How to Tell the Difference Between Frogs and Toads

Most people use the words "frog" and "toad" interchangeably, perhaps allowing for the fact that the former tend to be slimier and the latter tend to be wartier. However, there are some other subtle differences between frogs and toads-and knowing them will make your life much easier when your curious grade-schooler asks you this question out of the blue.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Frogs and toads are both amphibians-that is, animals adapted to live both on land and water. Of the three major classifications of amphibians, frogs make up the vast majority, about 90 percent of all amphibian species (the other types of amphibians are salamanders and critters called "caecilians"). Toads are a sub-classification of frogs, meaning that all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads.

2. Frogs are "slimier" and toads are "wartier." As mentioned above, the easiest way to tell the difference between frogs and toads is to notice the texture of their skin. Because they spend most of their life in the water, frogs have smooth, slippery skin, while (mainly) land-dwelling toads have rough, dry skin. (By the way, it's just a legend that handling a toad will give you warts.)

3. Most toads are slower (and less active) than most frogs. As a general rule, frogs make more spectacular leaps than toads, which are usually content to amble along in ponderous, lizardlike fashion. Also, toads lead a less adventurous lifestyle, generally sticking to the ground, while frogs like to climb (or leap) onto the branches of trees.

4. Frogs and toads have slight anatomical differences. You'd have to be a vivisectionist to see for yourself, but male toads have a vestigial ovary (called Bidder's Organ) that male frogs lack. Also, toads don't have teeth, while frogs do (although you'd have to look very closely to find them). On a more noticeable level, toads tend to be squatter and stubbier than their limber, long-legged cousins.

5. Frogs and toads can be poisonous in different ways. Many frogs protect themselves in the wild by secreting a poison that covers their slimy skin, making them unappetizing to predators. Toads, on the other hand, have poison sacs located behind their eyes, so any predator that takes a bite will learn never to eat a toad again.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't rely too much on a species' name when trying to distinguish between toads and frogs. For example, the green tree frog is actually a toad-and the Colorado River toad is actually a frog!

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on 2/15/2009 I live where their are lots of toads and frogs. I call them all frogs. Now I will pay more attention.