Amphibian
African Clawed Frog
The fully aquatic lab and pet frog
Species group · 12 profiles
Frogs and Toads
Twelve frog and toad profiles — from goliath frog to cane toad. Skin, legs, toxins, range and conservation status.
Quick answer
"Toad" is a descriptive habit inside the frog order Anura, not a taxonomic rank equal to frog. Anurans are tailless as adults and typically begin life as gilled tadpoles in freshwater. This guide profiles twelve species: African clawed frog, glass frog, goliath frog, gray tree frog, pacman frog, poison dart frog, red-eyed tree frog, tomato frog, wood frog, cane toad, common toad and fire-bellied toad. Size spans centimetre-scale glass frogs to the goliath frog, which can exceed 3 kg (6.6 lb). Permeable skin makes the group sensitive to pollution. Profiles cover skin toxins where relevant, breeding habitat, geographic range and IUCN conservation status.
Frogs and Toads in this guide
Amphibian
Glass Frog
The frog with see-through skin
Amphibian
Goliath Frog
The largest frog on Earth
Amphibian
Gray Tree Frog
The color-changing tree frog of eastern forests
Amphibian
Pacman Frog
The round, big-mouthed horned frog
Amphibian
Poison Dart Frog
Tiny, brilliantly colored, and among the most toxic animals alive
Amphibian
Red-Eyed Tree Frog
The bright-eyed icon of the rainforest canopy
Amphibian
Tomato Frog
The plump, bright-red frog of Madagascar
Amphibian
Wood Frog
The frog that freezes solid to survive winter
Amphibian
Cane Toad
A large, toxic toad turned invasive pest
Amphibian
Common Toad
The warty garden toad of Europe
Amphibian
Oriental Fire-bellied Toad
The green toad with a warning-red belly
Telling them apart
Every toad is a frog in the broad sense; "toad" usually signals drier, wartier skin and shorter hind legs built for walking rather than long leaps. True frogs and true toads are informal clusters inside Anura, not a clean split of the whole order. Identification therefore leans on skin texture, leg length and life history, not the English common name alone.
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Frogs and Toads: common questions
What is the difference between a frog and a toad?
Both are anurans. Animals called toads often have thicker, bumpier skin and shorter hind legs; many frogs have smoother skin and longer leaping legs. The labels are vernacular. Common toads and cane toads illustrate the "toad" habit; tree frogs illustrate the climbing frog habit.
Is a toad a frog?
Yes in phylogenetic terms: toads sit inside the frog order Anura. Calling an animal a toad describes appearance and ecology more than a separate class of vertebrate. Every species on this hub is an anuran whether its English name says frog or toad.
What is the largest frog?
The goliath frog of West African rivers is the largest living frog, with adults over 30 cm (12 in) in body length and masses above 3 kg (6.6 lb). Most other frogs on this hub weigh grams to a few hundred grams. Habitat loss threatens several large-river populations.
Are poison dart frogs dangerous to touch?
Wild poison dart frogs sequester alkaloid toxins in the skin from their arthropod diet; some species are dangerous if toxins enter the body. Captive-bred frogs fed toxin-free diets are typically far less toxic. Bright colouration advertises chemical defence — a classic aposematic pattern.