The European spadefoot toads are a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
of frogs, the Pelobatidae, with only one extant genus ''Pelobates'', containing six species. They are native to Europe, the Mediterranean, northwestern Africa, and western Asia.
Description
The European spadefoot toad grows up to in length and is often inconspicuously coloured. They have squat bodies with smooth skin and eyes with vertical pupils. They are predominantly fossorial (burrowing) frogs, which dig into sandy soils. Pelobatidae frogs burrow backwards and they spend much of their time in the ground. They prefer open areas with loose soil as opposed to dense compact soil to facilitate the burrowing and have hardened protrusions on their feet to aid in digging, which is the source of the common name. They emerge from the ground during periods of rain and breed in pools, which are usually temporary.
[
All of the species from this family have free-living, aquatic ]tadpole
A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found ...
s. The eggs are laid in temporary ponds that may quickly evaporate, so the tadpole stage is unusually brief, with rapid development to the adult form in as little as two weeks. To further speed their growth, some of the tadpoles are cannibalistic, eating their brood-mates to increase their supply of protein.
Taxonomy
The seven species of American spadefoot toads (genera ''Scaphiopus
''Scaphiopus'' is a genus of North American amphibian commonly referred to as the North American spadefoots, southern spadefoots, or eastern spadefoot toads. They differ greatly from true toads (those of the family Bufonidae) by having eyes with ...
'' and ''Spea
''Spea'' is a genus of North American amphibian commonly referred to as the western spadefoot toads. They differ greatly from true toads (those of the family Bufonidae) by having eyes with vertical pupils, no parotoid glands, and relatively smoo ...
'') were previously also included in the family Pelobatidae, but are now generally regarded as the separate family Scaphiopodidae.
Family Pelobatidae
* Genus †'' Elkobatrachus''
** †''Elkobatrachus brocki''
* Genus †'' Liaobatrachus''
* Genus †''Eopelobates
''Eopelobates'' is an extinct genus of frogs in the family Pelobatidae. Closely related to the living European spadefoot toad, it is known from the Eocene of western North America, and the Eocene–Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) ...
''
** †''Eopelobates anthracinus
''Eopelobates'' is an extinct genus of frogs in the family Pelobatidae. Closely related to the living European spadefoot toad, it is known from the Eocene of western North America, and the Eocene–Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) ...
''
** †''Eopelobates bayeri
''Eopelobates'' is an extinct genus of frogs in the family Pelobatidae. Closely related to the living European spadefoot toad, it is known from the Eocene of western North America, and the Eocene–Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) ...
''
** †''Eopelobates hinschei
''Eopelobates'' is an extinct genus of frogs in the family Pelobatidae. Closely related to the living European spadefoot toad, it is known from the Eocene of western North America, and the Eocene–Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) ...
''
** †''Eopelobates wagneri
''Eopelobates'' is an extinct genus of frogs in the family Pelobatidae. Closely related to the living European spadefoot toad, it is known from the Eocene of western North America, and the Eocene–Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) ...
''
* Genus '' Pelobates''
** '' Pelobates balcanicus''
** Western spadefoot toad (''Pelobates cultripes'')
** Common spadefoot
''Pelobates fuscus'' is a species of toad in the family Pelobatidae, native to an area extending from Central Europe to Western Asia. It is commonly known as the common spadefoot, garlic toad, the common spadefoot toad and the European common spa ...
(''Pelobates fuscus'')
** Pelobates syriacus
''Pelobates syriacus'', the eastern spadefoot or Syrian spadefoot, is a species of toad in the family Pelobatidae, native to an area extending from Eastern Europe to Western Asia.
Description
The eastern spadefoot is a plump toad with a large he ...
(''Pelobates syriacus'')
Fossils
The earliest fossil genus of pelobatids, '' Elkobatrachus'', was described in 2006.discoglossid
The Alytidae are a family of primitive frogs. Their common name is painted frogs or midwife toads. Most are endemic to Europe, but three species occur in northwest Africa, and a species formerly thought to be extinct is found in Israel.
This fa ...
species.[Foster, J. (2007). "Appendix." ''Jurassic West: The Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation and Their World''. Indiana University Press. pp. 327-329.]
Notes
References
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External links
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q720765
Pelobates
*
Extant Late Jurassic first appearances
Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte
Palearctic realm biota