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Cane Toad

Amphibians

The cane toad is a large, warty-skinned amphibian native to Central and South America, deliberately introduced to numerous countries including Australia in the 20th century in a failed attempt to control agricultural pests, becoming one of the world's most notorious invasive species in the process. It has large parotoid glands behind the eyes that secrete a potent toxin capable of killing many native predators that attempt to eat it, a defense against which many introduced ecosystems have no natural resistance. Cane toads are highly adaptable and prolific breeders, with females capable of laying tens of thousands of eggs at a time, and they feed opportunistically on insects, small vertebrates and almost anything they can swallow. In Australia in particular, the toad's rapid spread across the tropical north has caused severe declines in native predators such as quolls, goannas and some snake species that die after eating them.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Omnivore 2
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 3
System (Realm)
Freshwater 3
Relationship to People
Invasive or Introduced Species 4
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Derived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status.
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
The skin of the cane toad is dry and warty. Distinct ridges above the eyes run down the snout. Individual cane toads can be grey, yellowish, red-brown, or olive-brown, with varying patterns. A large parotoid gland lies behind each eye. 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
GNR Unranked 5
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 6
Scientific Name
Rhinella marina 1
Conservation Status
Least Concern 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Anura, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

In Biome

Marine, Biomes
Source Cane Toad (Wikipedia)

In Ecosystem

Kakadu, Ecosystems
Source Cane Toad (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Cane Toad (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Taxonomy section
    In this case, the specific name marinus (masculine) changes to marina (feminine) to conform with the rules of gender agreement as set out by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, changing the binomial name from Bufo marinus to Rhinella marina; the binomial Rhinella marinus was subsequently introduced as a synonym through misspelling by Pramuk, Robertson, Sites, and Noonan (2008).
  • Description section
    The skin of the cane toad is dry and warty. Distinct ridges above the eyes run down the snout. Individual cane toads can be grey, yellowish, red-brown, or olive-brown, with varying patterns. A large parotoid gland lies behind each eye.
  • Infobox: status
    LC
  • In Biome: Marine, Wikipedia intro: "The cane toad (Rhinella marina), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central..."
  • In Ecosystem: Kakadu, Caribbean
    The cane toad was introduced to various Caribbean islands to counter a number of pests infesting local crops.
View the Source
2. Cane toad (Wikipedia)
a diet, unusual among anurans, of both dead and living matterView the Source
3. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
4. Wikipedia: Cane Toad
WikipediaIntroduction
Quote, Introduction
The cane toad (Rhinella marina), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central America, but which has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania and the Caribbean, as well as Northern Australia.
View the Source
5. NatureServe Explorer: Rhinella marina
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "GNR"
View the Source
6. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Rhinella marina (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
Quote, Conservation Status: CITES
CITES No special status
View the Source
Wikidata: Cane Toad
Wikidata Q321087, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: AnuraView the Source
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