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(Gastrophryne olivacea)
| Identification:
Fold of skin across back of
head in adult; snout pointed; toes unwebbed; eardrum not evident; upper
side gray or brown, with smooth, thick skin, with or without scattered
dark spots; head and body flattened; head and body length up to about 42
mm (1.7 inches) in females, 37 mm (1.5 inches) in males.
Mature male: During breeding season, throat skin
loose, yellowish or dark; small tubercles on lower jaw and chest; expanded
vocal sac pea-sized and spherical.
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Breeding call : A nasal buzz lasting 1–4 seconds, usually preceded by a short, distinct whistle (“whit”); several toads calling vigorously sound like a squadron of toy airplanes (or bees or distant sheep).
Larvae: upper side grayish brown to blackish, belly spotted and
streaked; tail fin low, tip usually dark; eyes on outside margin of head when
viewed from above; lacks darkened jaws (beak) and rows of tiny teeth on lips;
upper lip is a flap with notch in middle; single spiracle opens at lower midline
well back on body, immediately below the anus; up to about 37 mm 1.5 inches)
long.
Eggs: Enclosed in a single jelly envelope that is
flattened on one side; deposited in flat, floating surface films usually less
than 7 cm (2.8 inches) across and containing dozens to hundreds of
eggs.
Colorado Distribution:
Extreme southeastern Colorado.
Generally scarce, locally fairly common in restricted
range.
Habitat: Grassy areas on rocky slopes and in
bottoms of rock-rimmed canyons. Hides under rocks or in burrows, sometimes with
tarantulas.
Life
History: Breeds in temporary pools and in
larger semipermanent ponds behind earthen dams, usually after heavy rains in
late spring and summer. Larvae metamorphose into small toads about 3-4 weeks
after the eggs were laid.