Toads and Frogs

Toad

a toad with bumpy, dry skin
© 2003 Pat Scott

Frog

a frog with smoother, wet skin
© 2003 ClipArt.com

Toads and frogs are both amphibians. Amphibians live the first part of their lives in the water and the second part of their lives on land. Toads and frogs lay their eggs in water. Tadpoles, which live in the water, hatch from the eggs. As the tadpoles grow, they soon have legs. The adult toads and frogs can live on the land. There are more than 3,500 kinds of toads and frogs.

Although frogs and toads look very much alike, they are different in some ways.

Toads

have rough, bumpy skin
can live in drier places than frogs
have a large swollen gland on each side just behind the eyes
have no teeth
lay eggs in long strings of jelly
are smaller as tadpoles than frogs
have shorter legs than frogs

Frogs

have very moist skin
spend more time in the water as adults than toads do
have large, bulging eyes
have teeth
lay eggs in rounded blobs of jelly
are larger as tadpoles than toads
have longer and stronger legs than toads and can jump long distances

Source: Microsoft Encarta

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