''Bufo'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

true toad A true toad is any member of the family Bufonidae, in the order Anura (frogs and toads). This is the only family of anurans in which all members are known as toads, although some may be called frogs (such as harlequin frogs). The bufonids now ...

s in the

amphibia Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniotic, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all tetrapods, but excluding the amniotes (tetrapods with an amniotic ...

n family

Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad This category Category, plural categories, may refer to: General uses *Classification, the general act of allocating things to classes/categories Philosophy * Category of being * ''Categories'' (Aristotle) * Category (Kant) * C ...

. 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 purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined by e ...

containing a large number of toads from much of the world but following

taxonomic 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme of classes (a taxonomy) and the allocation ...

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 The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (''Bufo bufo'', from Latin ''bufo'' "toad"), is a toad found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, parts of Scandinavia, and some List ...

(''B. bufo''). Some of the genera that contain species formerly placed in ''Bufo'' are ''

Anaxyrus ''Anaxyrus'', containing the North American toads, is a genus of true toads in the family Bufonidae. The genus is endemic to North and Central America, and contains many familiar North American toad species such as the American toad, Woodhouse's ...

'' (many North American species), ''

Bufotes ''Bufotes'', the Eurasian green toads or Palearctic green toads, is a genus of true toads (family Bufonidae). They are native to Europe (absent from the British Isles, most of Fennoscandia, most of France and the Iberian Peninsula), western and ...

'' (

European green toad The European green toad (''Bufotes viridis'') is a species of true 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, Western Ru ...

and relatives), ''

Duttaphrynus ''Duttaphrynus'', named after Sushil Kumar Dutta, is a genus of true toads endemic to southwestern and southern China (including Hainan), Taiwan and throughout southern Asia from northern Pakistan and Nepal through India and Bangladesh to Sri La ...

'' (many Asian species, including the Asian common toad introduced elsewhere), '' Epidalea'' (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 species, Introduced ...

'' (many Latin American species, including the

cane toad The cane toad (''Rhinella marina''), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, Terrestrial animal, terrestrial true toad native to South America, South and mainland Central America, but which has been Introduced spe ...

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 Warts are non-cancerous viral growths usually occurring on the hands and feet but which can also affect other locations, such as the genitals or face. One or many warts may appear. They are distinguished from cancerous tumors as they are caus ...

-like structures, the

parotoid gland The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of some frogs (especially toads), and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known ...

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 are toxic. They occur in the parotoid glands, skin, and poison of many toads (True toad, Bufonidae family) 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.
PDF full-text
{{Authority control Amphibian genera