How to Distinguish a Toad From a Frog

Some animals look so much alike that they are often mixed up. We have already written how to distinguish an African elephant from the Asian one, a cheetah from a leopard, and a crocodile from an alligator. This time we are going to talk about another pair of doppelgängers — a frog and a toad.

5-Minute Crafts is going to tell you what the differences are between frogs and toads and what they have in common.

What is the difference between toads and frogs?

Here are the main differences between toads and frogs:

• Skin. If the amphibian’s skin is smooth and moist, then you are probably looking at a frog. If it’s dry, rough, bumpy, and warty, it means you are likely dealing with a toad.
• Nose. Frogs have a slightly pointed nose, toads have a more rounded nose.
• Tongue. A frogs’ tongue is long and sticky — they can stretch it out at a decent distance and use it to hunt for prey. Toads don’t have this kind of tongue that’s why they have to get closer to their prey to catch it.
• Location. Since frogs need to keep their skin moist, they can often be found near water. On the contrary, the skin of many toad species doesn’t need a constant source of moisture. As a rule, it retains moisture better than the skin of frogs. Therefore, if there is no water nearby, you are most likely seeing a toad.
• Legs. Frogs’ hind legs are usually longer than their head and body, which allows them to make long jumps on the ground and quickly swim in the water. Toads, on the contrary, have hind legs shorter than their head and body, that’s why they look squat and rotund.
• How it moves. A frog is more mobile. As a rule, it moves in leaps, which can be longer than its body length. The toad, on the other hand, prefers to crawl. If it jumps, then the leap is less than the length of its body.

What toads and frogs have in common.

Despite all their differences, toads and frogs have many things in common:

• They are relatives. Both toads and frogs are tailless amphibians belonging to the order Anura.
• They have a similar lifestyle. Both toads and frogs, as a rule, are more active at night. Moreover, they choose the same time and place for breeding — both animals spawn in early spring in shallow water.
• They have a similar diet. Both frogs and toads eat a lot of beetles, insects, and woodlice. The slight difference is that frogs also eat a lot of slugs and snails, while toads prefer ants.