# African Red Toad (*Schismaderma carens*) The African Red Toad is a colorful little creature that loves to hop around in warm places. With its bright red skin, it can be hard to miss! These toads are great at blending in with their surroundings. - **Category:** [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/amphibian) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Savannas ![African Red Toad](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Schismaderma_carens_in_South_Africa.JPG&width=800) Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schismaderma_carens_in_South_Africa.JPG) ## Appearance The African Red Toad is a robust amphibian with reddish-brown or grey-brown skin, often covered in darker spots or blotches. Unusually for a toad, its skin is relatively smooth rather than warty. It also has prominent parotid glands located behind its eyes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Amphibia - **Order:** Anura - **Family:** Bufonidae - **Genus:** Schismaderma ## Interesting facts - African Red Toads have unusually smooth skin, unlike the warty skin found on most other toad species! - Male African Red Toads inflate a single, large vocal sac under their chin to make very loud mating calls! - Their tadpoles often swim together in massive, dense schools, looking like tiny underwater clouds! - These toads often breed in temporary puddles, requiring their tadpoles to grow up super fast! ## Special abilities - **Toxic Shield:** African Red Toads have special glands behind their eyes that release a milky toxin to deter predators. - **Burrow Master:** African Red Toads can rapidly burrow backwards into soft soil using their powerful legs to hide from danger or dry weather. - **Night Vision Hunter:** African Red Toads possess excellent night vision, helping them find and ambush insects and other prey in the dark. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 7-10.5 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.15 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 0.2 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2000-5000 - **Metamorphosis:** 28-56 days ## Diet & Feeding African Red Toads are insectivores, mostly eating bugs and other small invertebrates. - **Age differences:** Tadpoles are herbivorous or detritivorous, grazing on algae and decaying plant matter. Adults are carnivorous. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Crickets, Ants, Termites, Spiders - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Puff Adder (*Bitis arietans*) — A common venomous snake predator. - **Eaten by:** [Grey Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grey-heron) (*Ardea cinerea*) — Herons catch toads near water. - **Hunts:** Two-spotted Cricket (*Gryllus bimaculatus*) — Ambushes crickets hiding in grass. - **Hunts:** Natal Termite (*Macrotermes natalensis*) — Eats termites emerging from mounds. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always wash your hands after touching a toad, as their skin can have chemicals that might irritate your skin. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify African Red Toad? Check the toe pads, leg length, eye markings, back pattern and body shape. Don't lean on color: some frogs change shade to match their surroundings. Frog Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is African Red Toad? 7-10.5 cm ### How much does African Red Toad weigh? 0.05-0.15 kg ### How long does African Red Toad live? 5-10 years ### How fast can African Red Toad move? 0.2 km/h ### What does African Red Toad eat? African Red Toads are insectivores, mostly eating bugs and other small invertebrates. ### Where is African Red Toad usually found? Savannas ### How does African Red Toad hunt? Ambush ## More Amphibians - [Eastern Red-backed Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-red-backed-salamander) (*Plethodon cinereus*) - [California Slender Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-slender-salamander) (*Batrachoseps attenuatus*) - [Cuban Tree Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cuban-tree-frog) (*Osteopilus septentrionalis*) - [European Toad](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-toad) (*Bufo bufo*) --- Source: [African Red Toad: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/african-red-toad)