DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FROG AND TOAD

Difference Between Frog and Toad

Frog and Toad, Don’t know the difference? You aren’t alone. While frogs and toads are both amphibians, they are separate families of animals. And while they are similar in many ways, they do have differences, although they are not always clear-cut.

What is a frog?

Frogs are a kind of small animals belonging to a group called vertebrates (animals with backbones) known as amphibians. This means that they live part of their life in water and the other part of it on land. The word amphibian comes from 2 Greek words, “Amphi” which means “both” and “bios” which means “life”.

Amphibians are cold-blooded animals. This means that their body temperature is the same as the surrounding temperature. Their skin absorbs water into their body so they do not have to drink water to survive. Frogs have strong hind legs to enable them to leap forward at a great distance. The front legs or arms are short. They are used to prop the frog up when it sits.

What is a toad?

Toads are amphibians. They differ from most frogs because they have dry skin, warts, crests behind the eyes, and parotid glands. The parotoid glands produce a poisonous secretion that helps the toad defend itself from predators. This substance, called bufotoxin, can cause death in small animals and allergic reactions in humans.

Toads have other ways to avoid being eaten too. If they’re brown or green in color, they can blend into their surroundings and escape detection. If brightly colored, they warn predators to stay away because they’re poisonous. Toads also puff up their bodies in an attempt to look bigger and inedible if a predator is nearby.

MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FROG AND TOAD

FROG TOAD
Eggs
Eggs are laid in clusters Eggs are laid in long chains.
Tadpoles
Frog tadpoles are slimmer and are gold in colour Toad tadpoles are chunky and are black in colour
Locomotion
A frog rarely crawls Toads move around mostly by crawling
Appearance
They are usually lean and slender in appearance Toads are stubby and shorter than frogs
Texture of Skin
Frogs have smooth and moist skin Toads have comparatively drier skin and it is bumpy
Habitat
Frogs live in, or nearby water their whole life Toads are much more adapted to living on dry land
Webbed feet
Frogs possess webbed feet to suit their semi-aquatic nature Toads have generally do not possess webbed feet
Legs
Frogs have longer legs, they can jump higher and further than toads Toads have relatively shorter legs and can jump, but not as high as frogs

Conclusion:

Frog and Toad are amphibians, meaning that most species spend part of their life on land and part in water. They undergo metamorphosis (meaning change), turning from “tadpoles,” that breathe with gills like a fish, into frogs that breathe with lungs like you! There are about 3,500 species of Frog and Toad found throughout the world. Eighty percent are found in tropical areas, although the wood frog can be found above the Arctic Circle. There are 7 species of frogs and 3 species of toad that live in Connecticut. The Spadefoot Toad is considered an endangered species in our state, while the Northern Leopard Frog is a species of special concern according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Also, read Differences between Frog and Toad.

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