Differences Between Frogs and Toads

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Introduction

At first glance toads and frogs may seem similar. Both frogs and toads belong to the same order known as Anura, and are in the amphibian class. However, frogs and toads are spilt into different families. They also have many different characteristics, behaviors, and physical traits. So, without further ado, let’s hop into the differences between frogs and toads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Physical Traits

  • Frog skin will have a smooth appearance to it. A toad’s skin will have a bumpy appearance that will look like it is covered in warts.
  • A toad’s body will have a short stubby appearance, while frogs have an athletic slender build. 
  • Frogs have very long hind legs that are longer than the frog’s body and head.  Toads have short hind legs which will be shorter than their body and head.
  • A frogs feet will be webbed or have sticky pads. Toads normally do not have feet with sticky pads or webbing.
  • The eyes of a toad are lower on the body and often shaped like a football. The eyes of a frog are higher up on the body and are often rounder then a toad’s eyes. 

 

Photo Credit Mokele

 

 

 

                                                                                         Photo Credit Scrumshus

Behavior

  • Frogs jump very high and each jump covers a greater distances then a toad’s jump. A toad will take smaller jumps that only cover short distances.
  • A frog’s main form of movement is hopping, while a toad’s main form of movement is crawling.
  • A frog will spend much of his time in the water. Frogs are often found near ponds, lakes, or slow moving streams. A toad will spend a majority of his time out of the water. Toads are often found in dry areas.
  • Frogs are social creatures that are often found in groups, while toads tend to be more solitary. “Have you noticed that when you walk by a pond you often see multiple frogs around the same area?”

 

 Photo Credit Tarquin

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                               Photo Credit James Lindsey

Difference between Frog and Toad Eggs

  • When laying eggs frogs will locate water sources that are free of predators like fish. Toad eggs have a toxic secretion on them that smells bad to predators. So, toads do not look for predator free breeding sites.
  • Frog eggs are laid in clusters, while toad eggs are laid in a shape that resembles long chains.
  • In many frog species the male frogs will defend his eggs, while toads do not defend their eggs. 
  • Frogs are preyed upon by many different species. Toads have less predators, which is due to the toad’s skin. The skin of a toad has a bitter smell and taste that will burn the eyes and mouth of most predators. One species of predator that is immune to this is the garter snake. 

How Many Species of Frogs and Toads Live in Pennsylvania?

According to the American Museum of Natural History there are 6,482 species of frogs and toads in the world. Pennsylvania is home to 13 species of frogs and 3 species of toads. “A very small percent. I know.”

 
 Photo Credit Bruce Lucas

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           Photo Credit Charlesjsharp

How Many Species of Frogs and Toads have I seen in my Backyard?  

During my time in PA I have seen the following frogs and toads in my backyard
Toads: American toad.
Frogs: bull frog, green frog, spring peeper, grey tree frog, Eastern cricket frog, pickerel frog, wood frog, and Northern leopard frog.

Conclusion

Frogs and toad are two species of amphibians that are very similar, and yet very different. During this post we covered some of the different physical traits, and behaviors frogs and toads have. We also covered how frog and toad eggs differ. I hope this post has shown you the differences between frogs and toads. Join me next time as we explore wildlife in my backyard and other nature topics.

 References and Additional Resources 

DLTK. (2018). FROGS vs. TOADS. Retrieved from http://www.kidzone.ws/lw/frogs/facts8.htm
Elizabeth, K. (2017). Differences between Frog Eggs & Toad Eggs. Retrieved from http://animals.mom.me/differences-between-frog-eggs-toad-eggs-6513.html
FROGLAND. (n.d.). Frogs and Toads. Retrieved from 
http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/frogtoad.html
Live Science. (n.d.). Facts About Frogs & Toads. Retrieved from 
https://www.livescience.com/50692-frog-facts.html

Photo Credit and References

  Bruce Lucas - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26572253
Charlesjsharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49732314
James Lindsey at Ecology of Commanster, CC BY-SA 3.0, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1634120
Live Science. (n.d.). Facts About Frogs & Toads. Retrieved from 
https://www.livescience.com/50692-frog-facts.html
Mokele - Own work, CC BY 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14710011
 Scrumshus - Own work, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2192744
Tarquin at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=167358

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