Toads are warty, squat amphibians often found hopping around gardens or wooded areas. With their wide mouths and sticky tongues, you may wonder – do toads have teeth? If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Most toads do not have teeth like humans or other mammals.
Instead, they have small structures in their upper jaw called maxillary teeth that help grip prey.
In this nearly 3000 word guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at toad dentition. We’ll compare teeth in mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and specifically the various types of toad teeth. You’ll learn about the maxillary teeth, whether all toads have them, and how they use these tiny protrusions to capture and swallow food.
Teeth in Mammals vs. Reptiles and Amphibians
Mammalian Teeth
Mammals like humans, dogs, and cats have different types of teeth that serve specific functions. Incisors help bite and cut food, canines help tear food, premolars help crush and grind food, and molars help fully chew and grind food.
Mammals typically have two successive sets of teeth in their lifetime – deciduous or “baby” teeth followed by permanent adult teeth. The main mineral in mammalian teeth is hydroxyapatite.
Here’s an amazing fact about mammalian teeth – an elephant has four to six sets of molars over its lifetime! As the front molars wear down, they are replaced by new ones moving forward from the back. This helps elephants chew tough plant material throughout their 60+ year lifespan. 🐘
Reptilian Teeth
Reptiles like snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and turtles have repeated simple, cone-shaped teeth adapted for grabbing, piercing, and holding prey rather than extensive chewing. They are set in sockets in the upper and lower jaw bones.
Reptilian teeth are composed of dentine covered in enamel, with a pulp cavity at the core.
One cool fact is that certain snakes like pythons and boas have curved teeth that act like hooks to grip prey and pull them into their mouths. Some venomous snakes like vipers have enlarged hollow fangs designed to inject their toxic venom.
Amphibian Teeth
Most amphibians like frogs and salamanders lack teeth as adults. Their larvae (tadpoles) have small tooth ridges for scraping algae, but these are lost when they metamorphose into adults. However, some amphibians like the giant salamander and aquatic caecilians retain larval teeth into adulthood.
Do All Toads Have Teeth?
Maxillary Teeth
Not all toads (members of the Anura family Bufonidae) have teeth. Specifically, only male toads in certain species develop maxillary teeth during breeding season to aid in amplexus (a firm grip on the female). These teeth are not used for chewing and do not persist year-round.
Rather, they help the male toad cling tightly to the female’s back during external fertilization.
Examples of toad species where males develop maxillary teeth seasonally include the American toad (Anaxyrus americanus), the Fowler’s toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), and the cane toad (Rhinella marina). In contrast, many other common toads like the western toad (Anaxyrus boreas) lack any teeth even during breeding.
Teeth in Different Toad Species
According to the AmphibiaWeb database from the University of California, Berkeley, there are over 500 scientifically described species of toads spanning across six families:
- Bufonidae (True Toads)
- Bombinatoridae (Fire-bellied Toads)
- Pelobatidae (Spadefoot Toads)
- Leptodactylidae (Tropical Frogs)
- Microhylidae (Narrow-mouthed Toads)
- Scaphiopodidae (Spadefoot Toads)
The maxillary teeth seen only in breeding male true toads (Bufonidae) are the only example of any teeth across all toad families. No other species of toads are known to develop teeth, not even seasonally.
| Toad Family | Teeth Present? |
|---|---|
| True Toads (Bufonidae) | Yes, maxillary teeth in some breeding males |
| All other families | No teeth documented |
The Role of Toad Teeth in Feeding
Using Tooth Protrusions to Grip Prey
Toads may not have true teeth, but they do have unique structures in their mouths that help them effectively catch and swallow food. These tooth-like protrusions, also called maxillary teeth, are found on the upper jaw and enable a toad to securely grip prey before gulping it down.
The maxillary teeth are shaped like small, backward-facing hooks that poke out over a toad’s lower lip. When a toad spots a delicious insect, worm, or other prey animal, it will lunge forward with its mouth wide open and use these upper jaw protrusions to latch onto the struggling prey (1).
The maxillary teeth act like tiny grappling hooks that won’t let go once they snag a meal.
In addition to maxillary teeth on the upper jaw, toads also have a structure called the beak on their lower lip. The beak is a hard edge made of keratin that further assists the toad in getting a firm grasp on food.
The maxillary teeth protrusions from above press prey against the beak below for a vice-like grip. This allows a toad to secure food in its mouth without hands or arms. Together, the maxillary teeth and beak give toads an excellent hunting mechanism to catch bugs, spiders, worms, and small vertebrates like mice or tiny frogs (2).
Interestingly, tadpoles do not have these tooth-like structures while they are developing in the water. Tadpole mouths are suited for scraping algae off surfaces, not for gripping prey. The maxillary teeth and beak only emerge once the tadpole undergoes its metamorphosis into an adult toad (3).
These hunting structures are critical adaptations that help toads thrive as skilled terrestrial predators.
Swallowing Food Whole
After toads have captured prey with their maxillary tooth protrusions, they swallow their food whole. Toads do not chew or otherwise process food in their mouths. Instead, they use their powerful tongue muscles to quickly flip the food backward and swallow it, often in just a few seconds (4).
Anything small enough to fit down a toad’s throat is fair game as a meal.
A toad’s wide mouth and expandable belly allow it to ingest prey as big as mice, snakes, or even other smaller toads. The maxillary teeth and beak hold the prey in place while the tongue depresses to slide the food farther back into the mouth.
With a forceful gulp, the toad’s eyes sink back into its head as it swallows the large meal whole (5). Within the toad’s stomach, powerful acids and enzymes break down the food. Then the toad’s intestinal tract absorbs nutrients before expelling any undigested remains.
Amazingly, scientists have documented that certain horned frogs (a subset of toads) can swallow prey up to 1.5 times larger than their own bodies. Their expandable upper jaw allows them to consume massive meals compared to their small size (6).
Evolutionary Reasons for Lack of True Toad Teeth
Toads lack true teeth due to evolutionary adaptations over millions of years. Here are some of the key reasons why toads do not have teeth like other vertebrates:
Transition to Terrestrial Living
Toads are descended from aquatic ancestors that had rows of small, sharp teeth for catching prey underwater. As toads adapted to live on land, their teeth gradually disappeared. Teeth are not as necessary for grabbing terrestrial insects and worms.
The sticky tongue of the toad is a highly adapted tool for catching prey on land.
Development of Beaks
As toads lost their teeth, their jaws hardened into beak-like structures well-suited for holding squirming prey before swallowing. The beaks allow them to grasp and manipulate food items. This innovation made teeth obsolete for feeding purposes.
Need for Speed and Efficiency
Toads have fast, efficient tongues that can snatch prey in a blink of an eye. Teeth would actually slow them down. The split-second strikes of their ballistic tongues allow them to nab bugs and avoid becoming meals themselves.
Reduced Risk of Damage
Having teeth increases the risk of damaged or lost teeth during feeding. Toothless, beaked jaws are more durable with less risk of injury. They also require less energy to maintain and replace than constantly growing teeth.
Lower Metabolic Costs
The loss of teeth over evolution likely conferred metabolic advantages as well. Growing and maintaining teeth requires significant energy investment. Lacking teeth frees up resources for toads.
Care for Toothless Toads
Providing Proper Nutrition
Toads do not have teeth, so caring for their unique nutritional needs is essential. Since they are unable to chew their food, it’s important to provide a varied diet of small, easily digestible prey items.
Mealworms, crickets, and waxworms are excellent feeder insects that can be gut loaded with calcium and vitamins. These should be offered 2-3 times per week. It’s also crucial to provide calcium and vitamin D3 supplements 1-2 times per week to prevent metabolic bone disease.
High quality pelleted diets designed specifically for amphibians can supplement live foods. These pellets are nutritionally balanced and contain all the protein, vitamins and minerals toads need. Soaking pellets in water can soften them up for toothless toads.
Chopped nightcrawlers are another soft food item that can be fed. Variety is key – rotating different prey items, supplements and pelleted diets will give toads the best chance at a long, healthy life.
Habitat Considerations
Since toads don’t have teeth, their enclosure setup should support their unique needs. Substrate is a key consideration. Small loose particulates like sand or gravel can accidentally be ingested and cause impaction, which can be fatal. Large pebbles are also a hazard.
The best substrates are coconut fiber, sphagnum moss, cypress mulch or organic topsoil – materials that are soft and pose minimal ingestion risk.
Providing hides and plants for security are also important, as toads do not have the same defenses against predators as other frogs and toads. Half-coconut hides, cork bark and live/artificial plants help recreate the natural ecosystem they need.
Ensuring proper temperature, humidity and ample fresh drinking water are also critical for any amphibian habitat.
With some adjustments to diet and environment, toothless toads can thrive under human care. Following basic guidelines to meet their nutritional and habitat needs will keep these delightful creatures hopping happily for years to come!
For more info, check out these care guides: https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/toad-care/, https://reptile.guide/toad-care/
Conclusion
While toads may not have pearly whites like us mammals, they do sport tiny maxillary teeth to help them capture and consume meals. Understanding the tooth protrusions in toads and other amphibians provides insight into how these hoppy creatures have adapted overtime.
If you have a new toad friend in your garden, be sure to provide soft foods it can safely swallow whole. With a little habitat care and worm snacks, your toothless toad will thrive!
