Cuban Spotted Toad
Peltophryne taladai
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_spotted_toad
Overview
The Cuban spotted toad, or Cuban Caribbean toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to central and eastern Cuba. Its natural habitats are lowland mesic broadleaf forests, but it also occurs on cultivated fields as long as they are not too intensively farmed. It is common in suitable habitat but its distribution is severely fragmented and its habitat is threatened by intensive agriculture, charcoaling, and nickel mining.
The Cuban Spotted Toad faces significant threats from habitat loss and degradation due to agricultural expansion, urban development, and deforestation across its limited range in Cuba. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and increased frequency of extreme weather events that can disrupt breeding cycles and reduce suitable habitat availability.
Habitat
This species inhabits tropical dry forests, coastal scrublands, and rocky areas with temporary pools and streams in western and central Cuba. It requires both terrestrial refugia in forest understory and ephemeral aquatic habitats for reproduction, typically at elevations below 400 meters.
Other threatened species in Bufonidae
Threatened in Cuba
Frequently asked questions
Why is Cuban Spotted Toad classified as Vulnerable?
Where does Cuban Spotted Toad live?
What are the main threats to Cuban Spotted Toad?
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