Lokionly, Bufo melanosticus 01, CC BY-SA 3.0

Asiatic Common Toad
Bufo melanostictus

Asian common toads breed in streams  and ponds.

The species grows to about 20 cm (8 in) long. The top of the head has several bony ridges. The skin is yellowish or brownish and the spines and ridges are black. The underside is unmarked or spotted. The snout is short and blunt, and the space between the eyes is broader than the upper eyelid width.

Adults are terrestrial and may be found under ground cover such as rocks, leaf litter, and logs, and are also associated with human habitations. Likely to be a common visitor to the USRC during the spring and summer.

An important insectivore in the gardens. The toad has suffered from overuse of insecticide in Hong Kong and its presence in the garden reminds us how important it is to consider natural insect killers when developing sustainable management practices.