What's the difference between frogs and toads?

Answer 1

Generally speaking, though, when we think of frogs, we generally picture what are called "True Frogs"....
members of the family Ranidae, containing more than 400 species.
These frogs have the characteristics of:

two bulging eyes
strong, long, webbed hind feet that are adapted for leaping and swimming
smooth or slimy skin (generally, frogs tend to like moister environments)
Frogs tend to lay eggs in clusters.
Frogs from this family can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They are referred to as the "true frogs" because of their generalized body form and life history: the so-called generic frog.
Members of this family include the bullfrog, common frog, green frog, leopard frog, marsh frog, pickerel frog, and wood frog.

The term toads tends to refer to "True Toads"....
members of the family Bufonidae, containing more than 300 species.
These types of frogs have are characterized by:

stubby bodies with short hind legs (for walking instead of hopping)
warty and dry skin (usually preferring dryer climates)
paratoid (or poison) glands behind the eyes
The chest cartilage of toads is different also.
Toads tend to lay eggs in long chains. (There are some toads (genera Nectophrynoides), however, that are the only types of anurans to bear live young!)
True Toads can be found worldwide except in Australasia, polar regions, Madagascar, and Polynesia, though Bufo marinus has been artificially introduced into Australia and some South Pacific islands.
Besides Bufo, the family includes 25 genera, all of which, like the frogs, are anura!

Answer 2

The frog is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning "tail-less" from Greek an-, without + oura, tail). Adult frogs are characterised by long hind legs, a short body, webbed digits, protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Most frogs have a semi-aquatic lifestyle, but move easily on land by jumping or climbing. They typically lay their eggs in puddles, ponds or lakes, and their larvae, called tadpoles, have gills and develop in water. Adult frogs follow a carnivorous diet, mostly of arthropods, annelids and gastropods. Frogs are most noticeable through their call, which can be widely heard during the mating season.

Toad can refer to a number of species of amphibians.
A distinction is often made between frogs and toads on the basis of their appearance, prompted by the convergent adaptation among so-called toads to dry environments, which often entails a brown skin for camouflage that is also dry and leathery for better water retention. Many so-called toads also burrow, which requires further specific adaptations. However, since these adaptations merely reflect the environment a species has adapted to, they offer no reliable guidance as to what other species it evolved from. Since taxonomy is meant to only reflect these evolutionary relationships, the aforementioned distinction of frogs and toads gives no clue to their classification.

Answer 3

There isn't any real distinction between frogs and toads. Commonly we think of toads as being larger and as having drier skin, but there are small, wet skinned toads, just as there are large, dry skinned frogs. It's basically a matter of convention as to what is labelled a frog and what a toad.

Answer 4

The difference is minimal, and seemingly an arbitrary taxonomic distinction. Basically, toads tend to be browner than frogs, but this isn't a particularly helpful division, as most creatures will adapt to their environment if left to themselves long enough.

One major distinction would seem to be that all toads have two poison glands on the back of their heads. Unfortunately, many frogs also secrete poison, so this isn't as helpful a distinction as it might appear.

Answer 5

Frogs and Toads

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One of the most common questions is, "What is the difference between Frogs and Toads?"

Most are surprised to hear that all Toads actually are Frogs!


Frogs


Generally speaking, though, when we think of frogs, we generally picture what are called "True Frogs"....
members of the family Ranidae, containing more than 400 species.
These frogs have the characteristics of:

two bulging eyes
strong, long, webbed hind feet that are adapted for leaping and swimming
smooth or slimy skin (generally, frogs tend to like moister environments)
Frogs tend to lay eggs in clusters.
Frogs from this family can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They are referred to as the "true frogs" because of their generalized body form and life history: the so-called generic frog.
Members of this family include the bullfrog, common frog, green frog, leopard frog, marsh frog, pickerel frog, and wood frog.
Toads


The term toads tends to refer to "True Toads"....
members of the family Bufonidae, containing more than 300 species.
These types of frogs have are characterized by:

stubby bodies with short hind legs (for walking instead of hopping)
warty and dry skin (usually preferring dryer climates)
paratoid (or poison) glands behind the eyes
The chest cartilage of toads is different also.
Toads tend to lay eggs in long chains. (There are some toads (genera Nectophrynoides), however, that are the only types of anurans to bear live young!)
True Toads can be found worldwide except in Australasia, polar regions, Madagascar, and Polynesia, though Bufo marinus has been artificially introduced into Australia and some South Pacific islands.
Besides Bufo, the family includes 25 genera, all of which, like the frogs, are anura!


Images are from the clip art archive on ftp.funet.fi.
The physical distinctions, however, can easily get blurred because sometimes the features appear mixed or less obvious, and certain species even legitimately fall into both categories. It is not uncommon, for example, to find a warty skinned frog that isn't a toad, or even a slimy toad! Even the more invisible stuff like cartilage structure has been found to sometimes fit both categories!


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Answer 6

Frogs r usually smooth n toads usually have spots

Answer 7

frogs lay their eggs in big blobs all joined up; toad spawn is more like a rope. And you might get one living in your garden even if you don't have a pond! Some dogs (and australians) like licking toads - they have an hallucinogenic poison in their skin. Most frogs in the uk don't!

Answer 8

Frogs live in water and toads live on land. Toads give you warts, so I'm told!

Answer 9

Bull frogs are green, smooth, slimy and live in water.

Toads are brown, have a bunch of brown bumps, are dry and live on the land.

If you have a pet toad, do not force it to live in water.

Answer 10

Frogs spend most of their time in or near water. Their back legs are much bigger than their front legs and they get around by jumping.
Toads only go to water to drink or breed. Their legs are all the same size and they walk or run. Generally they have lumpier skin but this varies with different types.