''Bufo'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
true toads in the
amphibia
Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbore ...
n family
Bufonidae. As traditionally defined, it was a
wastebasket genus
Wastebasket taxon (also called a wastebin taxon, dustbin taxon or catch-all taxon) is a term used by some taxonomists to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined ...
containing a large number of toads from much of the world but following
taxonomic
Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification.
A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
reviews most of these have been moved to other genera, leaving only seventeen extant species from Europe, northern Africa and Asia in this genus, including the well-known
common toad (''B. bufo'').
[ Some of the genera that contain species formerly placed in ''Bufo'' are '' Anaxyrus'' (many North American species), '' Bufotes'' (]European green toad
The European green toad (''Bufotes viridis'') is a species of toad found in steppes, mountainous areas, semi-deserts, urban areas and other habitats in mainland Europe, ranging from far eastern France and Denmark to the Balkans and Western Russi ...
and relatives), '' Duttaphrynus'' (many Asian species, including the Asian common toad
''Duttaphrynus melanostictus'' is commonly called Asian common toad, Asian black-spined toad, Asian toad, black-spectacled toad, common Sunda toad, and Javanese toad. It is probably a complex of more than one true toad species that is widely ...
introduced elsewhere), ''Epidalea
The natterjack toad (''Epidalea calamita'') is a toad native to sandy and heathland areas of Europe. Adults are 60–70 mm in length, and are distinguished from common toads by a yellow line down the middle of the back and parallel paratoid ...
'' (natterjack toad) and ''Rhinella
''Rhinella'', commonly known as South American toads, beaked toads or Rio Viejo toads, is a genus of true toads native to Neotropical parts of Mexico, Central and South America. Additionally, the cane toad has been introduced to Australia, the Ca ...
'' (many Latin American species, including the cane toad introduced elsewhere).
Description
True toads have in common stocky figures and short legs, which make them relatively poor jumpers. Their dry skin is thick and "warty".
Behind their eyes, ''Bufo'' species have wart-like structures, the parotoid gland
The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of toads and some frogs and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known collective ...
s. These glands distinguish the true toads from all other tailless amphibians. They secrete a fatty, white poisonous substance which acts as a deterrent to predators. Contrary to folk belief, handling toads does not cause warts, however due to the poison they secrete, and bacteria on their skins, a person should wash their hands thoroughly after handling one.Penn State University - How safe is it to hold frogs and toads?
/ref> The poison of most if not all toads contains bufotoxin
Bufotoxins are a family of toxic steroid lactones or substituted Substituted tryptamine, tryptamines of which some may or may not be toxic. They occur in the parotoid glands, skin, and poison of many toads (genus ''Bufo'') and other amphibians, an ...
.
Species
Formerly, the genus ''Bufo'' encompassed many species and was divided into several subgenera. Frost et al. (2006) removed most of the species of former ''Bufo'' to other genera and restricted the name ''Bufo'' to members of the ''Bufo bufo'' group of earlier authors.[Pauly et al., (2009). ''Herpetologica'' 65:115-128.] Now, this genus has been reduced to 24 extant species:
Footnotes
References
amphibiaweb.org - Bufo
* Blair (ed.), 1972, Evol. Genus Bufo.
* Frank and Ramus, 1995, Compl. Guide Scient. Common Names Amph. Rept. World
*
* (2004) The history of a Nearctic colonization: Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the Nearctic toads (''Bufo''). ''Evolution'' ''58'': 2517–2535.
* (2009): Taxonomic freedom and the role of official lists of species names. ''Herpetologica'' 65: 115–128.
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Amphibian genera