Today I bring to you… drumroll, please! A celebrity guest to All Things Reptile. Introducing: the Red Spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus). They may not be reptiles, but they are one of only three amphibians that are local to Baja California Sur, and one of only two local to LV/ES, so I think they deserve a column.
Red Spotted Toads are interesting amphibians inhabiting arroyos, rocky stream beds and basically any other water features. They can get relatively large, feeding primarily on insects. In the summer after rain storms you can hear these toads calling away in the rivers and streams.
The eggs hatch quickly and the young typically metamorphose in only a few weeks, although the process can take up to two months depending on the water source. If the tadpoles have plenty of water, they will metamorphose slower; if the water is drying up quickly, however, the tadpoles will grow faster.
You may see these toads hopping around at night throughout the year, especially on wet nights, particularly if you live near an arroyo or rocky stream bed. If you are not near any arroyos, you most likely have Spade Foot Toads instead of Red Spotted Toads.
Like many toads, Red Spotted Toads can be shockingly circular as adults, and are very camouflaged so, next time you see a round rock with red dots, look a little closer. If you want to talk or walk reptiles, email ChanceStevens123@icloud.com