussbaum, R. A.; Lynch, J. D.; Green, D. M.; Wheeler, W. C. (2006). "The Amphibian Tree of Life". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 297: 1–291. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2006)297[0001:TATOL]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5781.
Pauly, G. B; Hillis, D. M.; Cannatella, D. C. (November 2004). "The history of a Nearctic colonization: Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the Nearctic toads (Bufo)". Evolution. 58 (11): 2517–2535. doi:10.1111/j.0014-3820.2004.tb00881.x. PMID 15612295.
Herps of Texas: Bufo cognatus
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anaxyrus cognatus.
Data related to Bufo cognatus at Wikispecies
IUCN Red List.org: Anaxyrus cognatus (Great Plains Toad)
October 16, 2023
great, plains, toad, anaxyrus, cognatus, relatively, large, species, true, toad, native, central, north, america, conservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, chordataclass, amphibiaorder, anuraf. The Great Plains toad Anaxyrus cognatus is a relatively large species of true toad native to central North America Great Plains toadConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AmphibiaOrder AnuraFamily BufonidaeGenus AnaxyrusSpecies A cognatusBinomial nameAnaxyrus cognatus Say 1822 SynonymsBufo cognatus Say 1822 Contents 1 Distribution 2 Description 3 Ecology 4 Conservations 5 References 5 1 Further sources 6 External linksDistribution EditThe amphibian is native throughout the Canadian Prairies northern Great Plains in southern Alberta Manitoba and Saskatchewan and into northern Mexico in the Sonoran Desert and Mexican Plateau 1 2 3 Description EditThe Great Plains toad is grey brown and green in color with darker colored blotching It can grow to anywhere between 5 1 and 11 4 cm 2 and 4 5 in in length Its primary diet is various species of cutworms It prefers grassland habitat with loose soil that is easy to burrow in Breeding occurs throughout the spring and summer months most often immediately after heavy rainfall In dry areas it may only emerge from its burrow for a few weeks when conditions are right and usually at night but in areas with permanent water bodies and abundant rain it may be active all day 4 Its mating call is a very loud harsh chirping noise repeated many times very fast Ecology EditThe great plains toad feeds a range of insects such as lepidopterans dipterans hymenopterans coleopterans ants and termites The toad is preyed upon by the plains garter snake Thamnophis radix among others 3 It uses chemoreceptors to sense chemical cues left by the snake The great plains toad occur in deserts grasslands semi desert shrublands open floodplains and agricultural areas When inactive they burrow underground Breeding takes place in temporary water bodies such as rain pools flooded areas and ponds they can also use margins of reservoirs The eggs and larvae develop in shallow water and metamorphose after 17 to 45 days 1 3 Conservations EditThe Great Plains toad has wide distribution and is not considered threatened although it may suffer from road kills farming and suburban sprawl increased droughts and urbanization 1 References Edit a b c d IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2022 Anaxyrus cognatus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022 e T54612A196333146 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2022 1 RLTS T54612A196333146 en Retrieved 2 December 2022 Frost Darrel R 2016 Anaxyrus cognatus Say 1822 Amphibian Species of the World an Online Reference Version 6 0 American Museum of Natural History Retrieved 5 February 2016 a b c Anaxyrus cognatus AmphibiaWeb Information on amphibian biology and conservation web application Berkeley California AmphibiaWeb 2016 Retrieved 5 February 2016 Grismer L L 2002 Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California Los Angeles University of California Press 69 Further sources Edit Frost D R Grant T Faivovich J N Bain R H Haas A Haddad C L F B De Sa R O Channing A Wilkinson M Donnellan S C Raxworthy C J Campbell J A Blotto B L Moler P Drewes R C Nussbaum R A Lynch J D Green D M Wheeler W C 2006 The Amphibian Tree of Life Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 297 1 291 doi 10 1206 0003 0090 2006 297 0001 TATOL 2 0 CO 2 hdl 2246 5781 Pauly G B Hillis D M Cannatella D C November 2004 The history of a Nearctic colonization Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the Nearctic toads Bufo Evolution 58 11 2517 2535 doi 10 1111 j 0014 3820 2004 tb00881 x PMID 15612295 Herps of Texas Bufo cognatusExternal links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anaxyrus cognatus nbsp Data related to Bufo cognatus at Wikispecies IUCN Red List org Anaxyrus cognatus Great Plains Toad Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Great Plains toad amp oldid 1170146686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
