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Published: 2021-08-22 21:54:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 10040; Favourites: 63; Downloads: 1
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Description
Common Name: Chinese Dry ToadScientific Name: Arificabufo seres
Length: 10 to 15 centimeters from head to rear
Weight: 15 to 80 grams
Diet: Insects, other arthropods, and small vertebrates
Distribution: The open desert and scrublands of the Taiyang Desert in Asia
Lifespan: 10 to 12 years
Description: Amphibians are not suited to desert environments due to their low humidity and lack of water. However, some frogs and toads evolved to live in these habitats. Most frogs or toads escape the dry climate by digging burrows or living near rivers. Even Novicene amphibians (like the Australian mole toad ) exhibit this kind of behavior. The Taiyang Desert has frogs and toads like most deserts. While most frogs and toads burrow underground, one toad developed an unusual way of surviving the deserts. This species of toad is known as the Chinese dry toad.
The Chinese dry toad is a very average-looking toad that has an incredible adaptation. Like most desert amphibians, they dig burrows to escape the desert sun during the day. They will come out during the night to feast on some species of beetles. If they become completely void of water, they will create a cocoon out of the poisonous mucus. This mucus comes out of the glands near the back of the head. It is the same chemical as their natural poison, but they produce a ton of it at once. When the toad realizes that it is losing moisture, the body will activate a hibernation state. It can stay in this state for two years at most. They will only emerge when the rains fall on the desert. Another adaptation is their voracious eating habits. This behavior is mainly due to the lack of food in the environment, and they eat whatever they can find in their mouths. The last notable adaptation is their thick skin in comparison to other amphibians. Their skin allows water to stay inside of the body.
A unique behavior of these amphibians is their post-hibernation behavior when the rains come. During the rainy season, the Chinese dry toads break out of their cocoon. After they can escape their cocoon, they climb to the surface of the desert. The males will call out to the females with a loud booming call. The females follow these calls and search for the most energetic males. Once a female toad finds a partner, the two toads will mate. After a few days, the female will lay her eggs in the large watering hole she can find. The tadpoles will grow into adults by the end of the wet season and start the cycle over again.