Trivia question for Feb-02-2011

Posted on Feb 2, 2011 in Trivia

Olivia’s turn tonight and unfortunately she had singing lessons, piano lesson, and swimming class all in one night (relax… this is not the norm, we had a few instructors miss a few days and make up days all fell on one night) so she never got around to picking the trivia for today.  So here’s my best attempt:

This bumpy looking specimen is quite unique.  The croak from the male can be heard as far as 1-mile away.  They have very short legs and therefore can not jump like their cousins, but instead, they can actually run.  Darting like a lizzard, these guys actually run down their prey.

These guys also have a cool defense mechanism.  When threatened, they actually secrete a thick, white poison from their skin that smells like gunpowder or burned rubber.  In the UK this species is one of only three amphibians protected under the national Biodiversity Action Plan.

So here’s our questions:  Can you tell us what these guys are called and also tell us what their main treats are in their native homeland?

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Wow, I really expected the gang from the ATL Herp Club to be the first to get this one.  The amphibian we featured was the Natterjack Toad.

The Natterjack Toad is a toad native to sandy and heathland areas of Northern Europe. Adults are distinguished from the common toad by a yellow line down the middle of the back.  Natterjacks have a very loud and distinctive mating call, amplified by the single vocal sack found under the chin of the male animal.

The reason for the threatened status of this organism is: (a) loss of habitat from human overpopulation, (b) reduction in habitable coast from construction of dykes and seawalls, and (c) acidification of aquatic habitat from acid rain and other pollution factors.

Here is more information about these unique toads:  Natterjack Toad

Thanks for playing along 😉