Females of this large bodied species can attain snout-vent lengths of over 225 mm, though most adults range from 85 to 150 mm. Adult males are yellowish-brown in color, with the yellow being most pronounced
Females of this large bodied species can attain snout-vent lengths of over 225 mm, though most adults range from 85 to 150 mm. Adult males are yellowish-brown in color, with the yellow being most pronounced along the sides and the throat. Females and immature males have irregular brown blotches on their dorsal surface. The skin of both sexes is covered by irregularly scattered warts. In sexually active males these warts bear horny spicules. The parotoids are relatively large and often triangular and swollen in appearance. Cranial ridges are well developed. The tympanum is distinct, and the interorbital is concave. The webbing is poorly developed. The nuptial pads in the males are dark on the first 3 fingers (Easteal 1963).
Distribution and Habitat
Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Anguilla, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Venezuela. Introduced: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Haiti, Jamaica, Japan, Martinique, Mauritius, Montserrat, Northern Mariana Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Virgin Islands, U.S..
U.S. state distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Florida, Hawaii, Texas
Naturally occurring populations are found from the southern tip of Texas and northwestern Mexico to central Brazil. Introduced populations have been established in the Caribbean and Pacific regions. Upper altitudinal limits vary with latitude, from 500 m in Sinaloa, Mexico to 1600 m in Venezuela (Easteal 1963). Bufo marinus was introduced to Northern Queensland, Australia in 1929 and has since spread throughout much of the continent (Lampo and De Leo 1998).
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
The mating call is long and has 12 notes/sec. The dominant frequencies are.35 and.7 kHz without frequency modulation to clear harmonics ((Cole et.al. 1968).
Potential Impacts: This toad is highly toxic, secretions from the skin serve as a natural defense against predators. The toxin is stored in the ovum, not the jelly coat. The toxicity of cane toads shifts rapidly during the course of their lifetime. Toad eggs are extremely toxic, while later-stage tadpoles were less toxic. Animals that bite these toads are often seriously affected, many are killed. Domestic dogs and cats often are killed by the toxins. Native wild animals are also affected especially in places where the toads are introduced (especially in places like Australia and in Florida, USA). Marine toads may compete with and prey upon native amphibians (Rabor in Krakauer, 1968).
As an invasive species, cane toads have the potential to bring harmful viral pathogens to native fauna. Scientists found that cane toads c