Florida's Frogs & Toads

Toads    (Click here to view photo galleries)

There are several families of frogs that are commonly called "toads" -- so yes, all toads are frogs! The typical, warty toads are sometimes called "true toads," and belong to the family Bufonidae. Spadefoot Toads are similar in size to many of the true toads, but their skin is more smooth, and they have a specialized spade on each hind foot that helps them to burrow in the ground -- they belong to the family Pelobatidae. Narrowmouth Toads are much smaller than most of the true toads and spadefoot toads, and don't really look toadlike at all -- they belong to the family Microhylidae.

 

True Toads (Family Bufonidae)

Florida is home to 3 native "True Toads", two of which are shown here. Fowler's Toad, the third native species, is only found in Florida in the Panhandle. Unlike treefrogs, toads don't have sticky toe pads and are usually found on the ground. True toads all have warty skin and obvious glands, called parotoid glands, on the shoulders behind the eyes. Florida's native toads use these glands to make secretions that make them taste bad to predators, but aren't harmful to humans or pets. However, the  non-native Cane Toad (or "Bufo Toad") makes potent toxins that can kill pets (or wildlife) that try to eat it. It is important to learn to identify these dangerous invaders! True toads are found in nearly any habitat with moist hiding places, shallow pools of water to breed in, and lots of insects to eat.

 

Spadefoot Toads (Family Scaphiopodidae)

Spadefoot Toads are rarely seen as adults, but very young frogs are often seen dispersing from wetlands by the thousands! These toads use a special spade on the hind foot to burrow into the soil, and usually only come out after torrential rains soak the ground. They breed in temporary wetlands that fill up after these downpours, each of which may hold millions of tadpoles. When the tadpoles metamorphose into toadlets and disperse into the surrounding habitat, they can be so numerous that they literally blanket the ground! These toads are adapted to life in dry habitats, where they spend most of their time underground to conserve moisture. The one species of spadefoot found in the southeastern U.S. is usually found in habitats with sandy soils that are similar to these dry habitats.

 

Narrow-mouthed Toads (Family Microhylidae)

Narrow-mouthed Toads are tiny, secretive frogs that prey mostly on ants. These ant specialists have a fold of skin behind their head that they can use to wipe ants away from their eyes. These toads are found in a variety of habitats near fresh water.

 

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The following photos and tips will help you learn to identify Florida's native (and non-native) toads.

Photo Galleries and Identification Guides

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"True Toads"

• Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)
  3 images
• Oak Toad (Anaxyrus quercicus)
  2 images
• Cane Toad, a.k.a. the "Bufo Toad" (Rhinella marina)
  NON-NATIVE, Invasive Species
  3 images

Spadefoot Toads

• Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii)
  1 image

Narrow-mouthed Toads

• Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis)
   2 images

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