Perhaps, having read the word “toad” in the heading of our article, someone will grimace squeamishly. The mere mention of this amphibian in many people causes extremely unpleasant associations: picking up this creature is unpleasant, because all of his skin is in “warts”, and indeed his appearance is not the most pleasant. But we hasten to assure you that this is not so. If you consider the toad carefully, then you can even feel sympathy for this animal.
Today in the world there are more than three hundred species of toads - aquatic, climbing night, viviparous. But today the hero of our article will be the most poorly studied reed toad. This species is common in Western Europe, and in the territories of the republics of the former Soviet Union it is found only in the Baltic states, northwestern Ukraine and western Belarus.
Reed toad: description
It is an amphibian belonging to the large genus Toad (Bufo). Sometimes it is also called smelly toad (Bufo calamita). She belongs to the order Tailless. Toad, whose photo is not too common in animal publications, is a typical representative of its family, which lives on almost all continents, with the exception of Australia.
This is not to say that it is a big toad. This is a very small animal. Usually there are individuals about five centimeters long. Toads eight centimeters or more in length are extremely rare.
External features
The reed toad has an interesting color. Its back is painted in a light gray-olive color. It is covered with numerous dark spots. A light strip that runs along the middle of the back and head distinguishes this amphibian from the green toad, which is widespread today.
The skin is tuberous, but without spikes. This distinguishes it from frogs, in which the skin is completely smooth and protected from drying out by mucus. The skin of the reed toad is covered with numerous single small glands that secrete a toxic substance. Two more large glands are located near the ears. They are called mumps.
The abdomen is gray-white. The pupils of the eyes are horizontal. Males of this species of toads have powerful throat resonators, thanks to which they can be heard at a great distance. The second and inner fingers are approximately the same size. Males and females are distinguished by the color of their throats - in females it is colored in white, and in males - in lilac.
Defense against enemies
It is no accident that the reed toad received from nature such a modest coloration and poisonous glands. This is the only defense of these slow animals in the struggle for existence. Feeling the danger, the reed toad tries to run away, but when she fails to do this, in fear she pulls herself away from her skin and becomes covered with a white foam that has an extremely unpleasant odor.
In order not to become the prey of a badger, crow or raccoon dog, the toad should be almost invisible. If the predator nevertheless managed to notice the amphibian and grab it, then you will not envy him. A lump of poisonous glands, reflexively releasing substances with a disgusting pungent odor, a very bitter taste, providing an emetic effect - you must admit that only a very hungry predator can be seduced by such a “delicacy”. Toxic substances secreted by the glands to humans do no harm and do not cause the appearance of warts (the most common misconception).
Habitat
We have already said that the reed toad is common in Europe, in the east and north its range reaches the UK, it is also found in the south of Sweden, in western Belarus, in the north-west of Ukraine, in the Baltic states. On the territory of our country it can be seen only in the Kaliningrad region.
Prefers to live in the lowlands. He loves sandy light soils in well-warmed by the sun, dry and open areas. It inhabits the sandy banks of rivers, reservoirs, lakes, overgrown with herbaceous vegetation and shrubs, settles in heathlands.
You can see this toad in the meadows, at the edges of forests, at logging, where it hides under tree trunks, stacked in stacks. The reed toad feels comfortable on farmland (with loose soils). And in the Pyrenees it rises to a height of more than two and a half thousand meters above sea level.
Vivo behavior
After winter, the reed toad is active in late April. As a rule, it is active in twilight time, rarely shows activity during the day, usually it happens in cloudy weather.
During the dormant period (in winter), it hides in burrows or other shelters - in natural niches, under stones, in earthen cracks, and sometimes burrows in the soil. The basis of the diet is insects. During breeding, practically does not eat food. Puberty begins at the age of four. Life expectancy is fifteen years.
The reed toad leaves for the winter in late August, when the air temperature drops to 10 ° C.
What does reed toad eat?
Reed toads prefer to feed on crawling invertebrates: ants, bugs, snails, worms and others.
This toad (photo you see below) is one of the few among its "relatives" who pursues its victim. Sensing the prey, she quickly turns to her side and grabs her mouth.
Breeding
The reed toad breeds in shallow, heated, standing reservoirs densely overgrown with vegetation. Sometimes the female lays eggs in brackish ponds. For breeding, a water temperature of at least +18 ° C is required. This period lasts from the second half of April to the very end of July. Mass spawning mainly takes place in May or June.
Usually during the day at this time, individuals are at the bottom of the reservoir. Caviar ropes have a width of five millimeters with a length of 1.6 meters. In rare cases, their length can reach 3.2 m. They are located at a shallow depth (not more than 20 cm). Eggs with a diameter of 1.6 mm are arranged in two rows. At one time, the female is able to lay up to 5250 eggs.
Larvae grow to 8.5 mm. Development lasts 55 days. The toad tadpole before metamorphosis grows to 28 mm. They feed on detritus, protozoa, phytoplankton and small crustaceans.
Toads of this species grow very slowly. When the tadpole becomes a small but brisk toad, the animal leaves the reservoir. Young individuals that have just entered land are only 1 centimeter long. They climb very adroitly, clutching the abdomen.
Number
In the post-Soviet space, reed toad lives on the eastern edge of its range. This species is distributed extremely unevenly. In some regions, its numbers are quite large, while in others, there has been a decline in numbers and a decrease in habitats.
It occurs in some reserves. This species is protected by the Berne Convention (annex II). In many countries, a reed toad is a rare species. The Red Book of the USSR, as well as the Red Books of Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia, have added amphibian to their conservation lists. The ecology of this species has been studied insufficiently.
