23 Types of Toads (With Pictures)
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Toads are a large category of amphibians that inhabit almost every continent. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, ranging from extremely large to very small. You’ve probably spotted a toad before, even if you mistook it for a frog (a common mistake; we can’t blame you).
Below, we’ve included 23 of the most common or interesting toad species. These can be found in different places around the world, so you should find at least one species in your backyard.
The 23 Types of Toads
1. American Toad
The American Toad is a common toad found throughout North America. It is a large toad, with adults growing up to 6 inches long. American Toads are brown or gray in color, with dark spots. They are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, fields, and gardens.
2. Great Plains Toad
The Great Plains Toad is found in the Great Plains region of North America, as you may guess from its name. It’s usually brown or gray with dark spots. It prefers to live in prairies, grasslands, and deserts.
3. Green Toad
The Green Toad is a common toad found throughout North America. It is a medium-sized toad, with adults growing up to 4 inches long. Green Toads are green in color, with dark spots. You can find them just about anywhere, including gardens, fields, and forests.
4. Black Toad
Most toads are named after their coloration, which you’ll easily see from this list. The Black Toad is, well, black. It has a gray body with black markings. It’s found in Europe and Asia and can grow quite large.
5. Amargosa Toad
The Amargosa Toad is a small toad found in the Mojave Desert of North America. It is a brown or gray toad with dark spots. You can find them across this desert region, where they live in salt marshes and sand dunes.
6. Red-Spotted Toads
Red-spotted Toads are brown or gray in color, with bright red spots. They are found in a variety of habitats and throughout much of North America. While they are named after their red spots, these spots are actually a bit difficult to see.
7. Oak Toad
This interesting species is a small toad found in the eastern United States. They are either brown or gray with dark spots. Their coloration is meant to blend into oak trees, hence their name. They can be found wherever oak trees are common, though you may also spot them in gardens and fields.
8. Sonoran Green Toad
The Sonoran Green Toad is a very large toad found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. As you might guess, it is almost completely green. Because it is so large, they tend to be spotted quite often, even though they aren’t super common. You can find them in varying habitats, including deserts and forests.
9. Sonoran Desert Toad
The Sonoran Desert Toad is very similar to the Sonoran Green Toad. However, it has a slightly different coloration. Instead of being green, this toad is brown or gray. They live in very similar places to the previous toad, as well.
10. Dixie Valley Toad
The Dixie Valley Toad is found in the Great Basin of the United States. It isn’t very picky about where it lives, so you’ll often find it in marshes, grasslands, deserts, and just about anywhere else. They eat the same things most toads do, like insects and worms. Because they are small, they typically eat very small insects.
11. Common Indian Toad
As the name suggests, this toad is found in India. However, you’ll also find it in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It’s a pretty normal-looking toad with dark spots on a brown or gray body. They’re found throughout much of India and the surrounding areas, though they prefer to live in forests.
12. European Green Toad
The European Green Toad is found throughout Europe and is quite common where it is native. It’s considered a medium-sized toad, with adults growing up to 4 inches long. They are green, as their name suggests. However, they can have pale skin with only green spots. In Europe, you can find them in just about every habitat.
13. American Spadefoot Toad
The American Spadefoot Toad is a very small toad that’s found in the eastern United States. It’s either brown or gray and usually has spots of some kind. These can be dark or orange (or both, in many cases). They’re found in places with lots of cover, which can include forests and gardens.
14. African Giant Toad
The African Giant Toad is the largest in the world. It can grow up to 12 inches long and weigh up to 7 pounds. African Giant Toads are found in a variety of habitats. In fact, because they’re so large, you can find them just about anywhere. They eat insects like other toads, but they can also consume small animals.
15. Slender Toad
As you might guess, the Slender Toad is very small. It is found in Australia and is pretty normal-looking for a toad. It’s brown or gray with stripes. They catch insects, worms, and similar animals, just like most other toads.
16. Yellow Toad
The tiny Yellow Toad is found in the southwestern United States. It has a dark spot, usually, and is rather bumpy. You can find it in many different areas, including your garden, potentially.
17. Gulf Coast Toad
The Gulf Coast Toad is another small species found in the southwestern United States. It’s a brown or grey toad with lots of dark spots. However, its coloration can vary substantially. It likes the same areas other toads do, such as forests and fields.
18. Natterjack Toad
The Natterjack Toad is an unusually named toad that lives in Europe. It looks similar to several other toads, as it is gray or brown. It often has dark spotting, as well.
These toads eat insects, worms, and similar small animals.
19. Woodhouse’s Toad
This toad is found in the western United States. It’s also brown or gray, like many of the toads on this list. You may find it in your garden, but it prefers to live in the forests or fields.
20. Fowler’s Toad
You’ll find this small toad in the eastern United States. The Fowler’s Toad is brown or grey with dark spots (like a lot of toads on this list). You’ll find it in many of the same locations, too, like fields and gardens. It prefers moist areas with lots of coverage.
21. Texas Toad
The Texas Toad is found in (you guessed it) Texas. It’s also found in the surrounding states and is technically native to much of the southeastern United States. It’s found in a range of different habitats, including deserts, forests, and grasslands. It isn’t particularly picky about where it lives.
22. Houston Toad
The Houston Toad is a very small toad that’s named after the capital of Texas. It’s also found in the southeastern United States. It’s brown or reddish, with dark spots covering its belly. It’s a bit of an unusual toad for this reason.
23. Surinam Toad
The Surinam Toad is a unique toad found in South America. It’s very different from the other toads on this list, making it easy to identify. It is almost completely flat and lays its eggs on its back. The tadpoles live on their mother’s back until they turn into adult toads.
Related Reads:
- What Do Toads Eat? Vet-Reviewed Diet Facts & FAQ
- How Long Can Toads Go Without Eating? Vet-Reviewed Facts & FAQ
Final Thoughts
There are hundreds of toad species in the world today—and those are just the ones we’ve found. In all reality, there are likely plenty of other toad species that science has yet to identify and name. We’re still finding new species all the time.
You probably have several different species that can be found in your own backyard.
Featured Image Credit: Mike Raube-Boyer, Shutterstock
