Common Spadefoot
The Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus) is a species of
toad of the family Pelobatidae. It is native to an area extending from central Europe to western Asia. It is also commonly known as the Garlic Toad, the Common Spadefoot Toad and the European Common Spadefoot.
The male Spadefoot is about 2.5 inches in length and the female is slightly more than 3 inches in length. The dorsal skin color is usually light gray to beige-brown and is mottled by darker marks that are different in each individual. The belly is white, sometimes mottled with gray. The coloration can vary in this species depending on habitat, gender and region. Albino Spadefoots have also been observed.
When alarmed it can release a noxious secretion that has a garlic odor; hence the common name: “˜Garlic Toad’.