Frog or Toad

Recently I heard a "booming" sound I realised must be a frog although it sounded "weird". On closer inspection of a nearby pond, I "discovered" this creature and realised it must be a toad.


It didn't "like" my pressence and swam off, but at least I got a good "shot" of it - so that at home and with the help of some "investigation", I could possibly identify it. By now I know that it's a Red toad, recognisable by two dark spots in the middle of its back, as well as by its reddish-brown colour and a dark ridge along each flank.


As I was still "looking" for more "objects" to photograph, 2 heads suddenly popped up. My first reaction? Did frogs/toads - like baboons or monkeys - carry their young on the back?



Another look of these 2 - which I now know are Red toads - viewed from a different angle . . .




. . . when at home and after "closer inspection", I realised it were 2 toads mating - even if the 1 "on top" (= the male) is much smaller than the female. I realised this because I "detected" a long chain of eggs, as I learned toads tend to lay!!



I photographed this toad in our garden quite a while ago and by the "look of it", eventually identified it as a Guttural toad . . .


. . . so when we regularly had a nightly "visitor" in our dog's water-bowl, I simply assumed it also was a Guttural toad - but now I'm aware, after "meeting" Red toads (see above), that this is/was also a Red toad. Quite "ironic" (isn't it?) since its inside a red bowl :)

Frog or toad? I've indicated that I'm no expert at identifying amphibians (in contrast to wild animals and birds) but after quite a (photo) collection of aquatic creatures, I did some research and now believe that this is a frog - because: it has 2 bulging eyes and long, webbed hind feet = frog-characteristics. I also think it's a Cape River frog, because: I "found" it in a pond on the Cape Peninsula and its long legs, as well as its "colouring", seem to confirm this.




I "know" that this is a Tree frog simply because someone, who should know, told me so - LOL



Frog or toad? Just as was the case with lizards [SEE: e.g. entry on this blog Sat, 31 Jan 2009] where I "learnt" to distinguish between agamas, geckos, skinks, etc, I now try to "become more familiar" with amphibians. So now I know that toads are 1 of many families of frogs and that often, its a "matter of the eyes"!



Frog or toad? It's such a tiny creature but I think it's not a toad - because of its size!?