Black Toad

This toad has a small body with stout limbs. Fingers are free from webbing, while toes are half webbed. Parotoid glands are ovular to triangular, and the warts are low, rounded and white. The dorsal surface is almost entirely black, with the exception of a white stripe running from between the eyes to the vent. The hind legs are almost completely black, while the rest of the underside is heavily to lightly mottled starting from the vent towards the throat.See another account at californiaherps.com (http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/a.exsul.html).

Only known to exist in Deep Springs, Ca. Deep Springs is located in northeastern Inyo County, California.

Lives in and around warm sulfurous springs in the Deep Springs valley. It is believed to breed in March. This toad lives near water and uses streams/pools for safety. It avoids uncovered areas, such as rocky streambeds or open ground.

Introduced predators such as bullfrogs could destroy this species. Damage to habitat caused by livestock is also a great threat. Burning the marshes surrounding the springs or changing the flow of the water channels would destroy the toad’s only habitat.

Exists only near Deep Springs College. Care should be taken by conservationists and the local residents to maintain the only habitat of this species.