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Are toads frogs?

remy Jun 06, 2004 02:24 AM

Since I am no expert, I thought I'd post here and get some advice from you good folks.

I was under the impression that toads ARE frogs.....is that correct? I had bookmarked somewhere an explaination of why that is so, but I can't find it now.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Replies (3)

Colchicine Jun 06, 2004 09:20 AM

I thought I would get that point across. You would not be incorrect by referring to every tailless amphibian as a frog. True toads are of the genus Bufo, such as a fowler's or a cane toad. Others are not true toads, such as spadefoots, and I am hearing more professionals refer to them as "spadefoot frogs".

Lets look at it this way. Everyone in Virginia is in the United States, not everyone on the US is in VA. Every toad is a frog, but they really are all frogs!

Along the same lines, all newts are salamanders. Turtles are worse, since it almost subjective what we call turtle, tortoise or terrapin, but they are all turtles.

A good discussion is linked below
Link

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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

Remy Jun 06, 2004 05:01 PM

Thanks. This had been my understanding and I got into a discussion about it, then couldn't find the info to adequately explain it.

I've also gotta agree with your quotes there too...

meretseger Jun 12, 2004 08:58 AM

What gets me is that within the Pipidae you've got clawed frogs but Surinam toads. If you say Surinam frog no one knows what you're talking about. Therefore, common names need to get their act together.
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