As we were photographing this guy a couple of others herpers who were raod crusing pulled up. One of them turned out to be Carl Gerhardt, one of the authors of "The Frogs and Toads of North America". It's the best book on the subject available- I highly recommend it.
The New Mexico Spadefoot Toad (Spea multiplicata) is a species of American spadefoot toad found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other species of spadefoot toad, they get their name from a distinctive spade-like projections on their hind legs which enable them to dig in sandy soils. Some sources also refer to the species as the Mexican Spadefoot Toad, Desert Spadefoot Toad or Southern Spadefoot Toad.
