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A true toad is any member of the family Bufonidae, in the order Frog (frogs and toads). This is the only family of anurans in which all members are known as , although some may be called frogs (such as Atelopus). The bufonids now comprise more than 35 genera, Bufo being the best known.
Ingerophrynus alongside Leptophryne was grouped as basal to the clade containing all other toad genera and Ghatophryne by Portik and Papenfuss, but was found to group with Phrynoidis and Rentapia by Chan et al. Ghatophryne was grouped with Phrynoidis and Rentapia by Portik and Papenfuss but was found to group with Pelophryne and Ansonia by Chan et al. In addition, Sabahphrynus was grouped with Mongolian toad and Bufo by Portik and Papenfuss but was found to group with Pelophryne, Ansonia, and Ghatophryne by Chan et al.
All true toads are toothless and generally warty in appearance. They have a pair of on the back of their heads. These glands contain an alkaloid poison which the toads excrete when stressed. The poison in the glands contains a number of toxins causing different effects. Bufotoxin is a general term. Different animals contain significantly different substances and proportions of substances. Some, like the cane toad Rhinella marina, are more toxic than others. Some "psychoactive toads", such as the Colorado River toad Incilius alvarius, have been used recreationally for the effects of their bufotoxin.
Depending on the species, male or female toads may possess a Bidder's organ, a trait unique to all bufonids except genera Melanophryniscus and Truebella.Piprek, Rafal P., et al. "Bidder's Organ – Structure, Development and Function." The International Journal of Developmental Biology, vol. 58, no. 10-11–12, 2014, pp. 819–27. Crossref, doi:10.1387/ijdb.140147rp. Under the right conditions, the organ becomes an active ovary.
The loss of teeth has arisen in frogs independently over 20 times. Notably, all members of Bufonidae are toothless. Another Anuran family with a comparable degree of edentulism is the family Microhylidae.Paluh, Daniel J., et al. "Rampant Tooth Loss Across 200 Million Years of Frog Evolution." BioRxiv, 2021. Crossref, doi:10.1101/2021.02.04.429809.
Ascaphus (all species) and Eleutherodactylus (two species, E. coqui and E. jasperi) are the only other frog genera that have internal fertilization. Limnonectes larvaepartus also has internal fertilization.
Taxonomy and genera
The family Bufonidae contains over 570 species among 52 genera.
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