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Green Climbing Toad

Incilius coniferus

Summary 4

The Evergreen toad (Incilius coniferus) is a species of toad in the Bufonidae family. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Panama. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, freshwater marshes, rural gardens, urban areas, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Behaviour 5

Call

A long trill (Ibanez et al 1999, Savage 2002). The vocal sac is round when inflated (Savage 2002).

Behavior and communication

Incilius coniferus sometimes climbs trees and shrubs (Savage 2002).

Distribution and habitat 6

Bufo coniferus is distributed along humid lowlands and premontane slopes from eastern Nicaragua on the Atlantic versant and southwestern Costa Rica on the Pacific slope south to western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. It is present up to 1,550 m above sea level (Savage 2002).

This toad is commonly found in lowland wet and moist forest zones, and is less frequently found in premontane wet forest and lower montane wet forest zones. It is usually in undisturbed forests and is often climbing above the ground on shrubs or trees (Savage 2002).

Habitat and ecology 7

Habitat and Ecology

A nocturnal species associated with humid lowland and submontane tropical forest, including secondary forest, forest edges, open areas close to the forest, and occasionally in open areas near towns. It is both terrestrial and arboreal, and breeds in streams, rivers and shallow pools.

Systems
  • Terrestrial
  • Freshwater

Identification 8

Adult

Species description based on Savage (1972) and Savage (2002).  A medium to large toad (males to 72 mm, females to 94 mm).

Dorsal

Dorsal coloration is usually yellow green to olive green, but some individuals appear more brown or grey. Some dark, white, or gold spots may be present. The paratoid gland is small, variable in shape, and largely indistinct from surrounding warts. The dorsum is covered in unique, large, pointy warts.

Concealed surfaces

The ventral surface is whitish.

Distinguishing characteristics

The green coloration of this frog distinguishes it from any species it might be confused with.

Eye

The eye is green and brown.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Brian Gratwicke, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/19731486@N07/3381456297
  2. (c) Andy Kraemer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/38984611@N03/7395434940/
  3. (c) Chace Holzheuser, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chace Holzheuser
  4. Adapted by Jonathan (JC) Carpenter from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incilius_coniferus
  5. (c) Myra Hughey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/12682984
  6. (c) AmphibiaWeb © 2000-2015 The Regents of the University of California, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/34269379
  7. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34515011
  8. (c) Myra Hughey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/12682980

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