A-luring Tails
Posted by brenda fink on October 26, 2003
Q: I am trying to find out what is the name of a frog that resembles a pile of mud. I live in the Tidewater region in Southeastern.VA. We use to see a lot of this type of specie during the summertime, but they have failed to return for the past 3-4 years. 10/26/03
A: From what info you gave me, I wonder if you've been seeing the Fowler's Toad rather than a frog. This is a very common toad along the coast in your area although I don't know about its abundance in recent years. Keep in mind that various environmental chemicals have had adverse effects on frogs and toads all around the world. There is great concern about frog and toad populations and many people are trying to understand what factors may be contributing to this problem. If you can obtain a field guide to amphibians, or find a good site on the web, look up the Fowler's Toad to see if that will help you make a positive ID. Good luck.
John Wiessinger ( October 27, 2003)