Anaxyrus terrestris
—
Southern Toad
The genus Anaxyrus was split from Bufo by Frost et al in 2006. This split is particularly controversial among herpetologists, and many references still use the long-established Bufo.
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/FL_toads.jpg)
I joined Dr. Peter May's ornithology field trip this morning. While the students were identifying various Floridian birds, I was poking around looking for more terrestrial critters. This pair of toads were settled in the sand under a discarded piece of drywall.
Southern Toads are extremely variable in color. These two seemed pretty different to me (light tan and deep red-brown), but Peter said these were practically identical twins out of the range of possible colors that this species assumes, from gray to brown to red to charcoal.
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/04050216PD_Southern_toad.jpg)
This half-grown toad was hanging out in the leaf litter near the camp bathroom, waiting for the paparazzi to spread his image to an admiring world.
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/04122604PD_southern_toad.jpg)
Here's a much darker individual that was hiding out under an old piece of tin. Old pieces of tin are a great place to find amphibians and reptiles.
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/13031908PD_toad.jpg)
This toad has found the very best spot on the road, and has no intention whatsoever of abandoning it.
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/13040809PD.jpg)
This lonely male was trilling away in broad daylight. He seemed a little small and young to be involved in the wooing of the lady toads, but maybe I'm just an old fogey.
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/210301127L.jpeg)
This is one fat and happy toad. Pretty, too.
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/221215072L.jpeg)
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/221215073L.jpeg)
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/221215117L.jpeg)
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/221215118L.jpeg)
![Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)](../images/herps/standard/221215119L.jpeg)
Several toads willingly posed on the road this evening, each one prouder than the last.
Online references:
- Bufo terrestris account on Walter Knapp's Frogs and Toads of Georgia
Printed references:
- Ashton, R. E. Jr., Ashton, P. S. 1988. Handbook of Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida, Part Three: The Amphibians
- Bartlett, R. D., Bartlett, P. B. 1999. A Field Guide to Florida Reptiles and Amphibians
- Behler, J. L., King, F. W. 1979. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians
- Carmichael, P., Williams, W. 1991. Florida's Fabulous Reptiles & Amphibians
- Conant, R., Collins, J. T. 1998. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Third Edition, expanded
- Crother, B. I. (ed.) 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, Eighth Edition
- Elliott, L., Gerhardt, C. and Davidson, C. 2009. The Frogs and Toads of North America
- Jensen, J. B., Camp, C. D., Gibbons, W., and Elliott, M. J. 2008. Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia