Eastern Spadefoot Toad - Scaphiopus holbrookii

• Diagnostic Features:
  • Size: 2 to 3 inches (45 to 72 mm)
  • Color:
    •  Ground color some shade of brown or dark gray or black
  • Other:
    •  No Boss between the eyes
    • Two yellowish lines originating at each eye and running down back usually present; two lines may form a hourglass shape
    • An additional light line on each side of body may be present
    • Small round parotid gland
    • Distinct tympanum
    • Small tubercles are scattered over the moist skin
    • Throat and chest are white, the lower belly is light gray or reddish.
    • Pair of large pectoral glands opens onto the chest
    • Large protruding eyes have vertical pupils
    •  
    • "Spade" on hind feet:
  • Sexual Dimorphism:
    •  Bands on back more yellowish in Males
• Natural History:
  • Habitat:
    •  Forested lowlands with sandy or loose soil preferred
  • Behavior:
    •  Spadefoots may remain torpid underground for several weeks. They can survive and enormous loss of water (over 40 percent of body weight)
    • They are nocturnal
  • Breeding:
    • They breed in shallow, temporary pools formed after very heavy rains.
    • They may not breed at all in unsuitable years
• Voice: Sonogram : Call ( Taylor County ) Green Treefrogs, Eastern Narrowmouth Toads in background.
  • An explosive grunt, low-pitched, short duration but repeated at short intervals
  • "wank"
• Tadpoles:
  • Tadpole stage: 20 - 30 days
  • 
  • LTRF variable, but usually either 4/4 or 6/6; uniserial A-1 much shorter than uniserial A-2 and about equal to width of narrow dorsal gap in marginal papillae; small, almost terminal oral disc that folds shut in preserved specimens or when not in use; marginal papillae with very narrow dorsal gap, sometimes appears complete; oral disc not emarginate; spiracle low on left side well below longitudinal axis; widespread, usually in temporary pools
  •  
  • < 35.0 TL; never with keratinized knob on roof of anterior part of buccal cavity
  •  
  • LTRF 6/6; brown to bronze with no contrasting markings on tail muscle; northeastern third of Arkansas and adjacent Missouri and much of area east of Mississippi River south of latitude of southern Ohio
• Range:
  •  In North America, this spadefoot is found from southern New England to south Florida including some of the keys; west to southeast Misouri, eastern Arkansas and eastern Louisiana. A number of isolated populations along the northern border of it's range.
  • In Georgia, this toad is found primarily in the southern part of the state.

    

  • In Light Blue: Williamson, Gerald K. & Moulis, Robert A., Distribution of Amphibians and Reptiles in Georgia, Special Publication No. 3, Savannah Science Museum, Inc. Savannah, Georgia, 1994
  • In Green: Sound Recordings
  • In Yellow: From Both '94 study and Sound Recordings
  • In Magenta: Photograph, not found by '94, may or may not be sound record
  • In Medium Blue: Photograph and in '94 study, may or may not be sound record 
  • In Orange: County Record by other Herp Atlas Volunteers
  • In Red: US Distribution from various sources

May 25, 2008 - wwknapp@mindspring.com