Fun Sonoran Green Toad Facts For Kids
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The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis), also known as Sapo Verde Sonorense or Sapo Verde de Sonora in Spanish, is introduced as 'the jewel of the Sonoran desert'. Previously, they were given the name Bufo retiformis by Sanders and Smith, 1951.
They are beautifully speckled with yellow spots on their green slimy-smooth skin. The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis) is distributed in a variety of habitats, with semi-arid regions with a few plantations being their preferred habitat.
The Sonoran green toad's endemic to the south-western United States and Mexico. Pima and Pinal are the two major counties of Arizona where they have originated. They range from west-central Sorona to Arizona. Their eggs may range from 50-200 in number, and the eggs are laid in temporary pools and waters that may last for three days.
The Sonoran green toad's breeding season is the only time throughout the year when they are active and are readily seen. Their breeding season happens to be during the rainy season which is in July and August. For the rest of the 10 months during the dry seasons, they are mostly inactive.
You can also read our articles on African clawed frogs and red-eyed tree frogs.
Sonoran Green Toad Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Sonoran green toad?
Anaxyrus retiformis is the scientific name for a Sonoran green toad, also known as Sapo Verde sonorense or Sapo Verde de Sonora in Spanish, which is a species of toad that belongs to the family of Bufonidae.
What class of animal does a Sonoran green toad belong to?
Sonoran green toads belong to the class of Amphibia.
How many Sonoran green toads are there in the world?
Sonoran green toads are widespread and are easily seen around. Furthermore, their conservation status is Least Concern. However, there have been no studies or evaluation of how many Sonoran green toads exist.
Where does a Sonoran green toad live?
The Sonoran green toad is commonly found in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Their distribution and habitat are known to be variegated throughout the United States.
Their range extends from northern Mexico to the west-central region of Sonora State. These amphibians are found at an altitude of 490- 2,950 ft ( 149.3-899.1 m). This toad species is found all across Mexico, from the western and central parts of Sonora to the southwest of the United States, extending up to the Altar Valley.
What is a Sonoran green toad's habitat?
The Sonoran green toad occurs in open semi-arid and arid regions, and is found in creosote bush flats and washes in saguaro and mesquite grasslands.
These amphibians are sighted frequently after consecutive rain showers where there is the presence of grass and low vegetation within 3 ft (91 cm) water level or even in temporary pools. These amphibians are assumed to be fossorial and they mostly live underground for 10 months, making an appearance only during wet seasons.
The most prominent months for their appearance are during their breeding seasons that start from March and last to August.
Who do Sonoran green toads live with?
These amphibians are solitary in behavior and they generally live underground. However, there is very little information on their occurrences in groups. The few instances when they are seen in a group are during their breeding seasons.
How long does a Sonoran green toad live?
The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis) has a life expectancy range from 10-20 years. However, their average lifespan is considered to be 15 years.
How do they reproduce?
The Sonoran green toad's breeding season occurs in July and August and is during the wet season. Males are commonly seen in their breeding sites after two or three days of rain, where they produce various calls in order to lure the females.
Their breeding sites include low depression pools, cattle tanks, ditches, and creek beds. Males form a group where they produce calls together to attract females.
As a response to the calls, the female toads reach out to the males. The call of a Sonoran green toad sounds similar to that of a buzzer and this call may last up to three seconds.
During their breeding season between July and August, they move from dry regions to wet and aquatic areas. When the female finds their mate, they go into the low vegetation area found inside water.
They mate and the females lay a batch of eggs which is assumed to contain 50-200 eggs. As they breed in temporary pools and waters that tend to dry up, the eggs usually hatch within two to three days. After a period of two to three weeks, the Sonoran green toad tadpole undergoes a metamorphosis.
What is their conservation status?
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN red list, the Sonoran green toad's conservation status is categorized as Least Concern.
Sonoran Green Toad Fun Facts
What do Sonoran green toads look like?
The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis) is a vibrant green colored small toad. This species has a brown or black mesh-like pattern on their legs and rear side.
Moreover, this species has several tiny black-edged lumps or warts on the sides and back. Occasionally, their underside is speckled with black, while usually, the underside is white in coloration. A male generally has a darker throat than a female.
How cute are they?
The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis) is amongst the most vibrant and attractive toads. They are loved by many and throughout Mexico and Arizona, this toad species is known for its adorable coloration and appearance, just like a golden toad.
How do they communicate?
They mainly communicate through vocal and visual channels. They communicate through a call using the Sonoran green toad sound or may even use tactile channels.
How big is a Sonoran green toad?
The Sonoran green toad is relatively small compared to other toads, and they measure 1.7-2.5 in (4.3-5.8 cm) in length. They are around half a times smaller than the American toad.
How fast can a Sonoran green toad move?
The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis), also called Sapo Verde Sonorense or Sapo Verde de Sonora in Spanish, has a decent speed of moving as they easily move and live at an altitude of 490- 2,950 ft ( 149.3-899.1 m). However, their speed has not been evaluated yet.
How much does a Sonoran green toad weigh?
The Sonoran green toad (Anaxyrus retiformis) may weigh around 2 lb (0.9 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
There is no specific names for a male and female toad of this species.
What would you call a baby Sonoran green toad?
A baby Sonoran green toad is called a tadpole.
What do they eat?
They have a variegated diet which includes small invertebrates and lizards. They generally have an excellent appetite status, and they feed on millipedes and wasps in arid places. Their distribution plays an important role in their diet. They primarily feed on mice, lizards, spiders, grasshoppers, centipedes, and beetles.
How far can they jump?
They are really skilled at jumping as they can climb high altitudes. However, the extent of their jumps has not been calculated yet.
Would they make a good pet?
Yes, they would make a good pet, however, they secrete a noxious substance that may cause irritation or be harmful to humans. Otherwise, they are loved as pets by many. There are various Sonoran green toad care notes to follow that provide information about aspects of their care from their diet to the space they need.
Did you know...
The Sonoran green toad is nocturnal and they are mostly active during the night.
Why is it called the Sonoran green toad?
The Sonoran green toad was given this name because of its distribution, color, and native place. This species originates from the Sonora desert of Mexico and is green in color, so they are named Sonoran green toad.
What is unique about a Sonoran green toad?
The Sonoran green toad has a unique web-like pattern of black on green all over its back. Interestingly, they are fossorial species and are not really sighted on the ground regularly. Over time, the threats on their population have increased as the females are used for the pet trade. However, they are not yet endangered.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other amphibians from our Spring Peeper and Blue Poison Dart frog pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Sonoran green toad coloring pages.
Thank you to Kidadler Rod Lippert for providing images of the Sonoran Green Toad in this article.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.
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