Toad
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2008-07-15T14:47:32Z
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{{alternateuses}}
{{Taxobox
| name = Toads
| image = Bufo periglenes1.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = [[Golden Toad]], ''Bufo periglenes''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Amphibia]]
| ordo = [[Anura]]
| subdivision_ranks = Families
| subdivision = At least 9, see article.
}}
{{expand}}
'''Toad''' refers to a number of [[species]] of [[amphibian]]s. A distinction is often made between [[frog]]s and toads by their appearance, prompted by the [[convergent evolution|convergent adaptation]] among so-called toads to dry environments. For instance, toads often have leathery skin for better water retention, and a brown coloration for camouflage. Many so-called toads also [[burrow]], which requires further adaptations. However, these adaptations merely reflect the environment a species has adapted to, and are not reliable indicators of its ancestry. Since [[taxonomy]] reflects only evolutionary relationships, any distinction between frogs and toads is irrelevant to their classification.
For instance, many members of the 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''''', the "[[true toad]]s". Some "[[true frog]]s" of the genus ''[[Rana (genus)|Rana]]'' have also adapted to burrowing habits, while the species within the toad genus ''[[Atelopus]]'' are conversely known by the common name "[[harlequin frog]]s".
The [[type species]] of the family Bufonidae is the [[Common Toad]], ''Bufo bufo'', and around it cluster a large number of species of the same genus and some smaller genera. ''B. bufo'' is a [[tail]]less amphibian of stout build with a [[tubercle|warty]] skin and any animal that shares these characteristics is liable to be called a toad, regardless of its location in formal taxonomy.
Almost all toads of the family Bufonidae have two lumps on either side of the back of their head, called the [[parotoid gland]]s. These glands contain a poison, which oozes out if the toad is stressed. Some, like the [[Cane Toad]] ''Bufo marinus'', are more toxic than others. Some "[[psychoactive toad]]s" such as the [[Colorado River Toad]] ''Bufo alvaris'', have been used [[recreational drug|recreationally]] for the effects of the [[bufotoxin]].
== Taxonomy ==
{| align=right
|[[Image:Common Toad (Bufo bufo).jpg|thumb|240px|''[[Common Toad|Common Toad (Bufo bufo)]]'']]
|-
|[[Image:Bufo americanus1.jpg|thumb|240px|American Toad, ''[[Bufo americanus]]'']]
|-
|[[Image:Bufo valliceps.jpg|thumb|240px|Gulf Coast Toad, ''[[Bufo valliceps]]'']]
|-
|[[Image:Bombina orientalis.jpg|thumb|240px|Oriental Fire-bellied Toad, ''[[Bombina orientalis]]'']]
|-
|[[Image:Gastrophryne carolinensis.jpg|thumb|240px|Eastern Narrowmouthed Toad, ''[[Gastrophryne carolinensis]]'']]
|-
|[[Image:Frogy - close look.JPG|thumb|right|240px|Southern Toad (''Bufo terrestris'')]]
[[Image:American_toad.jpg|thumb|240px|American Toad ''[[Bufo americanus]]'']]
|}
=== True toads ===
'''Family [[Bufonidae]]''' ([[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1825) - True Toads:
*''[[Adenomus]]'' ([[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], 1861)
*''[[Altiphrynoides]]'' (Dubois, 1987)
*''[[Andinophryne]]'' (Hoogmoed, 1985)
*''[[Ansonia (genus)|Ansonia]]'' (Stoliczka, 1870)
*''[[Atelophryniscus]]'' (McCranie, Wilson & Williams, 1989)
*''[[Atelopus]]'' ([[André Marie Constant Duméril|Duméril]] & [[Gabriel Bibron|Bibron]], 1841)
*''[[Bufo]]'' ([[Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti|Laurenti]], 1768)
*''[[Bufoides]]'' (Pillai & Yazdani, 1973)
*''[[Capensibufo]]'' (Grandison, 1980)
*''[[Churamiti]]'' (Channing & Stanley, 2002)
*''[[Crepidophryne]]'' ([[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], 1889)
*''[[Dendrophryniscus]]'' (Jiménez de la Espada, 1871)
*''[[Didynamipus]]'' (Andersson, 1903)
*''[[Frostius]]'' (Cannatella, 1986)
*''[[Laurenhryne]]'' (Tihen, 1960)
*''[[Leptophryne]]'' ([[Leopold Fitzinger|Fitzinger]], 1843)
*''[[Melanophryniscus]]'' (Gallardo, 1961)
*''[[Mertensophryne]]'' (Tihen, 1960)
*''[[Metaphryniscus]]'' (Señaris, Ayarzagüena & Gorzula, 1994)
*''[[Nectophryne]]'' (Buchholz & [[Wilhelm Peters|Peters]], 1875)
*''[[Nectophrynoides]]'' ([[Gladwyn Kingsley Noble|Noble]], 1926)
*''[[Nimbaphrynoides]]'' (Dubois, 1987)
*''[[Oreophrynella]]'' ([[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1895)
*''[[Osornophryne]]'' (Ruiz-Carranza & Hernández-Camacho, 1976)
*''[[Parapelophryne]]'' (Fei, Ye & Jiang, 2003)
*''[[Pedostibes]]'' ([[Albert C. L. G. Günther|Günther]], 1876)
*''[[Pelophryne]]'' ([[Thomas Barbour|Barbour]], 1938)
*''[[Pseudobufo]]'' ([[Johann Jakob von Tschudi|Tschudi]], 1838)
*''[[Rhamphophryne]]'' (Trueb, 1971)
*''[[Schismaderma]]'' (Smith, 1849)
*''[[Spinophrynoides]]'' (Dubois, 1987)
*''[[Stephopaedes]]'' (Channing, 1979)
*''[[Truebella]]'' (Graybeal & Cannatella, 1995)
*''[[Werneria]]'' (Poche, 1903)
*''[[Wolterstorffina]]'' ([[Robert Mertens|Mertens]], 1939)
=== Other toad families ===
'''Family [[Bombinatoridae]]''' ([[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1825) - Fire-bellied Toads:
*''[[Barbourula]]'' (Taylor & Noble, 1924)
*''[[Bombina]]'' ([[Lorenz Oken|Oken]], 1816)
'''Family [[Brachyctpoephalidae]]''' ([[Albert C. L. G. Günther|Günther]], 1858) - Shield Toads:
*''[[Brachycephalus]]'' ([[Leopold Fitzinger|Fitzinger]], 1826)
'''Family [[Discoglossidae]]''' ([[Albert C. L. G. Günther|Günther]], 1858)
*''[[Alytes]]'' ([[Johann Georg Wagler|Wagler]], 1830) - Midwife Toad
'''Family [[Microhylidae]]''' ([[Albert C. L. G. Günther|Günther]], 1858)
*Subfamily [[Microhylinae]] - Narrowmouthed Toads:
**''[[Gastrophryne]]'' ([[Leopold Fitzinger|Fitzinger]], 1843)
'''Family [[Pelobatidae]]''' ([[Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte|Bonaparte]], 1850) - European Spadefoot Toads:
*''[[Pelobates]]'' ([[Johann Georg Wagler|Wagler]], 1830)
'''Family [[Scaphiopodidae]]''' ([[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], 1865) - North American Spadefoot Toads:
*''[[Scaphiopus]]'' ([[John Edwards Holbrook|Holbrook]], 1836)
*''[[Spea]]'' ([[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], 1866)
'''Family [[Rhinophrynidae]]''' ([[Albert C. L. G. Günther|Günther]], 1859) - Burrowing Toads:
*''[[Rhinophrynus]]'' ([[André Marie Constant Duméril|Duméril]] and [[Gabriel Bibron|Bibron]], 1841)
==Other==
[[Image:Toadlarcomuseum.jpg|thumb|right|Moche Toad. 200 A.D. [[Larco Museum|Larco Museum Collection]] Lima, Peru.]]
The [[Moche]] people of ancient [[Peru]] worshipped animals and often depicted toads in their art. <ref>Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. ''The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the [[Larco Museum|Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera]].'' New York: [[Thames and Hudson]], 1997.</ref>
To [[Vietnamese people]], toad is the uncle of the Sky. According to a Vietnamese ancient story, whenever toads grind their teeth, it is going to rain.
It is commonly believed that physical contact with a toad can cause warts on humans. Warts are, in actuality, caused by an internal viral infection; thus, a toad could not possibly cause a wart. The paratoidal glands, which toads use to secrete poison for protection, are often mistaken for warts. This misconception could very conceivably have brought about such a superstition.
== References ==
<references/>
*{{ITIS|ID=173423|taxon=Anura|year=2006|date=4 May}}
== See also ==
* [[List of frogs and toads by state (U.S.)]]
== General reference ==
* {{cite book|last=Beltz|first=Ellin| year=2005| title=Frogs: Inside their Remarkable World| publisher=Firefly Books| id=ISBN 1552978699}}
==External links==
*[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19028712?GT1=10056 Toad with fluorescent purple markings discovered]
[[Category:Frogs by classification]]
[[Category:Toads|*]]
[[bg:Крастави жаби (семейство)]]
[[da:Tudser]]
[[de:Kröten (Familie)]]
[[es:Bufonidae]]
[[fr:Bufonidae]]
[[gl:Sapo]]
[[hak:Hà-mà]]
[[ko:두꺼비류]]
[[he:קרפדות (קבוצה)]]
[[lt:Rupūžės]]
[[ms:Katak puru]]
[[nah:Tamazolin]]
[[nl:Padden]]
[[no:Padder]]
[[pl:Ropuchowate]]
[[pt:Sapo]]
[[qu:Hamp'atu]]
[[ru:Жабы]]
[[vi:Cóc]]
[[th:คางคก]]
[[fi:Konnat]]
[[zh:蟾蜍]]
[[zh-yue:蛤乸]]
[[simple:Toad]]