Alberta Herps
Plains Spadefoot Toad (Spea bombifrons)

• southern Alberta; from Montana to Red Deer.

Brief Description

• robust; thick-bodied with relatively short limbs and short , blunt snout; a black "spade" at "heel;" males slightly smaller than females.

Habitat

• prairie; fossorial; overwintering underground.

Feeding

• insectivore.

Reproduction

• spawning in temporary ponds after heavy rain; rapid development of tadpoles; larger tadpoles frequently cannibalistic.

Status in Alberta

• BLUE LIST

• relatively common in localized areas in short-grass prairie regions; needs protection of critical habitats such as hibernacula and den sites

Other Internet Resources

• plains spadefoot toad: Amphibians of Alberta Page, Alberta Environmental Protection

• Spea bombifrons : Herps of Texas, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA; web page maintained by Lori Bockstanz

• North Dakota toads without spotted bellies; the site also has an audio file for calls

• Scaphiopus bombifrons : Reptiles and Amphibians of North Dakota, Northern Prairie Science Center, Jamestown, ND, USA

References

• Anonymous. 1996. The status of Alberta wildlife. Wildlife Management Division Report. Alberta Environmental Protection, Govertment of Alberta.

• Russell, A. P., and A. M. Bauer. in press. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Alberta: A Field Guide and Primer of Boreal Herpetology. University of Calgary Press. 2nd Edition.