Bombina maxima

Bombina maxima
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Bombinatoridae
Genus:	Bombina
Species:	B. maxima
Binomial name
Bombina maxima (Boulenger, 1905)
Synonyms
List Bombinator maximusBoulenger, 1905 Bombina maximaStejneger, 1905 Bombina (Glandula) maximaTian and Hu, 1985 Bombina (Grobina) maximaDubois, 1987

Bombina maxima, commonly known as the Yunnan firebelly toad or large-webbed bell toad, is a species of toad in the family Bombinatoridae found in Yunnan, China and likely to Myanmar. ^[2] Its natural habitats include swamps, springs, marshes, arable land, canals, and ditches. ^[3] Although easy to care for, handling a large-webbed toad should be kept to a minimum because their skin secretes a toxin that can cause irritation. ^[4] This toxin is rich in active proteins and antimicrobial peptides that are essential in maintaining its innate immunity and protecting it from predators that come in contact with its skin. ^[5] This antimicrobial peptide rich skin is used for local medicine. ^[6]

References

1. Lu Shunqing, Yang Datong, Annemarie Ohler (2004). "Bombina maxima". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2004: e.T161756A5496863. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T161756A5496863.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Bombina maxima (Boulenger, 1905)". Amphibian Species of the World 6.0, an Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
3. Huang, Yan; Zhu, Hong Qing; Liao, Yong Mei; et al. (October 2013). "Age and body size of the toad Bombina maxima in a subtropical high-altitude population". The Herpetological Journal. 23 (4). British Herpetological Society: 229–232. S2CID   90146267.
4. Harkewicz, Kenneth A. (2004). "Maintenance of bombina species of frogs". Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine . 13 (4): 229–233. doi:10.1053/j.saep.2004.04.009.
5. Lee, Wen‐Hui; Li, Yan; Lai, Ren; Li, Sha; Zhang, Yun; Wang, Wen (2005-03-22). "Variety of antimicrobial peptides in the Bombina maxima toad and evidence of their rapid diversification". European Journal of Immunology . 35 (4): 1220–1229. doi:10.1002/eji.200425615. ISSN   0014-2980.
6. Lai, R., Liu, H., Lee, W. H., Zhang, Y. (1 July 2002). "An anionic antimicrobial peptide from toad Bombina maxima" . Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 295 (4): 796–799. doi:10.1016/s0006-291x(02)00762-3.