April 2021 - 20
T
here's a folk tale that dates
back several centuries
in European literature. It
tells the story of a maiden who
encounters an amphibian that's
been placed under a magic spell.
The web-footed creature is an
elegant prince cursed to inhabit
the animal's body. Some strains
of the story mark the handsome
young man's avatar as a frog. In
others he's a toad.
Just like fairy tales that aren't consistent, lots of
current-day outdoor folks have a tough time distinguishing between the toad and frog family in
the realm of amphibians. But Wendy Estes-Zumpf,
Wyoming Game and Fish Department herpetological
coordinator, said distinguishing between the two
families of amphibians is usually quite easy.
Frog or Toad?
The first clue in the frog versus toad equation is
locomotion.
" Toads make me laugh, " Estes-Zumpf said. " They
are really kind of clumsy. "
So, if you see an amphibian make a long, elegant
leap, it's a frog. If the creature crawls or makes a
clumsy hop, it's a toad. Frogs have longer hind legs,
making them more athletic than toads. Many frogs
can hop an incredible 20 times their body length,
a feat roughly equivalent to a human jumping over
100 feet. Rocket frogs found in Australia can leap 50
times their body length. While frogs hop everywhere
they go on their highly-developed hind legs, toads
have short rear legs, better for walking than hopping.
Toads and frogs are also distinguished by other
characteristics. In general, toads live in drier environments than water-loving frogs, although they do need
water in which to lay their eggs. Toads' skin exhibit
bumps and bulges, a characteristic responsible for
the erroneous belief that handling these creatures
can give humans warts. Frogs have a smooth, often
shiny or slimy appearing skin.
" Typically, toads have dry skin with lots of raised
warts often surrounded by colored blotches, " EstesZumpf explained. " The skin of frogs is moist. "
However, Estes-Zumpf noted some frogs in
20 | April 2021
The northern leopard frog is found across Wyoming.
Tadpoles of this species metamorphose in 14-60 days.
(Photo by Wes Uncapher)
April 2021
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