Woodhouse's Toad
A true toad native to the United States and Mexico.
About This Species
Named for American physician and naturalist, Samuel Washington Woodhouse. Upper side yellowish brown, grayish, or olive, with asymmetrical pattern of small dark spots that generally contain 1–2 warts; typically a light stripe along middle of back; distinct ridge bordering inside and rear margin of each eye, the ridges being more or less parallel between the eyes; glandular lump, about twice as long as wide, behind each eye.
More Information:
Physical Characteristics
Head and body length up to about 12.7 cm (5 inches); females grow much larger than males.
Mature male
during breeding season, throat dark and dark patches present on inner surfaces of first and second toes of front feet; expanded vocal sac spherical or slightly elongated.
Juvenile
Light stripe down middle of back inconspicuous or absent; usually some warts reddish; often misidentified as red-spotted toad.
Range
Colorado Distribution: Statewide at elevations below 7,000 feet, to around 8,000 feet in the San Luis Valley. Common.
Habitat
Associated primarily with deep soils in river valleys and floodplains, including irrigated agricultural areas. Burrows into soil to escape drought and cold.
Reproduction
Breeding call
A loud “waaaaaah” lasting about 1–4 seconds and emitted up to several times per minute.
Larvae
Upper side brown or dark gray, often with light mottling/dense gold flecking; head narrow when viewed from above (snout end more pointed and overall body shape more triangular than in red-spotted toad); belly gold with black mottling; eyes high on head; fins mainly clear with sparse pigment flecks, more in upper fin than in lower fin; muscular part of tail dark with light mottling/gold flecking, pale along lower margin; usually 2 rows of tiny teeth on upper lip, 3 rows on lower lip; up to about 35 mm (1.4 inches) long.
Eggs
Deposited in a single or double row within a long strings of single-layer jelly; laid in shallow water, often become tangled in submerged vegetation. Life History: Breeds primarily from April through June, in marshes, rain pools, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, flooded areas, stream backwaters, and other shallow waters lacking a strong current. Larvae metamorphose into tiny toads about 4-7 weeks after the eggs were laid, sometimes as early as late May or early June.