| The spadefoot toads
include nine genera with over 80 species worldwide. Examples of spadefoots
may be found in Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and North America (including
Mexico). The name "spadefoot" comes from the dark, cornified spur
along the base of the inner toe. Spadefoots usually live in sandy
soil and use this spur for digging themselves into a burrow. Only
one genus occurs in the United States.
Most spadefoots from the United States live in hot, arid regions. Only one species inhabits the cooler, moister areas east of the Mississippi. Spadefoot populations are in trouble in much of the midwest, as their sandy, floodplain habitat is quickly being destroyed by development. Spadefoot toads and WalMart's do not get along. |