Larvae of Common toad Bufo bufo

  • without external gills (tadpole)
  • eyes not prominent
  • underside black to grey, metallic spots hardly visible
  • throat without grey spot
  • Total length up to about 26 mm (small!).
  • Both belly and back are black, only short before metamorphosis it may be brown coloured, also with small lighter dots. Often swimming in flocks. A large flock of tadpoles near the water surface means always presence of toads.
  • Common toads, as the only species, can live well together with fish, because fish do not eat the larvae, but on the opposite decimate both their enemies and food competitors.

Crapaud commun (F); Gewone Pad (NL); Vanlig Padda (S); Skrubtudse (DK); Ropuche obescná (CZ)

Common toad Larvae
(D = dorsal, back; V = ventral, underside)

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[adult toad]