frog and toad: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	anuran • Anura • salientian

Photos and Videos

natterjack toad (Bufo calamita)

Three painted reed frogs with yellow and brown markings sit on green fern leaves.

Edible frog (Rana esculenta)

A bright yellow-green polka-dot treefrog (Hypsiboas punctatus) with large eyes sits on a broad leaf, facing the camera against a dark background.

harlequin frog (Atelopus)

Illustration showing different breeding specializations in anurans, including Hemiphractus with eggs on its back, Phyllomedusa eggs on a leaf, Colostethus male carrying tadpoles, aquatic eggs free-floating or attached to vegetation, Physalaemus pair with foam nest, and Gastrotheca with eggs in a pouch.

bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Illustration of a male rocket frog (Colostethus nubicola) with several tadpoles clinging to its back, showing a stage of amphibian reproduction.

Diagram showing the life cycle of the European common frog, from fertilized egg and hatching embryo to early and late tadpole stages with gills and limb development, ending with a fully formed adult frog.

Witness the bullfrog's powerful action, generated by its hind legs, as it jumps through a field

How hibernating frogs survive in freezing temperatures

See toads engage in amphibious amplexus and witness metamorphosis of tadpoles into toads

Examine how a leopard frog's protruding independent eyes help it catch flies, earthworms, and other prey

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

sedge frog Ranoidea Pipoidea Pelobatoidea Bufonoidea What’s the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad?frog toad Pipidae Hyperoliidae Caudata

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Black eyed tree frog (Agalychnis moreletii)

All About Amphibians