OK, Who Knows Toads?

[tamrock]

A Bufo toad can kill a dog as we have lost 3 dogs over my lifetime to them. One dog did it 3 times and barely made it through each time. They are a problem here in south Florida.

That's sad.

 

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[Raider19962]

Our dog tried a couple of times to eat one. He spit it out right away, and then tried to get the taste out of his mouth for some time. Now when he sees one, he'll get a sniff and leave it be.

My chihuahua snatched one up for a few moments, but spit it out and then started drooling and his eyes were all wonky. I think he got quite buzz from it, but he never did it again!

 

[Megalodon]

Well, I dare say, I didn't expect this to kick off so much talk. Cool. I broke down and researched myself. I still am not sure of what they were, but I think they are
Eastern American Toad, Bufo americanus americanus

Bufo seems to be short for the Family Bufonidae - The "True" Toads



This is the Cane toad:

Scientific Name:
Rhinella marina (Linnaeus, 1758); formerly Bufo marinus (ITIS)
Common Name:
Cane toad, Giant toad, Marine toad, Giant marine toad, South American cane toad, Dominican toad, spring chicken (Belize)
Photo:
Cane toad, adult - Photo by U.S. Geological Survey

Native To: South America, Central America, Mexico, and extreme southern Texas (NAS Database)

Date of U.S. Introduction: First introduced to Florida by 1936 (NAS Database)

Means of Introduction: Originally introduced to control sugar cane pests; has also been accidentally and intentionally released by animal importers, zoos, and laboratories (NAS Database)

Impact: Preys on and competes with native species; highly toxic to predators (including pets) (NAS Database)

Bufo is the genus for many species of toads - and some are far more toxic than others. Families are usually, but not always, comprised of many genera (plural of genus). Species names themselves are always binomial - and subspecies names are trinomial. When referring to the scientific name in print, the first letter of the genus is capitalized, and the entire name of the species or subspecies it italicized or underlined. Scientific names are important because the common names vary greatly geographically. Some species may have hundreds of local common names.

Every species is a member of a genus, genera (plural of genus) are members of families, which are grouped into orders, then into phyla (singular phyla) then finally kingdoms. For some large groups there are also sub- and super- designations, so suborders would group together classifications that are above family level but are not felt to merit their own orders. Same with subfamilies.

There is a science of Classification itself called Taxonomy and those who classify organisms are called taxonomists. Taxonomists are generally looked upon by those inside the science as either "lumpers" or "splitters".

As can be seen by the info provided by Wrightdigger above, species names often change, based upon the latest research. In some cases, the genus or the specific portion of the species name change back and forth. Then you have to know not only the latest name, but the previous ones - because the old ones will be in older publications. This is why you might see the genus name of the striped bass as "Roccus" rather than Morone, or the genus of the water snake as "Natrix" rather than "Nerodea". There are thousands of examples - but they are all the result of more recent research into relationships among groups of animals.

This is (likely) more than anyone here wants to know about this subject!

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Sorry, the only toads that I know of are associated with sleeping Princesses..

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice photos!

 

[Blak bart]

Bufo marinus is the one here in south florida that has killed so many dogs in south Florida. Tamrock it is a horrible experience to have to go thru.......we hunt them relentlessly here. Patrol the yard around 9 0 clock and shine them with a light and pop them with the old crossman airgun. I wont describe the effects on a dog, but......they either make it or die, they have to suffer through it to live.

 

[Blak bart]

https://wagwalking.com/condition/toad-venom-toxicosis read this if you have a dog in south Florida.

 

[Toecutter]

As a kid we where out fishing a friend decided to use a toad for bait not no little toad either it was a bigger one, well when stuck the hook through its back he went into one of the big bumps and it squirted in his eye, he was screaming about burning and his eye swelled shut and that side of his head was red like a rash, took a couple of days to ware off, same type of toad thats in your first pic

 

[RGINN]

I have heard if you kiss one, it will turn in to a handsome prince. That's all I know,haha! Let us know how that works out for you.

 

[WannaDig3687]

A Bufo toad can kill a dog as we have lost 3 dogs over my lifetime to them. One dog did it 3 times and barely made it through each time. They are a problem here in south Florida.

Bufo marinus is the one here in south florida that has killed so many dogs in south Florida. Tamrock it is a horrible experience to have to go thru.......we hunt them relentlessly here. Patrol the yard around 9 0 clock and shine them with a light and pop them with the old crossman airgun. I wont describe the effects on a dog, but......they either make it or die, they have to suffer through it to live.

https://wagwalking.com/condition/toad-venom-toxicosis read this if you have a dog in south Florida.

Criminetly! I had no idea! So, Florida, Texas need to watch out for the Cane toad and the SW US be wary of the Colorado River Toad.
Reading the article... you have seen your pets go through horrible deaths and the girl (dog) you told me that lived through it three times, geesh, sorry you had to watch all of that!

Thanks for the link.

 

[WannaDig3687]

This is (likely) more than anyone here wants to know about this subject!

No, no, not at all. The more information the better. I’m more interested in learning now than I was as a kid. Please don’t quiz me on it though, my memory isn’t as good as it used to be.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Sorry, the only toads that I know of are associated with sleeping Princesses..

I have heard if you kiss one, it will turn in to a handsome prince. That's all I know,haha! Let us know how that works out for you.

Here all these years I thought it was frogs that turned into a prince. I guess I can stop trying to catch those.

 

[WannaDig3687]

As a kid we where out fishing a friend decided to use a toad for bait not no little toad either it was a bigger one, well when stuck the hook through its back he went into one of the big bumps and it squirted in his eye, he was screaming about burning and his eye swelled shut and that side of his head was red like a rash, took a couple of days to ware off, same type of toad thats in your first pic

Thats not good. I will warn my grandsons.

 

[A2coins]

Cool toad I always have to watch for them when I mow my lawn

 

[WannaDig3687]

Cool toad I always have to watch for them when I mow my lawn

They hang around our barn. At night, they feed on all the bugs that are drawn to the lights.