Bufo terrestris
southern toad

Bufo terrestris occupies areas from North Carolina to Florida

and west to the Mississippi River. It is commonly found in the

coastal states of the Southeast. Its westernmost range enters

into eastern Louisiana. The northern range extends into

southeastern Virginia (Wright 1949).

Inhabits sandy areas, cultivated fields, pine barrens and hammocks (Mount 1975).

B. terrestris is a medium-sized toad in which adults of the

species can attain snout vent lengths between 41mm and 92mm.

Males usually average between 42-82mm and females slightly

larger between 44-92mm (Wright 1949). Much larger specimens,

however, have been found on islands along the coasts of Georgia,

Florida, and South Carolina. The most distinguishing

characteristic is the knobs found on the head which are actually

extensions of the interorbital ridges. As usual with a

member of the family Bufonidae, parotoid glands are present and

the skin is warty. The warts are often spine-tipped. The

spotted and mottled dorsal coloration can vary from shades of

brick red to black. The ventral side is lighter. Post orbital

ridges are not in contact with the parotoids but are connected to

them by a backward projecting spur (Mount 1975).

B. terrestris becomes active at twilight, foraging into the

night. Its daylight hours are spent in hiding usually in

burrows that it makes itself. The call of B. terrestris

resembles that of Bufo americanus. The shrill, musical

trill or drone lasts between 2 and 8 seconds with intervals

lasting as long as a minute. A chorus of B. terrestris can be

extremely loud and can be heard at quite a distance away

(Conant and Collins 1998).

B. terrestris generally feeds on a variety of insects and

invertebrates (Bullpine Forestry 1999).

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