Frog and Toad Comparison Table for Easy Learning
To learn about the difference between frogs and toads, let’s get introduced to both the animals. Frog and Toad are members of the carnivorous group of animals that belong to the amphibians category of vertebrates. They need water and a moist environment to survive and can also breathe and absorb water through their thin skin. Being amphibians, they have dual home, land, and water and comprise special glands that can produce useful proteins. Some other animals that are amphibians include salamanders, blindworms and newts.
What is a Frog?
A frog is an amphibian from the large carnivorous group of animals and it is tailless and short-bodied. Frogs can be found in the regions of the tropics to the subarctic and the maximum can be found in the tropical rainforest. Warty frogs are termed as toads. Therefore, it’s said that all toads are frogs whereas all frogs are not toads.
We will further discuss the difference between frog and toad in more detail in this article. An adult frog has a stout body with protruding eyes and limbs are folded underneath. They have anteriorly attached tongue and glandular skin. The secretions from the skin may be toxic and distasteful. Adult frogs do live in freshwater and dry land and some of them are adapted to live underground or terrestrial.
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Frog Characteristics
Frogs are animals that are closely associated with water and a very humid environment. There are ectodermal glands throughout the body in a particular layer of frog skin. In some cases, these glands secrete poison. Usually, the parotid gland is behind the eye. The venom gland does not always work by contact, but most of the time it works when a threat is felt. Certain species of frogs are one of the most toxic animals on the planet. The frog also has an adhesive gland on the sucker of the finger. They use this to scale different surfaces. Frogs have lungs that they use to take up oxygen, but they can also take it through the membranes of the skin.
Generally, the skin of a frog is smooth and always moist. Your limbs are generally long and slender, and your body is not very sturdy. There are exceptions to these general rules. They can come in different colors and often the brightest ones are the most toxic, and recently the first bioluminescent frogs were discovered.
What is a Toad?
A toad is an amphibian animal from the family Bufonidae which has dry and leathery skin with short legs and bumps (also called warts) that cover parotoid glands. Besides the family Bufonidae, it also belongs to families Calyptocephalella, Bombinatoridae, Myobatrachidae, Microhylidae, Rhinophrynidae, and Scaphiopodidae.
Compared to frogs, a toad is found in terrestrial habitats and has drier and rougher skin. Toads are known to travel to all areas of the ponds and lakes including breeding and non-breeding areas. They do not mate with close kin and females recognize the kins by the difference in male vocalizations. A toad also belongs to the same order Anura (tailless) as that of a frog.
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Toad Characteristics
Toads are generally less dependent on bodies of water than frogs because of their rough skin and hundreds of warts. They prefer muddy areas but they can live in ponds and lagoons as well where they can dig into the terrain and protect themselves from dryness. This is especially important during the dry and drought seasons.
Also, toads can be spurred. These are hind leg ridges that help you set them up better when jumping or holding the females during mating. Toads are generally considered to be more terrestrial. They usually hop around, but they also use all their four limbs as well. Arboreal frogs are often considered real frogs.
What is the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad?
We have put a frog and toad difference below in a tabular form according to their characteristics. It will help you to easily identify toads vs frogs next time you find them in front of your eyes.
Tadpoles
We just found out how the tadpoles of frogs and toads differ in their appearance. Let’s learn more about tadpoles. Frogs and toads reproduce by laying eggs and these eggs are hatched to form aquatic larvae known as tadpoles. Tadpoles have internal gills and tails with highly specialized mouthparts. They later metamorphose into adults and the life cycle is completed. A tadpole is also called a pollywog and is fully aquatic, however, rare tadpoles of a few amphibians can be terrestrial.
Conclusion
Understand what frogs and toads are and then focus on their differences. Follow the tabulated form of this difference between these two animals. Refer to clear images of these animals to understand their differences well.
FAQs on Frog vs Toad: What Sets Them Apart?
1. What are the main physical differences between a frog and a toad?
Frogs and toads, while both amphibians, have several key physical differences. The most noticeable distinctions are:
- Skin: Frogs typically have smooth, moist, and slimy skin that helps them absorb water. Toads, on the other hand, have thick, dry, and bumpy (or warty) skin, which allows them to live in drier environments.
- Body Shape: Frogs generally have a slender, athletic build. Toads are usually stout and stocky.
- Legs: Frogs possess long, powerful hind legs designed for high jumping and swimming. Toads have shorter hind legs, making them better suited for walking or short hops.
- Eyes: Frogs often have large, bulging eyes positioned high on their head. A toad's eyes are typically less prominent.
2. How do the habitats of frogs and toads typically differ?
The primary difference in habitat is their dependence on water. Frogs, with their permeable skin, must live in or very close to water sources like ponds, lakes, and streams to stay hydrated. In contrast, toads have thicker skin that retains water more effectively, allowing them to live in drier, more terrestrial environments such as forests, fields, and gardens. However, both must return to water to lay their eggs.
3. What is the difference in the way frogs and toads move?
Their movement styles are adapted to their body structures. Frogs use their long, powerful hind legs to take long, high jumps. This is an effective way to escape predators and catch prey. Toads, with their shorter legs, typically move by walking or taking short hops along the ground. They are less agile jumpers compared to frogs.
4. Are frogs or toads poisonous?
Many toads and some frogs are poisonous, but not venomous. This means the toxin must be ingested or absorbed to be harmful, rather than being injected. Most true toads have prominent glands behind their eyes called parotoid glands. When threatened, these glands secrete a milky, toxic substance called bufotoxin. While some frog species, like the Poison Dart Frog, are highly toxic, most common frogs are harmless. The toxicity in toads is a defence mechanism against predators.
5. How can you tell the difference between frog eggs and toad eggs?
You can distinguish between them by how they are laid in the water. Frogs lay their eggs in a large, jelly-like cluster or clump, which often floats on the water's surface or is attached to aquatic plants. Toads, however, lay their eggs in long, parallel chains or strings that can be draped over underwater vegetation or settled on the bottom of the pond.
6. Why do frogs have slimy skin while toads have dry, warty skin?
The skin difference is a crucial adaptation to their lifestyles. A frog's slimy skin is coated in mucus, which is vital for cutaneous respiration (breathing through the skin) and preventing dehydration, as they live near water. A toad's dry, warty skin is thicker and less permeable, which reduces water loss and allows them to survive on land, far from a constant water source. The 'warts' are not true warts but are glands, some of which produce toxins.
7. Are toads a completely different type of animal from frogs?
Scientifically speaking, all toads are a type of frog. The term 'frog' refers to the entire order Anura. 'Toad' is a common name used to describe frogs that have classic toad-like features, such as warty skin and a stout body, most notably those from the family Bufonidae (true toads). Therefore, while we use the names to highlight their differences, from a classification standpoint, it's a case of 'all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads'.
8. Can you really get warts from touching a toad?
No, this is a common myth. The bumps on a toad's skin are not warts and cannot be transmitted to humans. These bumps are actually glands, with the most prominent being the parotoid glands that secrete toxins for defence. Human warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which has no connection to amphibians. However, it's always wise to wash your hands after handling any wild animal to avoid transferring bacteria or potential toxins to your mouth or eyes.
