Fall rains can trigger a late round of activity for several Oklahoma amphibians, including the Texas toad. These 2.5 – 4-inch toads may be seen on warm pavement at night, and their high-pitched trill may join other calls heard near shallow pools of water in ditches and fields.
Outside of obvious size and color differences, toad identification often gets narrowed down to the presence or shape of bumps and ridges on the head. The Texas toad has two oval, wart-like parotoid glands located behind the eyes, and faint or absent ridges around those glands. For toads with cranial ridges, the shape and proximity of the ridges to the parotoid glands can be clues for identification.
The Texas toad is considered a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Oklahoma and is primarily found in the southwestern corner of the state. It prefers low-growing prairies and sandy fields where it burrows throughout the winter.
Fun Fact: Texas toads tend to live in drought-prone areas and have adapted to the dry conditions. Adult and juvenile toads burrow into the sandy ground where enough clay is present to hold moisture. And tadpoles can metamorphose into frogs in as little as 18 days!
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