The common toad

The common toad

The common toad inhabits the whole country. This anuran is the largest known in Venezuela. Toads of almost thirty centimeters long and of about two Kilos in weight have been found. They belong to the Bufonids whose species are characterized by possessing toxin-producing glands in their skin. Such substances produce burns in the mucous of the mouth of animals that try to hunt them and eat them.

In the case of the common Toad, the parotid glands are well developed, located behind the eardrums to both sides of the neck. These segregate a viscous substance, white in color that people call "toad milk". Although it is perceived as toxic, in some tropical regions the skin of the toads is put to the fire prior to being been used in empiric medicine as a sure cure against the erysipelas.

This viscous liquid doesn't only produce unpleasant burns in the mouth mucous tissues or the eyes of other animals. Certain species like the Arrow Poison Toad, produce a paralysing poison. In southern Venezuela, Indians have used the poison taken from the glands of this species to impregnate the tips of blowpipe darts in order to make sure the animals they hunt die quickly.

Toads in general are excellent insect and small mice predators, reason why they constitute a natural control of plagues associated to agricultural or human housings. They reproduce efficiently, since the females lay thousands of eggs. Most of their eggs and tadpoles serve as food to fish and other aquatic animals. Once they become adults almost no other animal feeds on them.