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Savannah, grassland, farmland and even gardens — anywhere with damp hiding spots. habitat
Square-marked Toad
Amphibian Fact Sheet

Square-marked Toad

LC

Sclerophrys regularis

Savannah, grassland, farmland and even gardens — anywhere with damp hiding spots.

Fact Sheet

About this animal

Key facts about the square-marked toad.

Common Name
Square-marked Toad
Scientific Name
Sclerophrys regularis
Classification
Amphibia • Anura • Bufonidae
Distribution
Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola.
Habitat
Savannah, grassland, farmland and even gardens — anywhere with damp hiding spots.
Range map · red pin marks a typical locationView larger map
Lifecycle
Females lay long strings of thousands of eggs in shallow ponds; tadpoles turn into tiny toadlets after 4–8 weeks.
Diet
Insectivore: beetles, ants, termites and other invertebrates.
Size
Up to 9 cm (3.5 in); females larger.
Lifespan
5–10 years.
Conservation Status
LC
Least Concern — one of Africa's most common toads.
Behaviour
Nocturnal; hides under stones and logs by day. Males call loudly around pools in the rainy season.
Adaptations
Bumpy 'warty' skin and dark rectangular markings help it blend into dry leaves and mud. Glands behind the eyes make a bitter fluid to deter predators.
Predators
Snakes, storks, herons and small carnivores.
Interesting Facts
  • Named for the neat square-shaped patches on its back.
  • Very tough — can survive in villages and city parks as long as there's rain.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) · Habitat: African savanna wetland — Wikimedia Commons