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Oak Toad — Part 2
Measurements.—Size large i.e. length 3 1/2 to 5 inches. Head relatively long; a toad 3 1/2 inches long has a length of head of 1 1/8 inches. Legs short; the length of the leg to the heel scarcely equalling the length of the body forward to the eye. Tibia only slightly longer than the femur. Foot short.
Structure.—Skin set closely above and below with small tubercles. The arms and legs are conspicuously tubercular. Even the palms and soles are set close with tubercles. No large warts. The light-coloured tubercles behind the angle of the jaw and in a row along the lower margin of the light lateral band are somewhat longer than the others. Head rounded, acute in front. Jaws hard and bony. Upper jaw deeply indented in midline. An elevated bony ridge usually parallel to the upper jaw extends from in front of the eye to the angle of the jaw. Ear conspicuous because of its smoothness; half to two-thirds size of eye. The many bony ridges of the head are much elevated, thin, and sharp-edged, except the short one extending over the ear backward to the parotoid. The head ridges are as follows: A short median one from jaw to nostrils; two starting at the upper end of this diverge backward to a point just behind the eyes, there converging slightly to points just within the anterior ends of the prominences made by the scapulars; one each side connecting at obtuse angles with the long ridges of the top of the head and lying close behind the eye; a shorter, thicker ridge between this ridge and the parotoid of each side. There are also short ridges in front of the eye and between the eye and the ear. The parotoids are short, and may be oval or triangular in shape. The nostrils open upward, are close together and are placed nearer to the jaw than to the eye. The shoulder-blades are two curved prominences between the parotoids. Hand small; one large and one small palm tubercle. Foot small; inner and outer tubercles both present, but insignificant; webs short.
Range.—Bufo valliceps Wiegm is a Mexican toad found commonly in Texas. It is reported also from Louisiana.
Colour.—Greyish or reddish brown. Warts tipped with red, and sometimes encircled by black at their bases. Underparts light. Throat of male dusky. Much orange on under surfaces of hands and feet. (For possible colouration, see Colour Plate V.)
Measurements.—Size medium, i.e. length 2 to 3 inches. Length of head enters total length three and a third to three and a half times. Legs short, heels widely separated behind, when toad is in sitting position. Femur largely buried in the skin of the body. Length of leg to heel equals length of body forward to ear or sometimes to eye.
Structure.—Upper parts (head, eyelids, back, and legs) closely set with small tubercles. Head broad, flat, not thick through. Very flat between the eyes, and sharply angled along the canthus rostralis. No bony ridges on top of head (or slight traces of any). A short bony ridge between ear and eye. Nostrils terminal. Eyes set wide apart; eyelids broad, i.e. eye strictly vertical in position. Parotoid gland considerably elevated, but very short (not much longer than eye), rounded or somewhat triangular. Ear distinct, round, half the diameter of the eye. The head is rough, with small granulations. These granulations are prominent on the end of the muzzle, margin of the upper jaw, canthus rostralis, eyelid, parotoid gland, and bony ridge between the eye and ear. Sole tubercles both present and both small. Tubercles under the joints of the toes scarcely discernible. Tarsus and foot covered with spine-like tubercles. Webs short, but toes narrowly margined beyond. Tarsal fold broad and rounded.
Range.—Bufo punctatus is reported from Texas, Arizona, and Lower California. It is found in Texas from as far north as Fort Concho and as far south as San Antonio. Its range extends along the boundary line between the United States and Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and up the Colorado River to the Grand Canon and beyond. In Lower California it has been reported from the extremity of the peninsula.
Colour.—Ashy brown, with small black tubercles. Eyelids and parotoids may be crossed by black lines. Legs may be broadly banded with black; these bands may have their outlines strongest, so as to give the appearance of narrow black cross-lines. Underparts and concealed surfaces light, unspotted.
Measurements.—Size small, i.e. length 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Head short, its length contained in total length of head and body four times or more. Leg short; its total length just equals the total length of head and body.
Structure.—Skin rough, with small warts and granulations. Underparts finely granular. Head wide and flat; space between the eyes greater than width of eyelid. Parotoids divergent and very large, each extending backward to a point beyond the shoulder; their upper margins are nearly straight, their lower obtusely angled. The foot has webs of medium size; the sole tubercles are insignificant.