amphibians

Iberian spiny toad – Bufo spinosus – Sapo comun Ibérico

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Iberian common toad - Bufo spinosus - Sapo comun Ibérico

A relatively large toad with a total maximum length of about 21cm, though males are rather smaller at 9-10cm and the average female is 15cm. The head is longer than wide, with a short rounded snout, and the area between the eyes is either flat or concave. The tympanum is barely visible, measuring about half the diameter of the eye. The fingers are short, the third being the longest, followed by the the first and then the second and fourth, these latter two being of equal length. There are two tubercles on the palms. The toes are relatively long and flattened.

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Natterjack toad – Epidalia (Bufo) calamita – Sapo corredor

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Natterjack toad - Epidalia (Bufo) calamita - Sapo corredor
  • Family: Bufonidae
  • English: Natterjack Toad
  • Scientific: Epidalia (Bufo) calamita
  • Spanish: Sapo corredor
  • Basque: Apo lasterkaria
  • Catalan: Gripau corredor, gripau
  • Galician: Sapo corriqueiro
  • Portuguese: Sapo-corredor
  • Distribution Iberia: Found throughout all Portugal and much of Spain, including the Pyrenees but excluding the northern Atlantic region and the dry central interior, though present in the south.
  • Further distribution: UK mainland and Ireland, France through Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and southern Swedish coastal regions to Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states, and also in Northwest Africa and west Asia. In the UK and Eire the species is restricted in its distribution and considered endangered. In Ireland, found only on the Dingle Peninsula, and distribution in the UK is almost restricted to coastal areas.

The Natterjack toad – Epidalia (Bufo) calamita – Sapo corredor is a species of Bufo, a large genus of so-called “true toads” traditionally found worldwide, although some authorities have now separated the Old World species from the New.

Description

Epidalia (Bufo) calamita is a medium-sized toad with a total maximum length of about 9-10cm in Iberia. (Elsewhere in Europe the species is smaller, males measuring 8cm and females 10cm). The head is wider than long, with a short rounded snout, and the area between the eyes is flat. The tympanum, measuring about half the diameter of the eye, is usually not visible, and if it is, only the front part can be seen.

Natterjack toad - Epidalia (Bufo) calamita - Sapo corredor
Natterjack toad – Epidalia (Bufo) calamita – Sapo corredor with a faint yellow dorsal stripe

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Pygmy (marbled) newt – Triturus pygmaeus – Tritón pigmeo

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The Pygmy (marbled) newt - Triturus pygmaeus - Tritón pigmeo was traditionally considered a subspecies of the marbled newt (Triturus marmoratus)

Description The Pygmy (marbled) newt – Triturus pygmaeus – Tritón pigmeo was traditionally considered a subspecies of the marbled newt (Triturus marmoratus), although recent studies have shown that morphological and genetic differences between the two, are significant enough to be considered distinct species. The head is flattened, with a broad and rounded snout. The eyes … Read more

Midwife toads in Spain

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Midwife toads in Spain

Midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) are actually frogs, not toads. They belong to the family Alytidae (formerly Discoglossidae), which is a group of frogs that are found in Europe and northern Africa. They are called “midwife toads” because of their unique breeding behavior, in which the male carries the fertilized eggs on his hind legs, but they are not classified as toads. Toads and frogs are both amphibians, but they are different groups of animals. Toads are generally stockier and have rough, warty skin, while frogs are typically more slender and have smooth skin.

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