Anaxyrus cognatus
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Orthokaryota
Cladus: Neokaryota
Cladus: Scotokaryota
Cladus: Podiata
Cladus: Amorphea
Cladus: Obazoa
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Cladus: Filozoa
Cladus: Choanozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: ParaHoxozoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Olfactores
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Cladus: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Batrachomorpha
Classis: Amphibia
Subclassis: Lissamphibia
Superordo: Batrachia
Cladus: Salientia
Ordo: Anura
Familia: Bufonidae
Genus: Anaxyrus
Species: Anaxyrus cognatus
Name
Anaxyrus cognatus (Say in James, 1823)
Type locality: "3 miles west of Holly, Prowers County", Colorado, USA.
Holotype: Originally in "Philadelphia Museum".
Note:
The recognition of Anaxyrus as a genus distinct from Bufo is highly controversial, and has not been accepted by many herpetologists working with this group. For a complete phylogeny of the species in this group and their relationships as a subgroup within Bufo, see Pauly et al. (2004).
Synonyms
Bufo cognatus Say in James, 1823
Chilophryne cognata — Cope, 1862
Bufo lentiginosus cognatus — Cope, 1875
Bufo dipternus Cope, 1879
Bufo cognatus cognatus — Camp, 1915
References
Say in James, 1823, Account Exped. Pittsburgh--Rocky Mts., 3: 55 (Philadelphia edition), 336 (London edition).
Pauly, G. B., D. M. Hillis, and D. C, Cannatella. (2004) The history of a Nearctic colonization: Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the Nearctic toads (Bufo). Evolution 58: 2517–2535.
Frost, D.R. 2021. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.1. Electronic Database accessible at https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/index.php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. DOI: 10.5531/db.vz.0001 Anaxyrus cognatus . Accessed on 26 Mar 2008.
World Conservation Monitoring Centre IUCN: Anaxyrus cognatus (Least Concern)
Vernacular names
English: Great Plains Toad
The Great Plains toad (Anaxyrus cognatus) is a relatively large species of true toad native to central North America.
Distribution
The amphibian is native throughout the Canadian Prairies (northern Great Plains) in southern Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan; and into northern Mexico in the Sonoran Desert and Mexican Plateau.[1][2][3]
Description
The Great Plains toad is grey, brown, and green in color, with darker colored blotching. It can grow to anywhere between 5.1 and 11.4 cm (2 and 4.5 in) in length. Its primary diet is various species of cutworms. It prefers grassland habitat with loose soil that is easy to burrow in. Breeding occurs throughout the spring and summer months, most often immediately after heavy rainfall. In dry areas it may only emerge from its burrow for a few weeks when conditions are right, and usually at night, but in areas with permanent water bodies and abundant rain it may be active all day.[4] Its mating call is a very loud, harsh chirping noise repeated many times, very fast.
Ecology
The great plains toad feeds a range of insects such as lepidopterans, dipterans, hymenopterans, coleopterans, ants, and termites. The toad is preyed upon by the plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix), among others.[3] It uses chemoreceptors to sense chemical cues left by the snake.
The great plains toad occur in deserts, grasslands, semi-desert shrublands, open floodplains, and agricultural areas. When inactive they burrow underground. Breeding takes place in temporary water bodies such as rain pools, flooded areas, and ponds; they can also use margins of reservoirs. The eggs and larvae develop in shallow water and metamorphose after 17 to 45 days.[1][3]
Conservations
The Great Plains toad has wide distribution and is not considered threatened, although it may suffer from road kills, farming, and suburban sprawl, increased droughts, and urbanization.[1]
References
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Anaxyrus cognatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T54612A196333146. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T54612A196333146.en. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Anaxyrus cognatus (Say, 1822)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
"Anaxyrus cognatus". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
Grismer, L. L. (2002). Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 69.
Further sources
Frost, D. R.; Grant, T.; Faivovich, J. N.; Bain, R. H.; Haas, A.; Haddad, C. L. F. B.; De Sá, R. O.; Channing, A.; Wilkinson, M.; Donnellan, S. C.; Raxworthy, C. J.; Campbell, J. A.; Blotto, B. L.; Moler, P.; Drewes, R. C.; Nussbaum, R. A.; Lynch, J. D.; Green, D. M.; Wheeler, W. C. (2006). "The Amphibian Tree of Life". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 297: 1–291. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2006)297[0001:TATOL]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5781.
Pauly, G. B; Hillis, D. M.; Cannatella, D. C. (November 2004). "The history of a Nearctic colonization: Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the Nearctic toads (Bufo)". Evolution. 58 (11): 2517–2535. doi:10.1111/j.0014-3820.2004.tb00881.x. PMID 15612295.
Herps of Texas: Bufo cognatus
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