General Description: Great Plains Toads (Anaxyrus cognatus) are medium sized toads with paired dark blotches on the back. The dark blotches are ringed with light edges. Sometimes there is a light stripe down the center of the back. The cranial crests converge towards the nose and unite to form a boss. There is a well-developed spade on the hind feet. Belly white and more or less unmarked. Males have a dark vocal pouch.
Taxonomy: Order Frogs and Toads (Anura); Family True Toads (Bufonidae). Formerly Bufo cognatus.
Technical Description: Body size medium (to 4.5 inches). Dorsal color light. Blotches dark with light edges, usually in symmetric pairs. Cranial crests form a V between the eyes, then diverge posteriorly between the eye and parotid gland. Inner tubercles on hind feet sharp edged. May have a narrow, dorsal stripe. Ventral color white, usually unmarked. In males, vocal sack is sausage-shaped, large. |