Sonaran Green Toad

The vividly colored the Sonaran Green Toad is a close relative of the Red spotted toad. At 2 inches in length, it is second only to the narrow mouth toad in it is the diminutive size. Amongst the Sonoran desert amphibian. Their green warty skin adorned with black reticulations and large parotid glands help distinguish the species from other Sonoran desert amphibians. Sonoran green toads are one of the few amphibian species whose distribution is wholly confined to the Sonoran desert. They extend as far North as Southern Miracle County in Arizona.

These toads it relatively small prey focusing their diet on ants, small beetles and termites. Sonoran green toads typically give their buzzer-like call from the edge of the water. The inflated vocal sac acts as a megaphone amplifying the color of the toad. A satellite male has taken up a position near a calling male. Satellite males are toads that do not call, but rather stick to its pointy efforts of the another poor vocal male. They still hear the calling male in hopes to intercept and steal away any female that may respond to the efforts of the calling male. Female toads select their mates on a variety of criteria all of which are not fully understood by biologist. What is known is that the vocalizations of calling male toads are a representation of genetic fitness and females make their selection based on his performance.



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