Category: Amphibians
The American toad is a commonly occurring species throughout the Eastern United States and Canada and they can live almost anywhere, from forest to grassland. One of their interesting adaptations is that the tadpoles have been shown to have mutualistic relationship with Chlorogonium alga, developing more rapidly in its presence than without it. Also, in addition to seeking safety in numbers, their tadpoles produce a toxin to discourage predation.
Learn more about the American Toad at Wikipedia and Reptiles Magazine.
Make sure you retract your eyes 30 times before swallowing!
It has long been known that Frogs retract their eyes and close them while eating, leading scientists to suspect that frogs use their eyes to help them swallow. This suspicion was finally confirmed in 2004, when the northern leopard frog was observed by scientists retracting its eyes while swallowing crickets, actually using them to help push the food toward its esophagus!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
