''Bufo'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

true toad A true toad is any member of the family Bufonidae, in the order Anura (frogs and toads). This is the only family of anurans in which all members are known as toads, although some may be called frogs (such as harlequin frogs). The bufonids now ...

s in the

amphibia Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

n family

Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad This category contains both species commonly called toads, and the true toads from the family Bufonidae. Animals by common name Frogs ...

. As traditionally defined, it was a wastebasket genus containing a large number of toads from much of the world, but following taxonomic reviews most of these have been moved to other genera, leaving only seventeen extant (living) species from Europe, northern Africa and Asia in this genus, including the well-known

common toad The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (''Bufo bufo'', from Latin ''bufo'' "toad"), is a frog found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, and some Mediterranean islands), in ...

(''B. bufo''). Some of the genera that contain species formerly placed in ''Bufo'' are '' Anaxyrus'' (many North American species), '' Bufotes'' ( European green toad and relatives), ''

Duttaphrynus ''Duttaphrynus'', named after Sushil Kumar Dutta, is a genus of true toads endemic to southwestern and southern China (including Hainan), Taiwan and throughout southern Asia from northern Pakistan and Nepal through India and Bangladesh to Sri L ...

'' (many Asian species, including the Asian common toad introduced elsewhere), ''

Epidalea The natterjack toad (''Epidalea calamita'') is a toad native to sandy and heathland areas of Europe. Adults are 60–70 mm in length, and are distinguished from common toads by a yellow line down the middle of the back and parallel paratoid ...

'' (natterjack toad) and ''

Rhinella ''Rhinella'', commonly known as South American toads, beaked toads or Rio Viejo toads, is a genus of true toads native to Neotropical parts of Mexico, Central and South America. Additionally, the cane toad has been introduced to Australia, the ...

'' (many Latin American species, including the

cane toad The cane toad (''Rhinella marina''), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central America, but which has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania ...

introduced elsewhere).

Description

True toads have in common stocky figures and short legs, which make them relatively poor jumpers. Their dry skin is thick and "warty". Behind their eyes, ''Bufo'' species have

wart Warts are typically small, rough, hard growths that are similar in color to the rest of the skin. They typically do not result in other symptoms, except when on the bottom of the feet, where they may be painful. While they usually occur on the ...

-like structures, the

parotoid gland The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of toads and some frogs and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known collective ...

s. These glands distinguish the true toads from all other tailless amphibians. They secrete a fatty, white poisonous substance which acts as a deterrent to predators. Contrary to folk belief, handling toads does not cause warts, however due to the poison they secrete, and bacteria on their skins, a person should wash their hands thoroughly after handling one.Penn State University - How safe is it to hold frogs and toads?
/ref> The poison of most if not all toads contains bufotoxin.

Species

Formerly, the genus ''Bufo'' encompassed many species and was divided into several subgenera. Frost et al. (2006) removed most of the species of former ''Bufo'' to other genera and restricted the name ''Bufo'' to members of the ''Bufo bufo'' group of earlier authors.Pauly et al., (2009). ''Herpetologica'' 65:115-128. Now, this genus has been reduced to seventeen extant species:

Footnotes

References

amphibiaweb.org - Bufo
* Blair (ed.), 1972, Evol. Genus Bufo. * Frank and Ramus, 1995, Compl. Guide Scient. Common Names Amph. Rept. World * * (2004) The history of a Nearctic colonization: Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the Nearctic toads (''Bufo''). ''Evolution'' ''58'': 2517–2535. * (2009): Taxonomic freedom and the role of official lists of species names. ''Herpetologica'' 65: 115–128.
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q639022 Amphibian genera