Sclerophrys regularis

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Sclerophrys regularis
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Sclerophrys
Species:
S. regularis
Binomial name
Sclerophrys regularis
(Reuss, 1833)
Synonyms
  • Bufo regularisReuss, 1833
  • Amietophrynus regularis(Reuss, 1833)

Sclerophrys regularis, commonly known as the African common toad, square-marked toad, African toad, Egyptian toad, African bouncing toad (due to the bouncing motion) and Reuss's toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found widely in the Subsaharan Africa, with its range extending to the oases in Algeria and Libya as well as to northern Nilotic Egypt. [2] Specifically, it is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Uganda. [1]

Contents

Description

The African common toad is a large sturdy toad with a warty skin. Males grow to a snout-to-vent length of 62 to 91 mm (2.4 to 3.6 in) and females reach 70 to 130 mm (2.8 to 5.1 in). The paratoid glands are large and either parallel or kidney-shaped and the male has a single vocal sac under the chin. The dorsal surface is dark olive-brown with dark patches on the back, often arranged fairly symmetrically, and in younger animals, there is a paler band along the spine. There are smaller dark blotches on the upper lip and the eyelids, and the warts on the flanks are often separated by dark markings. The throats of males are black and the underparts of both sexes are white to beige. The call is a rattling sound made up of two pulses and lasting for about 0.9 second. [3] When threatened, they would bounce to confuse (or escape) predators and would also move through water. They also have webbed hind feet to propel through water.

Habitat

The African common toad is an abundant species found in both moist and dry savanna, montane grassland, forest margins, and agricultural habitats. It is often found near rivers, where it also breeds. It is not a forest species but in the forest zone it can still be found in degraded habitats and towns (including gardens). In drier areas it is replaced by other species such as Amietophrynus garmani and Amietophrynus xeros . [1]

Status

The African common toad is a common species across most of its wide range. It is an adaptable species and the population is stable so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed its conservation status as being of least concern. [1] It has sometimes been exploited to the pet trade.

In captivity

African common toads are popular as pets. Keeping 2 or more will require a minimum of a 20-gallon terrarium.

Related Research Articles

Sclerophrys asmarae, also known as the Asmara toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is named after its type locality, the capital city of Eritrea, Asmara. It is found on the Ethiopian Highlands on both sides of the Rift Valley, with the western population extending north into Eritrea. Its natural habitats are montane grasslands, and tentatively at lower elevations, arid savanna. It is a locally common and adaptable species that is impacted by habitat degradation, though probably without posing a serious risk.

<i>Sclerophrys blanfordii</i> Species of amphibian

Sclerophrys blanfordii is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in northeastern Ethiopia, Somaliland, Djibouti, and Eritrea. The specific name blanfordii honours William Thomas Blandford, a British geologist and zoologist. Common names Blanford's toad and Ethiopia toad have been coined for it, the latter might specifically refer to the now-synonymized Bufo sibiliai.

<i>Sclerophrys camerunensis</i> Species of amphibian

Sclerophrys camerunensis is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The record from southwestern Tanzania is uncertain. It is presumed to occur in the Republic of the Congo. Records from West Africa probably refer to Sclerophrys togoensis. Common names Cameroon toad and Oban toad have been coined for this species.

Sclerophrys fuliginata is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. The specific name fuliginata is Latin for "sooty", in reference to the species' appearance of a more or less diffusely uniform exterior color and pattern. It is also known as the Shaba Province toad or sooty toad. It is found in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, southeastern Tanzania, and northern Zambia.

<i>Sclerophrys funerea</i> Species of amphibian

Sclerophrys funerea is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in west-central Africa, from Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and Angola eastward through the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Its common names are Angola toad or somber toad.

<i>Sclerophrys garmani</i> Species of amphibian

Sclerophrys garmani, also known as Garman's toad or eastern olive toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is widely distributed in East and Southern Africa. However, populations north and south of Tanzania might represent distinct species. If so, the name Sclerophrys garmani would apply to populations from northeastern Africa. Furthermore, its southern boundary towards the range of Sclerophrys poweri in South Africa is also unclear.

Sclerophrys gracilipes is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria and east- and southward to southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, northern Republic of the Congo, and northern and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also likely to occur in southwestern Central African Republic and in the Cabinda Enclave of Angola. The holotype was collected from the Benito River in what was then French Congo. Common name French Congo toad has been coined for it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guttural toad</span> Species of amphibian

The African common toad or guttural toad is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Réunion, Somalia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, dry savanna, moist savanna, temperate shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, intermittent rivers, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, urban areas, heavily degraded former forest, ponds, and canals and ditches.

<i>Sclerophrys kerinyagae</i> Species of amphibian

Sclerophrys kerinyagae is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in central Ethiopia, Kenya, northern Tanzania, and eastern Uganda. Common names Keith's toad and Kerinyaga toad have been coined for it.

Sclerophrys latifrons is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, possibly Angola, and possibly Nigeria. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<i>Sclerophrys maculata</i> Species of amphibian

Sclerophrys maculata — commonly known as Hallowell's toad, the flat-backed toad, and the striped toad — is an African member of Bufonidae, the true toad family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berber toad</span> Species of amphibian

The Berber toad, also known as Mauritanian toad, Moroccan toad, pantherine toad or Moorish toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae, which is found in north-western Africa, with an introduced population in southern Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western leopard toad</span> Species of amphibian

The western leopard toad is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. The species is endemic to the low-lying areas of the Cape Peninsula, the Cape Flats and the Agulhas flats of the Western Cape, South Africa.

<i>Sclerophrys perreti</i> Species of amphibian

Sclerophrys perreti is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to the Idanre Hills in southwestern Nigeria. Sclerophrys perreti is one of the frogs declared as "Lost" in 2010. However, it was re-discovered at its type locality in 2013. Before that, it had not been seen—possibly—since 1970, and with certainty, since 1963. Common name Perret's toad has been coined for it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raucous toad</span> Species of amphibian

The raucous toad, also known as Ranger's toad, is a species of toad from Southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African giant toad</span> Species of amphibian

The African giant toad, Congo toad, or Cameroon toad is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, possibly Liberia, and possibly Sierra Leone. The toad's natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, plantations, and heavily degraded former forest. While it is a "least concern" species, it is threatened by habitat loss.

Sclerophrys tuberosa is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, southwestern Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo. Common names rough toad, warty toad, and Fernando Po toad have been proposed for it.

The subdesert toad is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Algeria, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Western Sahara, possibly Angola, possibly Benin, possibly Burkina Faso, possibly Central African Republic, possibly Democratic Republic of the Congo, possibly Guinea-Bissau, and possibly Nigeria. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, intermittent rivers, intermittent freshwater marshes, freshwater springs, hot deserts, and arable land. Its conservation status is assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of "least concern".

Leptopelis boulengeri is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and western Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is expected to be found in the Central African Republic and the Cabinda Enclave of Angola. Common name Victoria forest treefrog has been coined for it, apparently in reference to its type locality, "Victoria, Kamerun", now known as Limbe.

<i>Leptopelis calcaratus</i> Species of amphibian

Leptopelis calcaratus is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, the southwestern Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Common name Efulen forest treefrog has been coined for it.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2016). "Sclerophrys regularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T54747A107349840. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T54747A107349840.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Amietophrynus regularis (Reuss, 1833)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  3. Rödel, M. O. (2001-02-21). "Amietophrynus regularis". AmphibiaWeb. Retrieved 2014-09-26.