The Spadefoot Toads (family Pelobatidae) are an old lineage compromising only four extant species, all within the genus Pelobates. I had the luck to see and photograph two of these recently. The first three pictures show the Western Spadefoot (Pelobates cultripes), while the last four images show a Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus). The latter is called “knoflookpad” in Dutch, referring to the garlic smell some individuals might have when handeld. These animals have a secretive lifestyle. During the day they dig themselves in and at night their calls are hardly hearable to the human ear, as they are produced under water. The large “spades” (hence the name!) on their feet are an adaptation to their burrowing behavior.

Click on the previews to see the images. photocrati gallery

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