Southern Toad vs. American Toad

The two meet along the inland edge of the Southern Toad's range, from Virginia to Mississippi, and hybridize there; in Louisiana American Toads are few, in the north. A: Tall cranial crests with large, horn-like knobs behind the eyes (biggest in mature females) in the Southern Toad; lower crests; the knob behind the eye relatively smaller in the American Toad. B: Moderately large calf warts compared with the thigh warts in the Southern Toad; very large calf warts, much bigger than the thigh warts in the American Toad. C: Many enlarged warts in the largest spots; the spots often long and streaky in the Southern Toad; usually one or two enlarged warts in the largest spots; spots small, round or tear-shaped in the American Toad. D: Few to no dark spots on the chest and belly, often pale in the Southern Toad; conspicuous dark spots on the chest and belly in the American Toad. E: No knobs yet, but the ridges already tall and fluted in the Southern Toad; big dark spots, often a wishbone-shaped spot between the parotoids in the American Toad. These toads hybridize where they meet: judge by the sum of the checks, not one feature, and use place and call. Calls: Southern about 8 seconds, American usually over 11.

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