Scaphiopodidae - American Spadefoot Toads

There are seven species in this family. Spadefoot toads get their name from the hard, sharp, bony "spade" on their hind feet that they use to dig burrows.

Spadefoots have round, stocky bodies; short, rounded snouts; large, bulging eyes; and smooth skin. American spadefoot toads are found in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Spadefoots also have vertical pupils in their eyes. Other toad and frog species have horizontal pupils.

There is a separate family of spadefoot toads found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, Pelobatidae, that shares many of the same characteristics of American spadefoot toads.

In North America, the eastern spadefoot toad is the only spadefoot found east of the Mississippi River. It is found from southern New England south to Florida and west to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

The eastern spadefoot toad is 2-3 inches in length and has a stocky body and bulging eyes with vertical pupils. It is olive-green, brown, or black in color and may have two light yellow lines running from its eyes down its back. It eats beetles, spiders, crickets, caterpillars, and other invertebrates. It is found in forested areas, brushy areas, or cultivated fields.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

New Hampshire Species		North/Central American Species
None		Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii Eastern Spadefoot - Scaphiopus holbrookii Hurter's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus hurterii Plains Spadefoot - Spea bombifrons Western Spadefoot - Spea hammondii Great Basin Spadefoot - Spea intermontana New Mexico Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata

Other Species Around the World
Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America NH Click for More Info Click for Image
Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii Eastern Spadefoot - Scaphiopus holbrookii Hurter's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus hurterii Plains Spadefoot - Spea bombifrons		Western Spadefoot - Spea hammondii Great Basin Spadefoot - Spea intermontana New Mexico Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata

Additional Information

Key: Profile Photos Video Audio

Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii
Couch's spadefoot is found in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii
Couch's spadefoot stays buried in the soil for 8-10 months of the year.
Source: Amphibians of Arizona Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii
Adult Couch's spadefoots can eat enough in one meal to last a year.
Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii
Couch's spadefoot burrows backwards into the ground to avoin the heat of the desert.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii
Couch's spadefoot tadpoles transform into frogs in 7-8 days.
Source: California Herps Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Eastern Spadefoot - Scaphiopus holbrookii
The eastern spadefoot is found from southern New England to Florida.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: Yes

Eastern Spadefoot - Scaphiopus holbrookii
The eastern spadefoot spends most of its time buried in the soil.
Source: Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: Yes

Eastern Spadefoot - Scaphiopus holbrookii
The eastern spadefoot is found in marshes and mixed hardwood swamps.
Source: Florida Wildlife Extension Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: Yes

Eastern Spadefoot - Scaphiopus holbrookii
The eastern spadefoot is around 3 inches in length.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

Great Basin Spadefoot - Spea intermontana
The Great Basin spadefoot is found from south-central British Columbia , Canada, south into the United States from eastern Washington, Oregon, and California through Nevada and Utah, into southern Idaho, northwestern Colorado, and southwestern Wyoming.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

Great Basin Spadefoot - Spea intermontana
Great Basin spadefoot toads are mostly nocturnal.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Great Basin Spadefoot - Spea intermontana
Great Basin spadefoot toads feed on a variety of invetebrates, especially ants.
Source: California Herps Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Hurter's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus hurterii
Hurter's spadefoot is found in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

Hurter's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus hurterii
Hurter's spadefoot was once thought to be a subspecies of the eastern spadefoot.
Source: California Herps Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

New Mexico Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata
The New Mexico spadefoot is found in Mexico, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

New Mexico Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata
The New Mexico spadefoot is about 2.5 inches in length.
Source: Reptiles of Arizona Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

Plains Spadefoot - Spea bombifrons
The Plains spadefoot is found from southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada south to the panhandle and lower tip of Texas, and into northern Mexico.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Plains Spadefoot - Spea bombifrons
The Plains spadefoot is around 2 inches in length.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

Plains Spadefoot - Spea bombifrons
The Plains spadefoot is usually found in areas with soft sandy/gravelly soils near permanent or temporary bodies of water.
Source: Montana Natural Heritage Program Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Plains Spadefoot - Spea bombifrons
The Plains spadefoot's eyes have vertical cat-like pupils.
Source: USGS Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Western Spadefoot - Spea hammondii
The western spadefoot is found in from California to Baja, California, Mexico.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

Western Spadefoot - Spea hammondii
The western spadefoot only enters the water to breed.
Source: California Herps Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No