By: Richelle Malysa INTRODUCTION: Meet the Sonoran Toad! He is one cool guy. He lives in the Sonoran Desert but do not let his warty appearance fool you, he has very soft skin. Be careful though he is posinous and could kill your dog! Wanna learn more about this interesting creature? Read the slide and play around with the page. There is a picture and link for more information. Do not foget to do the activity appropriate for your grade level and take the mini form at the end! Enjoy!  I am one of the largest toads in North America. I eat beetles and other small flying insects, sometimes even other smaller frogs. I am very hard to get rid of since I can fit under fences and I always try to come back to your yard. As long as you do not have a swimming pool or outdoor pets I am very nice to have around because I eat a lot of bugs and keep them away from you! WHERE DO I LIVE? I can be found in Central Arizona and southwest New Mexico. My family originally came from California but we have not been seen there in decades! I like to hang out in grasslands, desert-scrub, and thornscrub. HOW As a baby I was tan to green with orange or red spots on the top of my body then when I became an adult I had a green to greenish-gray color on the top of my skin and a creamy white underside. There are large white warts on my jaw, but do not let that scare you I have very soft skin. I also have a few large lumps on my back legs.I can be 7inches or more, which makes me one of the largest toads in North America. Unlike other boy toads in the region we do not have dark throats, instead boys develop darkened, thick calluses on the inside of the thumbs on our front arms during breeding season. HOW DO I REPRODUCE? The male’s call to mate with me is weak, sounding somewhat like a ferryboat whistle. Eggs are laid in temporary rain pools and permanent ponds. Larvae metamorphose after 6 to 10 weeks. This species lives at least 10 years, and perhaps as many as 20 years. FUN FACT ABOUT ME? ACTIVITY Now it;s time for you to have some fun and share what you have learned. Find your grade level below and complete the activity that is there! KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE- Draw a picture of the Sonoran Toad and tell a story about this creature to your classmates describing what it looks like! SECOND GRADE- Draw a picture of the Sonoran Toad and write a paragraph telling a story about this creature. Then, get together with a classmate and share your stories, after you will present what you liked about your partners paper! THIRD GRADE- Write two pages about the Sonoran Toad and what you learned. Be creative and tell a story about a day in the life of a Sonoran Toad! Use your imagination and the facts from this page! FILL OUT THIS SHORT FORM BELOW TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED! YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ME BELOW. Sonoran Desert Toad Check out this link above to read more about me and characteristics of my kind! Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum This gives all of the background about where I came from and what I am up to today! |
DO I LOOK?