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Frogs and Toads (Pelophylax perezi, Bufo bufo, Epidalea calamita)

Diputación de Málaga
2018-04-15, taller anfibios GSM (10)

Frogs and Toads (Pelophylax perezi, Bufo bufo, Epidalea calamita)

Phenology
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Active adults Larvae in the water
Animal Life > Amphibians

Similar But Not The Same

Amphibians that we commonly call frogs (family Ranidae) and toads (family Bufonidae) may look alike, but they are not the same. These amphibians do not have a tail and what they have in common is that they greatly depend on water. However, there are many small differences among them. These will surely ring a bell. Firstly, frogs are very agile. They can leap fast and precisely, but they do not walk. Their skin is smooth, and they live in water or close to it. On the other hand, toads are slower and bigger, with a bumpy and rough skin. They walk and crawl but hardly ever leap, and live on the land, except when they have to lay eggs when they look for water.

An Affectionate Hug

Frogs live during the day and, therefore, have horizontal pupils. They are great swimmers thanks to the webbing between their toes. Toads are nocturnal animals, with vertical pupils. As they hardly ever swim, they have no webbing between their toes. They have bumps on their front feet in order to hold females during fertilization. This hug out of water is typical of toads not frogs. What they have in common is the ability to hear under the water. This is because they have no ears, but only the external eardrum or tympanum. Sound is very important in the life of amphibians.

The Pond's Social Network

Singing is something frogs and toads use to survive. This is how they communicate among each other, warn about the presence of predators and danger or inform that they are ready for mating. Croaking is a kind of alert and messaging system, a social network for all the inhabitants of the pond. Actually, they use a kind of amplifier made of the corners of the vocal sac open to the mouth cavity. Toads do this differently from the frogs too. Frogs blow up the sac bellow their chin and mouth and toads inflate the side corners of their lips.

Relax and Enjoy the Sunset by the Pond

And if you think that frogs and toads have no purpose, you are mistaken.  Not only that they eat a lot of flies and mosquitoes, which are annoying to people, but also they make the water cleaner. However, there is more. Try to spend some time next to the pond or marsh and enjoy the sunset. The sounds you will hear create a calm and peaceful surrounding that will make you feel completely relaxed.

The Great Málaga Path Stages where they can be seen

Bufo bufo can be spotted along stages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34; Epidalea calamita along stages: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 35; Pelophylax perezi along stages: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32 and 35.

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