Arroyo toad
| Arroyo toad | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Anaxyrus |
| Species: | A. californicus |
| Binomial name | |
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Anaxyrus californicus (Camp, 1915) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Bufo cognatus californicus Camp, 1915 |
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Bufo cognatus californicus Camp, 1915
Bufo californicus Camp, 1915
The arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus) is a species of true toad in the Anaxyrus genus, endemic to California (U.S.) and Baja California state (México). It is currently classified as an Endangered species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because of habitat destruction.
The arroyo toad is a stocky, blunt-nosed, warty-skinned species of toad, 5 to 7.5 cm (2.0 to 3.0 in) long. It has horizontal pupils, and is greenish, grey or salmon on the dorsum with a light-colored stripe across the head and eyelids. It has light sacral and mid-dorsal patches, large, oval and widely separated parotoid glands, and weak or absent cranial crests. The juvenile of this species are ashy-white, olive or salmon on the dorsal side, with or without black spotting. It has red-tipped tubercles on its back.
Anaxyrus californicus prefers sandy or cobbly washes with swift currents and associated upland and riparian habitats, in Southern California from Santa Barbara County south into northwestern Baja California. An arroyo, in the desert called a wash, is a predominantly dry creek or river bed. It fills and flows after sufficient rain, but only temporarily during specific seasons. The arroyo toad inhabits these areas alongside creeks and rivers with shallow pebble-like rocks near sandy terrains. Adults take refuge into the sandy soil for protection and shelter and for deposition of eggs. Areas with very little to no vegetation are the primary target.
The arroyo toad is nocturnal, spending most of the day underground with exception to mating season. During the mating season may be found during the day along the shallows of a pond. It travels by quickly hopping, as opposed to walking or striding. When hunting for food the toad lunges towards the targets, usually ants, and extends its large sticky tongue to trap and consume them.
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