Frogs and toads may seem very similar at first glance, but they actually have some key differences when it comes to their physical features, habitat, lifespan, and behavior. If you’ve ever wondered how to tell frogs and toads apart, you’ve come to the right place!
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Frogs have smooth, moist skin and long, powerful hind legs for jumping and swimming. Toads have bumpy, dry skin and shorter hind legs better suited for walking and crawling.
Frogs also lay eggs in clusters, while toads lay eggs in chains.
In this comprehensive article, we will compare frogs and toads across various factors like their physical appearance, habitat preferences, movement, lifespan, breeding habits, and more. We’ll help you learn how to easily distinguish these two amphibians so you can identify them correctly in the wild.
Physical Differences
When trying to tell frogs and toads apart, their physical differences can provide helpful clues. From skin texture to egg laying habits, there are distinguishing characteristics that set these amphibians apart.
Skin Texture and Appearance
A frog’s skin appears moist and smooth while a toad’s skin looks dry, bumpy, and warty. The bumps on a toad’s skin are actually poison glands that secrete toxins when the toad feels threatened. The toxins make them distasteful to predators.
Frogs also have moist thin skin so they can absorb water through their skin. Toads, on the other hand, have thicker drier skin that contains fewer mucus glands. This means toads need to be closer to water sources to stay hydrated.
Hind Legs and Movement
A frog’s hind legs are longer and more muscular than a toad’s in proportion to their bodies. This allows frogs to leap 20 times their body length or more. Toads tend to crawl rather than hop. Their shorter hind legs move in unison when the toad is walking.
| Frog | Toad |
|---|---|
| Long, muscular hind legs | Shorter hind legs |
| Powerful leapers | Crawlers/walkers |
So if you see an amphibian making giant leaps, it’s likely a frog. But if it’s walking low and slow, then it’s probably a toad.
Eggs and Tadpoles
Frogs and toads also differ in their egg-laying behavior. Frogs lay eggs in globby clumps. These large masses containing thousands of eggs are called frogspawn.
Toads, however, lay eggs in long strings with eggs spaced singly or in small groups along the length. They can lay up to 40,000 eggs in breeding seasons. Tadpoles also differ – toad tadpoles are darker in color than frog tadpoles.
Habitat Preferences
Frogs
Frogs thrive in a variety of freshwater habitats including marshes, streams, lakes, and ponds. They require moisture to survive and are rarely found far from a water source. Many tree frog species live in tropical rainforests, clouds forests, and wet woodlands.
Other frogs inhabit deserts and get moisture from dew and rainfall. Aquatic frog species tend to lay their eggs in quiet shallows among plants. After hatching, the tadpoles grow in these protected areas. Different frogs have adapted to the specific conditions of their habitat.
Here are some key facts about frog habitats:
- Frogs need access to fresh water for reproduction. Most species lay eggs in ponds, lakes, or slow moving streams.
- Many frogs live in damp microhabitats like rainforests, swamps, marshes, wetlands, and temporary pools.
- Some desert-dwelling frogs survive by burrowing underground and emerging when rainfall provides pools of water.
- Tree frogs inhabit tropical forests and jungles with constant moisture and ample vegetation.
- Aquatic frogs such as the African Clawed Frog live permanently underwater in slow moving streams and ponds.
Toads
Toads prefer drier habitats than frogs and can survive far from water sources. They have thicker dryer skin and spend more time on land. Toads are found in a variety of environments including forests, meadows, prairies, deserts, and suburban gardens.
After breeding in shallow temporary pools or slow streams, the tadpoles grow into juvenile toads that live on land. Some key facts about toad habitats:
- Toads can inhabit drier areas than frogs and are often found far from permanent water sources.
- They thrive in a wide range of terrestrial habitats including forests, grasslands, deserts, and suburban gardens.
- Common toad species dig burrows in loose soil or hide under rocks, logs, or debris.
- Some live in trees and shrubs, descending to mate and spawn in small temporary rain pools.
- Unlike aquatic frogs, they only return to water to breed and lay eggs.
Toads are highly adaptable and inhabit more diverse environments than frogs. They burrow underground or find refuge in trees, rock piles, abandoned rodent burrows, or other dry sheltered areas. Toads survive in drier conditions by minimizing water loss across their tougher skin.
Their adaptable nature allows them to thrive across ecosystems ranging from rainforests to deserts.
Behavioral Differences
Activity Time
Frogs tend to be much more active at night, whereas toads are generally active during the day and at twilight. Most frogs only emerge at night to hunt insects or breed, and they spend the daylight hours resting in cool, damp spots such as under logs or leaves.
Toads, on the other hand, can often be spotted basking in the sun or moving around in search of food during the daytime.
Diet
The diets of frogs and toads also differ somewhat. Frogs primarily feed on insects and other small invertebrates, capturing them on their sticky tongues. Toads eat insects as well but are also known to munch on worms, slugs, small mice, and even fallen fruit they find on the forest floor.
So while both dine on bugs, toads are considered more generalist omnivores with more diverse tastes.
Defense Mechanisms
These amphibians also use different defensive tactics when threatened. Frogs tend to rely on camouflage and leaping away to water or vegetation, using their powerful hind legs to escape. Their slimy skin secretions also help make them unappetizing to potential predators.
Toads, on the other hand, use toxins excreted through their warty skin to repel enemies. The toxins can cause animals that bite them to foam at the mouth and sometimes die. So while frogs bank on speed and stealth, toads willingness to stand their ground chemically deters many foes.
According to one study, their skin toxins may contain up to 15 different compounds!
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Mating Habits
When it comes to mating, frogs and toads have some similarities but also key differences. Male frogs tend to be quite vocal when attracting mates, using loud croaking calls that can travel long distances (National Wildlife Federation). Female frogs then select a male based on his call.
Toads, on the other hand, are less vocal during mating. Instead, male toads will find a female and grasp onto her while she lays long strings of eggs for him to fertilize (NWF). So frogs engage in longer distance communication but toads take a more direct physical approach.
Eggs and Tadpoles
Both frogs and toads lay eggs, but their eggs and tadpoles have some clear differences. Frog eggs are laid in globby clumps or masses that float on the surface of the water (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service), whereas toad eggs are laid in long double strings that sink and tangle in the water plants and debris below (Toads ‘N Frogs).
Likewise, tadpoles of frogs tend to school together in ponds while toad tadpoles are more solitary. Additionally, it takes about 12 weeks for frog tadpoles to develop into frogs, but a much quicker 6-8 weeks for toads due to their normally shallower water habitats (DifferenceBetween.net).
Metamorphosis and Lifespan
The metamorphosis of tadpoles into adult frogs and toads looks quite similar – the tadpole’s gills and tail are reabsorbed while lungs and limbs develop (EcoWatch). However, there are still some variations.
Frog tadpoles tend to be vegetarians, grazing on aquatic plant life, while toad tadpoles are carnivorous from birth. Also, baby toads shed their skin as they emerge onto land, but baby frogs only start shedding as mature frogs.
In terms of lifespan following metamorphosis, this also differs between the species. Most frogs live around 4-15 years while toads can live 10-15 years on average with some species reaching over 40 years old!
Conclusion
In summary, while frogs and toads may seem very similar, they can be distinguished by their skin texture, hind legs, eggs, habitat preferences, activity patterns, diet, defense mechanisms, breeding habits, and lifespan. Frogs have smooth, moist skin for living in aquatic environments.
Toads have bumpy, dry skin for terrestrial life. Frogs are faster jumpers with long, strong hind legs, while toads walk and crawl more. By understanding their key differences, you can now confidently identify frogs and toads when you encounter them.
