True Toads, also known as the Bufonidae family, are a group of amphibians characterized by their stout bodies, short legs, and dry, warty skin. They are widely distributed across various terrestrial and semi-aquatic habitats worldwide, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
These toads typically have a broad head with large parotoid glands behind the eyes, which secrete toxic substances as a defense mechanism against predators. The warts found on their skin often contain glands that produce additional toxins, making them unpalatable or even deadly to potential predators.
True toads are predominantly nocturnal, spending their days hiding in burrows, leaf litter, or other sheltered areas and emerging at night to feed on insects, spiders, small invertebrates, and sometimes small vertebrates. Their diet varies depending on their size, habitat, and availability of prey.
Breeding is an important aspect of their lifecycle. True Toads reproduce through external fertilization, with males emitting a distinct, high-pitched trill to attract females during the mating season. Females lay eggs in long strands or clusters in water bodies, which hatch into tadpoles. These tadpoles undergo metamorphosis and eventually develop into terrestrial adults.
True Toads play a vital role in ecosystems, serving as both predators and prey. They contribute to controlling populations of insects and other invertebrates, and they also serve as a food source for numerous predators, including birds, snakes, and mammals. Their populations and habitats, however, are frequently threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and the spread of invasive species.
