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Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Leila K, José Luis Cartes and Martijn Brouwer and is used with their permission.
ROCOCO TOAD Rhinella schneideri
Most peoples reaction is predictable the first time that they see a Rococo Toad "Jesus! Look at the size of that thing!". This is a huge toad and one of the most commonly-encountered amphibians in Paraguay - many emerging after rains even in cities! Though many Paraguayans believe him to be venomous, he is no such thing, though he does have a number of interesting adaptations to avoid predators. Firstly he is able to inflate the body making him difficult to swallow, and as a back-up he secretes a milky substance from the skin which causes nausea (there is no danger to humans in touching the animal, but it is advisable to wash your hands afterwards!). Toads that are handled may urinate, but there is no truth in the local belief that they deliberately try to urinate in the eyes of humans!
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - Adult, Hotel Tirol, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August 2006).
FIGURE 2 - Adult, Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith September 2007).
FIGURE 3 - Same individual upperside (Paul Smith September 2007).
FIGURE 4 - Leg motion during jumping of same individual (Paul Smith September 2007).
FIGURE 5 - Upperside of another individual, Hotel Tirol, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August 2006).
FIGURE 6 - Underside, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Martijn Brouwer May 2007 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 7 - Head detail, PN Teniente Enciso (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 8 - Extended leg, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Martijn Brouwer May 2007 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 9 - Juvenile, Bahía de Asunción (José Luis Cartes 2001).
FIGURE 10 - Forefoot, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Leila K August 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 11 - Hindfoot, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Leila K August 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 12 - Adult in tree refuge, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Ted Faust June 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
VIDEO - Adult male giving "clasp call", Hotel Tirol, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August 2006).
Rhinella schneideri Click the links to hear the calls.
1 male "clasp" call given when a male is mounted by another male to avoid same sex mating. This recording was artificially initiated by holding a male in the area where he would be gripped by a mounting male! Recorded PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith March 2007 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
2 song recorded near Loma Plata, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith October 2007).