Western Spadefoot

Spea hammondii

The Western Spadefoot is a small frog that loves to dig! It has special spade-like toes that help it burrow into the ground. These frogs are often found in sandy areas and come out when it rains.

Hábitat: Desert

Aspecto

The Western Spadefoot has smooth, grayish-brown to olive skin, often with darker blotches and a pale belly. It possesses distinctive large, gold-rimmed eyes with vertical pupils, and a wedge-shaped, dark 'spade' on each hind foot for digging. Unlike true toads, it lacks prominent parotoid glands.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseAmphibiaOrdenAnuraFamiliaScaphiopodidaeGéneroSpea

Western Spadefoot

Categoría

Anfibios

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Their eggs can hatch super quickly, sometimes in less than a day!

These amphibians can absorb water right through their skin, no drinking needed!

They have vertical pupils, just like a cat's!

When stressed, some spadefoots smell like roasted peanuts or garlic!

Habilidades especiales

Western Spadefoot can rapidly burrow backwards into soil using hardened 'spades' on its hind feet to escape predators or dry conditions.

Western Spadefoot can survive long droughts by aestivating deep underground, forming a protective mud cocoon to save water.

Western Spadefoot tadpoles develop incredibly fast, sometimes in just a few weeks, to avoid drying out in temporary pools.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 3.8-7.5 cm
Peso: 0.015-0.035 kg
Esperanza de vida: 4-10 años
Tamaño de la puesta: 500-2000
Metamorfosis: 21-70 días

Dieta y alimentación

These hungry amphibians munch on small insects and other tiny creatures.

Diferencias por edad: Tadpoles are omnivores, eating algae and detritus, while adults are carnivores, mainly insectivores.

Alimentos principales

Beetles
Crickets
Ants
Spiders
Worms

Método de búsqueda

Ambush

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Snakes often prey on spadefoots near breeding ponds.

eaten by

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Raccoons forage for them, especially during wet nights.

hunts

Field Cricket

Gryllus bimaculatus

Adult spadefoots ambush crickets and other insects.

eats

Common Green Darner

Anax junius

Dragonfly larvae prey on spadefoot tadpoles in ponds.

Rasgos

Solitario

Los animales solitarios viven solos durante la mayor parte de su vida y solo interactúan con otros para aparearse o cuidar de sus crías.

Camuflado

El camuflaje describe a los organismos que poseen colores o patrones que les permiten mezclarse con su entorno.

Colorido

Colorido describe a organismos u objetos que exhiben una amplia variedad de colores brillantes y distintivos.

Excavador

Los animales excavadores cavan túneles y cámaras en el suelo y utilizan estas estructuras subterráneas para refugiarse, cazar o reproducirse.

Insectívoro

Este rasgo identifica a los organismos cuya dieta consiste principalmente en insectos y otros pequeños invertebrados.

Desierto

Los hábitats desérticos son regiones áridas caracterizadas por precipitaciones extremadamente bajas y, a menudo, temperaturas extremas, que albergan una flora y fauna especializadas.