Plains Spadefoot

Spea bombifrons

The Plains Spadefoot is a small, round frog that loves to dig in the dirt! They have special spade-like toes that help them burrow underground to stay safe and cool.

Lebensraum: Grasslands

Aussehen

The Plains Spadefoot is a stout amphibian with smooth, moist skin, typically grey, brown, or olive, often marked with darker spots or stripes. It has large, prominent eyes with distinctive vertical pupils. A hard, dark, spade-like structure on each hind foot is its most unique visual feature.

ReichAnimaliaStammChordataKlasseAmphibiaOrdnungAnuraFamilieScaphiopodidaeGattungSpea

Plains Spadefoot

Kategorie

Amphibien

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

As tadpoles, they can sometimes eat each other if food is scarce, growing stronger faster!

Plains Spadefoots make a loud, duck-like 'quacking' sound to find mates after a big rain!

Their eyes have spooky vertical pupils, just like a cat's, which helps them see in the dark!

They can stay buried underground for *years* if rainfall is too low, waiting for the perfect storm!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Plains Spadefoot can rapidly dig backwards into soil using hard 'spades' on its hind feet that helps them escape predators and find shelter from heat and drought.

Plains Spadefoot tadpoles can grow incredibly fast, completing metamorphosis in as little as 18 days, because of hormonal regulation that helps them avoid drying out in temporary ponds.

Plains Spadefoot can absorb and store a large amount of water in its bladder and tissues that helps them survive long periods underground during droughts by conserving moisture.

Plains Spadefoot can secrete a mild, onion-scented substance from its skin that helps deter some predators, making them less tasty to eat.

Maße und Details

Länge: 3.8-6.3 cm
Gewicht: 0.01-0.03 kg
Lebenserwartung: 6-12 Jahre
Top Speed: 0.8 km/h
Gelegegröße: 1000-2500
Metamorphose: 18-60 Tage

Ernährung und Fütterung

These hungry amphibians mostly munch on insects and spiders, helping to control pesky garden bugs!

Altersunterschiede: Tadpoles eat algae and detritus; adults eat insects and spiders.

Hauptnahrung

Beetles
Crickets
Grasshoppers
Spiders
Moths
Worms

Nahrungssuche

Ambush

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

A common predator in its range.

eaten by

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Hunts amphibians during its nocturnal activity.

hunts

Fall Field Cricket

Gryllus pennsylvanicus

A common insect prey species.

hunts

Silky Ant

Formica fusca

Eats various ground-dwelling invertebrates.

Merkmale

Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger leben den größten Teil ihres Lebens allein und interagieren mit Artgenossen nur zur Paarung oder zur Aufzucht der Jungen.

Graben

Grabende Tiere heben Tunnel und Kammern im Erdboden aus und nutzen diese unterirdischen Strukturen als Unterschlupf, zur Jagd oder zur Fortpflanzung.

Grasland

Grasland-Lebensräume sind terrestrische Biome, die von Gräsern und krautigen Pflanzen dominiert werden und einer Vielzahl von Weidetieren als Lebensraum dienen.