Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)

Species Information

Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2 - 3 inches
Range: Southern Coastal Plain west to Lunenburg Co.
Status: Least Concern

I am making it a personal goal to raise awareness for the Southern Toad. Virginia Southern Toads are overlooked, neglected in research, and mostly unheard of by the general population.  This species is the most common toad, in the largest city of the state, Virginia Beach, yet good, local naturalist have never heard of this species, or forget about it. We as herpers have always put a lot of emphasis on American vs Fowler's, as they have huge range overlaps. For Virginia (and North Carolina) this has completely overshadowed the existence of the Southern Toad. 

Southern Toads love sandy soils, and can be found by road cruising, scanning, or flipping debris. Generally, pine, oak, and other sand-loving species of trees should indicate good habitat for this species.

Similar Species: This species has a very small overlap with the Eastern American Toad, and this may be more akin to an intergrade zone than an actual range overlap. It seems to be a great deal of physical overlap between the two species in these areas. Fowler's Toads can be found anywhere there are Southern Toads. For more ID details, click the link below.

Understanding Toad Identification

---

Calls

Calls are long, higher-pitched trills that average ~8 seconds.

---

Maps and External Links

***iNaturalist maps show iNat reports of each species. Though maps are quite accurate, some reports could be misidentified, so be cautious of any outlying records.***

VHS Info

iNat Observations

Koaw Nature's Toad ID

Known and Predicted Range for this Species