Toads and Frogs
Toad has dry and warty skin. |
Frogs and toads belong to different family, namely Ranidae and Bufonidae respectively. These amphibians have some morphological as well as behavioral differences that greatly help differentiate them in the field. Frogs typically have longer hind legs, making them adept at leaping for quite a distance relatively to their body size. In contrast, toads have shorter hind legs. As such they often crawl instead of leap. Some species of frogs – the tree frogs as their name implied, have even adopted an arboreal life style, living primarily in small trees and canopy of the rainforest.
Paddyfield frog |
Frogs have wet skins unlike the skin of toads which is dry with warts and bumps. Frogs in this region are not known to be poisonous like those in south America. Native toads, however, like many of their relatives worldwide, have a poison gland behind their eyes to deter predators.
A tree frog in the rainforest. |
Frogs usually inhabit damp habitat such as ponds, rivers and paddy fields. In contrast, toads often venture into dry lands including garden lawns, far away from water.