Common Spadefoot Toad

Distribution: Central, Eastern and South-eastern Europe to Western Asia

Size Length: Up to 5 cm

Life Span: 11 years

Diet: Carnivore (Insectivorous)

Social life: Solitary

IUCN red list status: Least Concern



This amphibian has a robust body with a large head and short hind legs. It is identified by its smooth skin, vertical eye pupil, very well developed webs between its toes and spade-shaped inner metatarsal tubercle of hind foot (The inner knuckle on top of its back foot looks like a spade). It also does not have a tympanic membrane. In contrast to the female, the male possesses a prominent oval gland on the upper surface of the upper arm, and has a smaller body.

From the back (dorsal view), the toad has yellow-greyish OR brown-greyish coloration with large dark-brown or dark-olive spots and small reddish points. Its belly is white-greyish without a distinct pattern other than rarely some grey points.



It hibernates beginning in the through autumn (September-November) depending on latitude (higher latitudes lead to earlier hibernations) until March – April, usually in deep (up to 2 meters) burrows in the soil.

Reproduction starts soon after the end of hibernation. The clutch can have up to 3000 eggs. Embryogenesis takes 5-11 days, larval development lasts from 56-110 days. Young tadpoles grow very fast and after 1-2 months attain a size of 35-50 mm and more. Metamorphosis from July – September.

## Keywords
frog, Common Spadefoot Toad, toad, spadefoot, amphibians