Photographs

Asian Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

Flora & Fauna

Duttaphrynus melanostictus is commonly called Asian common toad, Asian Black-Spined toad, Asian toad, Black-Spectacled toad, Common Sunda toad, and Javanese toad. It is probably a complex of more than one true toad species that is widely distributed in South and Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 20 cm (8 in) long. Asian common toads breed during the monsoon, and their tadpoles are black. Young toads may be seen in large numbers after monsoon rains finish. In the full grown toads, the top of the head has several bony ridges, along the edge of the snout, in front of the eye, above the eye, behind the eye, and a short one between the eye and ear. Asian common toads breed in still and slow-flowing rivers and temporary and permanent ponds and pools. Adults are terrestrial and may be found under ground cover such as rocks, leaf litter, and logs, and are also associated with human habitations. They are often seen at night under street lamps, especially when winged termites swarm. They have been noted to feed on a wide range of invertebrates, including scorpions.

Identification by Mr. Brihadeesh Santharam.