Click on any image to open the slideshow
Anaxyrus terrestris Bonnaterre, 1789
Southern Toad
Synonym(s): Bufo terrestris
Florida native
Southern toads may be found in sandy ares, cultivated fields, hammocks and pine barrens throughout Florida. The range extends through the southeastern coastal plain from the Florida parishes of Louisiana into southeastern Virginia.
These toads can be from 4.4-11.4cm (1-3/4 - 4-1/2 in.) long, spotted and mottled with coloring from brick red to black. The underside is light with no spots. The males are typically smaller than the females. They feed mainly on small invertebrates and are known to eat nearly anything that they can swallow. They are most active at night, often burrowing into the ground during the day.
All North American members of the Bufo genus are now considered by most experts to be of the genus Anaxyrus.
Anaxyrus terrestris is a member of the Bufonidae - Bufonidés, Bufonids, Crapauds & Toads family.
Other species of the Anaxyrus genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Anaxyrus fowleri - FOWLER'S TOAD
Anaxyrus quercicus - OAK TOAD
iNaturalist profile for this species
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
Animal Diversity Web page for this species
Date record last modified: Mar 10, 2023
