''Bufo eichwaldi'', commonly known as Eichwald's toad or the Talysh toad, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of true toads in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad This category contains both species commonly called toads, and the true toads from the family Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad This category contains both species commonly called toads, and the true toads from the family Bufonidae {{Cat m ...

. It was first described by Litvinchuk, Borkin, Skorinov and Rosanov in 2008 and is found in the

Talysh Talysh may refer to: *Talysh people * History of Talysh *Talysh language *Talysh Khanate, in existence from 1747 to 1828 *Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic, a self-declared autonomy, which existed briefly in the south of Azerbaijan in 1993 *Talysh ...

and

Elburz The Alborz ( fa, البرز) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs nort ...

Mountains in

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

and parts of northern

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. It was previously considered to be a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of the

Caucasian toad The Caucasian toad (''Bufo verrucosissimus'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lebanon, Iran, Russia, and Turkey. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland ...

(''Bufo verrucosissimus'').

Description

''Bufo eichwaldi'' is a large toad much resembling ''Bufo verrucosissimus'' in appearance. It is a uniform dull brownish grey colour and has large round tubercles on its back and smaller ones on its belly. It differs from ''B. verrucosissimus'' in that the body has different proportions, the head has an abrupt, unrounded snout and 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 ...

has black markings where it touches the tympanum. The male has dark spots on its otherwise pale belly and is considerably smaller than the female.

Distribution and habitat

''Bufo eichwaldi'' is believed to occur in south east Azerbaijan and northern Iran in the Talysh and Elburz Mountains. It also occurs in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces in Iran near the Caspian Sea. It lives at heights ranging up to about above sea level. Its habitat is broad-leaved forests but it is also sometimes found in lowland swamps and gardens.

Biology

Nowhere is ''Bufo eichwaldi'' abundant or easily seen as it hides during the day, emerging after nightfall to forage for small invertebrates. Breeding takes place in shallow waters at the edge of springs. In Azerbaijan, newly metamorphosed juveniles have been seen in June and July when they are about long.

Status

The

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biologi ...

lists this species as vulnerable. It is believed to have declined by 30% over the last 24 years and has low densities in fragmented populations in a range of about of mountain territory. It is threatened by habitat loss as the forests in which it lives are being felled for timber.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q772335 eichwaldi Amphibians described in 2008 Amphibians of Azerbaijan Amphibians of Iran