Mongolian toad
Encyclopedia
The Mongolian toad, also known as the piebald toad or Siberian sand toad, is a species of toad
found in East Asia
. It ranges through much of China
, Mongolia
, and the Russian Far East
, and is also found in the northern Korean Peninsula
. It is particularly common in the Amur River basin of China and Russia.
The Mongolian toad is relatively small, with adults not exceeding 9 cm in length. It ranges through a wide range of habitats is often found in dry regions, preferring sandy soil; it was first described based on specimens from the Alashan desert. The species does not occur above 2700 m, or below 600 m. The northernmost population is found on Olkhon Island in Russia's Lake Baikal
.
The mating season occurs between March and July, depending on the local climate; eggs are typically laid in shallow puddles, leading to the death of many tadpoles as the puddles dry up. Mongolian toads hibernate in the ground, usually in groups, in holes up to 2 meters deep. Adult toads favor ants as food, particularly in arid regions; they also eat spiders and beetles.
The Mongolian toad was classed as Bufo
raddei prior to the 2006 definition of the genus Pseudepidalea. Other closely related species include the European green toad
, Pseudepidale viridis.
Toad
A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...
found in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
. It ranges through much of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, and the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
, and is also found in the northern Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
. It is particularly common in the Amur River basin of China and Russia.
The Mongolian toad is relatively small, with adults not exceeding 9 cm in length. It ranges through a wide range of habitats is often found in dry regions, preferring sandy soil; it was first described based on specimens from the Alashan desert. The species does not occur above 2700 m, or below 600 m. The northernmost population is found on Olkhon Island in Russia's Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is the world's oldest at 30 million years old and deepest lake with an average depth of 744.4 metres.Located in the south of the Russian region of Siberia, between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, it is the most voluminous freshwater lake in the...
.
The mating season occurs between March and July, depending on the local climate; eggs are typically laid in shallow puddles, leading to the death of many tadpoles as the puddles dry up. Mongolian toads hibernate in the ground, usually in groups, in holes up to 2 meters deep. Adult toads favor ants as food, particularly in arid regions; they also eat spiders and beetles.
The Mongolian toad was classed as Bufo
Bufo
Bufo is a large genus of about 150 species of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. Bufo is a Latin word for toad.- Description :...
raddei prior to the 2006 definition of the genus Pseudepidalea. Other closely related species include the European green toad
European Green Toad
The species group of the green toads is an anuran group toad found in mainland Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. They live in many areas, including steppes, mountainous areas, semi-deserts, and urban areas...
, Pseudepidale viridis.