# Couch's Spadefoot (*Scaphiopus couchii*) Couch's Spadefoot is a small, funny-looking frog that loves to dig! They have special spade-like feet that help them burrow into the ground. These frogs are often found in warm, sandy areas. - **Category:** [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/amphibian) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Desert ![Couch's Spadefoot](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Scaphiopus_couchii_ANRA.jpg&width=800) Photo: Clinton & Charles Robertson from Texas, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scaphiopus_couchii_ANRA.jpg) ## Appearance The Couch's Spadefoot is a plump, medium-sized frog with smooth skin, typically olive green, brown, or grey, often speckled with darker blotches. It has prominent, golden-eyed vertical pupils and a distinctive, hardened "spade" on each hind foot for digging. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Amphibia - **Order:** Anura - **Family:** Scaphiopodidae - **Genus:** Scaphiopus ## Interesting facts - Couch's Spadefoot makes a loud, bleating call, sounding like a sheep, to attract mates! - Its eyes have vertical pupils, like a cat's, which is very unusual for a frog! - Tadpoles of the Couch's Spadefoot can sometimes eat each other if food is scarce! - This amazing frog can live buried underground for over a year waiting for rain! ## Special abilities - **Burrowing Master:** Couch's Spadefoot can rapidly dig backward into sandy soil using special hardened "spades" on its hind feet, helping it escape danger and the desert sun. - **Rain Responder:** Couch's Spadefoot has an amazing ability to sense rainfall and emerge quickly from underground to breed and feed in temporary desert pools. - **Super-Fast Spawner:** Couch's Spadefoot can lay eggs that hatch and grow into froglets in as little as nine days, a super-fast transformation to survive in short-lived puddles. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 5-9 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.06 kg - **Lifespan:** 6-10 years - **Speed:** 1 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1000-2500 - **Metamorphosis:** 9-21 days ## Diet & Feeding This frog mostly munches on insects and spiders, but its babies eat tiny plants and algae. - **Age differences:** Tadpoles are omnivorous filter-feeders, eating algae and detritus. Adults are carnivorous insectivores. - **Primary Foods:** crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, moths, ants, termites - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Western Ribbonsnake (*Thamnophis proximus*) — Snakes are common predators, especially near water. - **Eaten by:** Night Snake (*Hypsiglena torquata*) — Nocturnal snakes hunt spadefoots at night. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Owls are effective nocturnal predators. - **Hunts:** Silky Ant (*Formica fusca*) — Spadefoots emerge to feast on ants and other insects. - **Hunts:** [Field Cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-cricket) (*Gryllus assimilis*) — Crickets are a common and abundant food source. ## Traits - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [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. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch frogs from a distance and don't touch them, as they can be delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Couch's Spadefoot? 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 Couch's Spadefoot? 5-9 cm ### How much does Couch's Spadefoot weigh? 0.02-0.06 kg ### How long does Couch's Spadefoot live? 6-10 years ### How fast can Couch's Spadefoot move? 1 km/h ### What does Couch's Spadefoot eat? This frog mostly munches on insects and spiders, but its babies eat tiny plants and algae. ### Where is Couch's Spadefoot usually found? Desert ### How does Couch's Spadefoot hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chihuahuan-desert-nature-center-and-botanical-gardens) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Sabino Canyon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sabino-canyon) — Arizona, US · Natural Landmark - [DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/degrazia-gallery-in-the-sun-historic-district) — Arizona, US · Historic District - [Mesilla Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesilla-park-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument) — New Mexico, US · National Park [View all places to see Couch's Spadefoot](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/couchs-spadefoot) ## 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: [Couch's Spadefoot: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/couchs-spadefoot)