General Description: Arizona Toads (Anaxyrus microscaphus) are medium sized, light colored toads with a light stripe down the center of the back and a light stripe across the forehead and eyes.

Taxonomy: Order Frogs and Toads (Anura); Family True Toads (Bufonidae). Formerly Arizona Toad (Bufo microscaphus microscaphus) and Southwestern Toad (Bufo microscaphus).

Technical Description: Body size 2-3 in., plump. Dorsal color harmonizes with the habitat, often olive to brown or pink; light stripe down the center of the back. A light stripe extends across the forehead and the eyelids. Parietal ridges absent. Parotid gland oval, light colored towards the front. Warts present, but relatively small.

Diet: Insects.

Habitat: Washes, rocky streams, basins, agricultural lands, and urban areas up to 6,000 ft elevation. Wanders up to 500 ft from water. Burrows into loose gravel and sand.

Range: This toad occurs in scattered locations along tributaries of the Colorado River near the corner of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, and across central Arizona into western New Mexico. In Clark County, this toad can be found in the Virgin and Muddy rivers, Meadow Valley Wash, and along the Colorado River to Hoover Dam.

Breeding: Breeds in streams from March to July and does not depend on rainfall. Lays eggs on the bottom of pools. Amplexis pectoral.

Similar Species: Other species of toads in southern Nevada have prominent cranial crests or roundish parotid glands.

Comments: Primarily nocturnal, but can be found foraging during the day. Tends to hop rather than walk. The easiest place to see these toads is along the northern end the Pa'rus Trail at dusk during early summer -- be careful not to step on them!