European green toad

European Green Toad
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Bufonidae
Genus:	Bufo
Species:	B. viridis
Binomial name
Bufo viridis (Laurenti, 1768)

Bufo viridis

Mating call of the European Green Toad

The species group of the green toads (‘Bufo viridis or Pseudepidalea virdis subgoup) is an anuran group toad found in mainland Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. They live in many areas, including steppes, mountainous areas, semi-deserts, and urban areas. They comprise at least 12 major evolutionary lineages, and there are variations in the colors and patterns of these toads across their range. The spots on their backs are usually anything from green to dark brown and sometimes red spots appear, too. Most toads have white or very lightly colored stomachs.

The toads eat a variety of insects and invertebrates, mainly crickets, meal worms, small butterflies, earthworms, moths, beetles and caterpillars.

European green toads (B. viridis) will change their color in response to heat and light changes, but to a greater degree than others. Also similar to other toads, the European Green Toad has glands behind its neck that secrete a toxin when the toad is threatened. Female toads are larger than males and can lay 9,000 to 15,000 eggs at a time. They can reach a maximum size of 6 inches, but growth to this size is rare.

References

• C. Colliard, A. Sicilia, G.F. Turrisi, M. Arculeo, N. Perrin and M. Stöck: Strong reproductive barriers in a narrow hybrid zone of West-Mediterranean green toads (Bufo viridis subgroup) with Plio-Pleistocene divergence. BMC Evolutionary Biology 10 (2010): 232 (16 pp.) http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/232
• Stöck, Matthias (02-06-06). "Evolution of mitochondrial relationships and biogeography of Palearctic green toads (Bufo viridis subgroup) with insights in their genomic plasticity". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 41 (3): 663–689. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.026. PMID 16919484. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Stöck, Matthias (23-02-08). "Post-Messinian evolutionary relationships across the Sicilian channel: Mitochondrial and nuclear markers link a new green toad from Sicily to African relatives". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 56: 56. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-8-56. ISSN 1471-2148. OCLC 47657384. PMC 2276203. PMID 18294389. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
• "IUCN Red List - Pseudepidalea virdis (Green Toad)". Retrieved 2009-09-12.