Toad
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| Toad | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura Merrem, 1820 List of Anuran families |
A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura (frogs) characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and snout-like parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in taxonomy, but is common in popular culture, in which toads are associated with drier skin and more terrestrial habitats than frogs. In taxonomy, toads are spread across families Bufonidae, Bombinatoridae, Discoglossidae, Pelobatidae, Rhinophrynidae, Scaphiopodidae, and Microhylidae. A group of toads is called a knot.
The bumps on a toad's skin help the animal to blend into its environment visually by breaking up its outline. And, although the parotoid glands are often mistaken for " warts", they are present on healthy specimens and are not a result of infection.
