{"elementGlobalId":105658,"circumscripConfidence":{"id":1,"circumscripConfidenceDescEn":"1 - Strong","circumscripConfidenceDescEs":"1 - Fuerte","circumscripConfidenceDescFr":"1 – Forte"},"classificationLevel":{"id":7,"classificationLevelNameEn":"Species","classificationLevelNameEs":"Especies","classificationLevelNameFr":"Espèce"},"classificationStatus":{"id":1,"classificationStatusDescEn":"Standard","classificationStatusDescEs":"Estándar","classificationStatusDescFr":"Standard"},"iucn":{"id":11,"iucnDescEn":"Least concern","iucnDescEs":"Menos preocupante","iucnDescFr":"Moins préoccupante","iucnCode":"LC"},"nameCategory":{"id":1,"nameCategoryDescEn":"Vertebrate Animal","nameCategoryDescEs":"Animal vertebrado","nameCategoryDescFr":"Animal vertébré","nameTypeCd":"A","nameTypeDesc":"Zoological"},"rankMethodUsed":{"id":7,"rankMethodUsedDescEn":" Rank calculation - Biotics v2","rankMethodUsedDescEs":null,"rankMethodUsedDescFr":null,"rankMethodUsedExternalDescEn":"Ranked by calculator","rankMethodUsedExternalDescEs":null,"rankMethodUsedExternalDescFr":null},"formattedScientificName":"<i>Scaphiopus couchii</i>","scientificName":"Scaphiopus couchii","scientificNameAuthor":"Baird, 1854","primaryCommonName":"Couch's Spadefoot","relatedItisNames":"<i>Scaphiopus couchii</i> Baird, 1854 (TSN 173429)","uniqueId":"ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105658","elcode":"AAABF01020","conceptRefFullCitation":"Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of  Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.","conceptName":"<i>Scaphiopus couchii</i>","taxonomicComments":"Garcia-Paris et al. (2003) split the Pelobatidae into two families: Eurasian spadefoot toads (<i>Pelobates</i>), which retain the name Pelobatidae, and North American spadefoot toads (<i>Scaphiopus</i>, <i>Spea</i>), which make up the revived family Scaphiopodidae.","roundedGRank":"G5","conservationStatusFactorsEditionDate":"2023-07-24","conservationStatusFactorsEditionAuthors":"Hammerson, G. (2011); rev. R. L. Gundy (2023)","primaryCommonNameLanguage":"EN","recordType":"SPECIES","elementNationals":[{"elementNationalId":165184,"classifConfidence":null,"nation":{"id":225,"nameEn":"United States","nameEs":"Estados Unidos","nameFr":"États-Unis","isoCode":"US","region":"United States"},"roundedNRank":"N5","elementSubnationals":[{"elementSubnationalId":308754,"subnation":{"id":43,"nameEn":"Oklahoma","nameEs":"Oklahoma","nameFr":"Oklahoma","subnationCode":"OK","dnationId":225},"roundedSRank":"S3","dataSensitive":{"id":2,"dataSensitiveDescEn":"No","dataSensitiveDescEs":null,"dataSensitiveDescFr":null,"dataSensitiveCode":"N"},"dataSensitiveCategory":null,"srank":"S3","speciesSubnational":{"elementSubnationalId":308754,"hybrid":false,"exotic":false,"native":true}},{"elementSubnationalId":369821,"subnation":{"id":6,"nameEn":"Arizona","nameEs":"Arizona","nameFr":"Arizona","subnationCode":"AZ","dnationId":225},"roundedSRank":"S5","dataSensitive":{"id":2,"dataSensitiveDescEn":"No","dataSensitiveDescEs":null,"dataSensitiveDescFr":null,"dataSensitiveCode":"N"},"dataSensitiveCategory":null,"srank":"S5","speciesSubnational":{"elementSubnationalId":369821,"hybrid":false,"exotic":false,"native":true}},{"elementSubnationalId":300451,"subnation":{"id":39,"nameEn":"New Mexico","nameEs":"Nuevo México","nameFr":"Nouveau-Mexique","subnationCode":"NM","dnationId":225},"roundedSRank":"S4","dataSensitive":{"id":2,"dataSensitiveDescEn":"No","dataSensitiveDescEs":null,"dataSensitiveDescFr":null,"dataSensitiveCode":"N"},"dataSensitiveCategory":null,"srank":"S4","speciesSubnational":{"elementSubnationalId":300451,"hybrid":false,"exotic":false,"native":true}},{"elementSubnationalId":369303,"subnation":{"id":51,"nameEn":"Texas","nameEs":"Texas","nameFr":"Texas","subnationCode":"TX","dnationId":225},"roundedSRank":"S5","dataSensitive":{"id":2,"dataSensitiveDescEn":"No","dataSensitiveDescEs":null,"dataSensitiveDescFr":null,"dataSensitiveCode":"N"},"dataSensitiveCategory":null,"srank":"S5","speciesSubnational":{"elementSubnationalId":369303,"hybrid":false,"exotic":false,"native":true}},{"elementSubnationalId":362293,"subnation":{"id":7,"nameEn":"California","nameEs":"California","nameFr":"Californie","subnationCode":"CA","dnationId":225},"roundedSRank":"S2","dataSensitive":{"id":2,"dataSensitiveDescEn":"No","dataSensitiveDescEs":null,"dataSensitiveDescFr":null,"dataSensitiveCode":"N"},"dataSensitiveCategory":null,"srank":"S2","speciesSubnational":{"elementSubnationalId":362293,"hybrid":false,"exotic":false,"native":true}},{"elementSubnationalId":368602,"subnation":{"id":8,"nameEn":"Colorado","nameEs":"Colorado","nameFr":"Colorado","subnationCode":"CO","dnationId":225},"roundedSRank":"S1","dataSensitive":{"id":2,"dataSensitiveDescEn":"No","dataSensitiveDescEs":null,"dataSensitiveDescFr":null,"dataSensitiveCode":"N"},"dataSensitiveCategory":null,"srank":"S1","speciesSubnational":{"elementSubnationalId":368602,"hybrid":false,"exotic":false,"native":true}}],"nrankReviewYear":1996,"nrank":"N5","speciesNational":{"elementNationalId":165184,"exotic":false,"native":true}}],"lastModified":"2026-10-02T21:46:37.255056Z","lastPublished":"2026-10-02T21:32:08.892226Z","promotionalDescription":null,"conceptLineageSummary":null,"nsxUrl":"/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105658/Scaphiopus_couchii","grankAdjustmentReasons":null,"grankChangeDate":"2001-11-29","grankReviewDate":"2023-07-24","grankReasons":"This species is widespread throughout the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. No major threats are known at this time. However, future changes in the climate are expected to significantly impact this species. It is generally abundant where present and breeds explosively when conditions are appropriate.","grank":"G5","rankInfo":{"elementGlobalId":105658,"aooPercentGood":null,"enviromentalSpecificity":{"id":6,"enviromentalSpecificityDescEn":"Narrow to moderate.","enviromentalSpecificityDescEs":"Estrecho a moderado.","enviromentalSpecificityDescFr":"D’étroit à modéré."},"intrinsicVulnerability":{"id":4,"intrinsicVulnerabilityDescEn":"Moderately vulnerable","intrinsicVulnerabilityDescEs":"Moderadamente vulnerable","intrinsicVulnerabilityDescFr":"Moyennement vulnérable"},"longTermTrend":{"id":36,"longTermTrendDescEn":"Decline of 10-30%","longTermTrendDescEs":"Disminución del 10 al 30%.","longTermTrendDescFr":"Diminution de 10 à 30 %"},"numberEos":{"id":14,"numberEosDescEn":"81 to >300","numberEosDescEs":"De 81 a >300","numberEosDescFr":"De 81 à >300"},"numberGoodEos":{"id":21,"numberGoodEosDescEn":"Very many (>125)","numberGoodEosDescEs":"Muchos (>125)","numberGoodEosDescFr":"Beaucoup (>125)"},"numberProtEos":{"id":15,"numberProtEosDescEn":"Very many (>40) occurrences appropriately protected and managed","numberProtEosDescEs":"Muchas ocurrencias (>40) protegidas y controladas adecuadamente","numberProtEosDescFr":"Beaucoup d’occurrences (>40) protégées et contrôlées convenablement"},"popSize":{"id":37,"popSizeDescEn":"Unknown","popSizeDescEs":"Desconocido","popSizeDescFr":"Inconnu"},"rangeExtent":{"id":33,"rangeExtentDescEn":"200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)","rangeExtentDescEs":"200.000 a 2.500.000 kilómetros cuadrados (aproximadamente 80.000 a 1.000.000 millas cuadradas)","rangeExtentDescFr":"De 200 000 à 2 500 000 km carrés (de 80 000 à 1 000 000 miles carrés approximativement)"},"shortTermTrend":{"id":46,"shortTermTrendDescEn":"Unknown","shortTermTrendDescEs":"Desconocido","shortTermTrendDescFr":"Inconnu"},"threatImpactAssigned":{"id":10,"threatImpactAssignedDescEn":"Low","threatImpactAssignedDescEs":"Bajo","threatImpactAssignedDescFr":"Faible"},"rangeExtentComments":"Couch's spadefoot is found in southeastern Colorado, western Oklahoma, western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and southeastern California in the United States and southern Baja California, Nayarit, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, and northern Veracruz in Mexico (Conant and Collins 1991, Mulcahy and Setser 2002, Stebbins 2003).","areaOfOccupancy":null,"areaOfOccupancyComments":null,"numberEosComments":"There are many occurrences throughout the range extent (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023).","popSizeComments":null,"viabilityComments":"There are many occurrences on conservation lands and this species is somewhat adaptable to development (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023).","threatImpactComments":"Invasive saltcedar (<i>Tamarix</i> spp.) degrades habitat quality in riparian areas and can reduce or even eliminate Couch's spadefoot from the habitat (Riddle and Bateman 2020). This species is considered extremely vulnerable to climate change under all climate models examined, although the impact and timing is not known (Griffis-Kyle et al. 2018). At this time, chytrid fungus (<i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i>) does not appear to be threatening this species (Christman and Jennings 2018, Hernández-Martínez et al. 2019, Watters et al. 2016).","shortTermTrendComments":null,"longTermTrendComments":"This species has likely declined to some degree in the past due to urbanization, invasive plants, and habitat fragmentation.","inventoryNeeds":null,"numberProtEosComments":"Several populations of this species occur in natural protected areas in the United States and Mexico. The populations occurring outside these reserves have been identified as healthy in most cases.","protectionNeeds":null,"otherConsiderations":null,"intrinsicVulnerabilityComments":"This species relies on abundant summer rains to create optimal breeding conditions, generally in ephemeral ponds, but adults can survive at least two years in hibernation (Seymour 1973).","enviromentalSpecificityComments":"This species lives in arid habitats with appropriate loose soils and nearby breeding sites (Riddle and Bateman 2020)."},"animalCharacteristics":{"elementGlobalId":105658,"majorHabitat":null,"nonMigrant":false,"localMigrant":true,"longDistanceMigrant":false,"mobilityMigrationComments":"Individuals migrate up to several hundred meters between upland habitats and breeding sites.","foodHabitsComments":"Metamorphosed toads eat various small terrestrial arthropods. Larvae probably eat organic debris, algae, small aquatic invertebrates, and plant tissue.","animalPhenologyComments":"Almost all feeding and breeding activity occur during and shortly after heavy spring and summer rains. Otherwise, these toads stay buried in the ground.","colonialBreeder":true,"length":6,"width":null,"weight":null,"animalPhenologies":[{"animalCagPhenologyId":100776,"animalPhenology":{"id":1,"animalPhenologyDescEn":"Hibernates/aestivates","animalPhenologyDescEs":"Hibernación/Estivación","animalPhenologyDescFr":"Hiberne/estive","displayOrder":1},"adult":true,"immature":true},{"animalCagPhenologyId":100777,"animalPhenology":{"id":4,"animalPhenologyDescEn":"Nocturnal","animalPhenologyDescEs":"Nocturno","animalPhenologyDescFr":"Nocturne","displayOrder":4},"adult":true,"immature":true}],"animalFoodHabits":[{"animalCagFoodHabitsId":101586,"foodHabits":{"id":3,"foodHabitsDescEn":"Invertivore","foodHabitsDescEs":"Invertívoro","foodHabitsDescFr":"Invertivore","displayOrder":3},"adult":true,"immature":false},{"animalCagFoodHabitsId":101587,"foodHabits":{"id":4,"foodHabitsDescEn":"Herbivore","foodHabitsDescEs":"Herbívoro","foodHabitsDescFr":"Herbivore","displayOrder":4},"adult":false,"immature":true}]},"occurrenceDelineations":[{"eoSpecsDetailId":1216,"locationUseClass":{"id":1,"locationUseClassDescEn":"Not applicable","locationUseClassDescEs":"No se aplica","locationUseClassDescFr":"Sans objet","displayOrder":1},"eoSpecGroupName":"Spadefoots","subtypes":null,"inferredExtentDistance":0.5,"inferredExtentNotes":"Inferred extent distance refers to distance from breeding sites and is likely a conservative value.","minimumEoCriteria":"Occurrences are based on evidence of historical presence, or current and likely recurring presence, at a given location. Such evidence minimally includes collection or reliable observation and documentation of one or more individuals (including larvae or eggs) in or near appropriate habitat where the species is presumed to be established and  breeding.","mappingGuidance":null,"separationBarriers":"Busy major highway, especially at night, such that toads rarely if ever cross successfully; urban development dominated by buildings and pavement; the largest, widest, fast-flowing rivers.","separationDistanceUnsuitableHabitatat":1.0,"separationDistanceSuitableHabitatat":5.0,"altSeparationProcedure":null,"separationJustification":"Spadefoots can cross some fairly wide flowing rivers, so only the biggest rivers with strong current should be treated as barriers. <br><br>Detailed information on movements of these toads is not available, but opportunistic field observations of various species indicate that they readily move up to at least several hundred meters from breeding sites (G. Hammerson, pers. obs.). The separation distance for unsuitable habitat reflects the nominal minimum value of 1 km. The separation distance for suitable habitat reflects the good vagility of spadefoots, their ability to utilize ephemeral or newly created breeding sites, and the consequent likely low probability that two occupied locations separated by less than several kilometers of suitable habitat would represent truly independent populations over the long term.<br><br>Adults tend to exhibit high fidelity to breeding sites. For example, in Florida, inter-pond exchange of adults was minimal and short-distance (130 m; one was 416 m) (Greenberg and Tanner 2005), but recaptures were rare and some dispersals may have been missed. Additionally metamorphs may disperse large distances and probably sometimes eventually breed in distant non-natal pools. In Florida, Greenberg and Tanner (2005) did not track inter-pond movement by <i>Scaphiopus holbrookii</i> metamorphs, but it appeared likely that metamorphs ''rescue'' local populations by breeding-4 or 5 years later-in non-natal ponds as adults.","versionDate":"2005-04-15","versionAuthor":"Hammerson, G.","versionNotes":null,"lastModified":"2020-04-30T02:05:46.630293Z"}],"plantCharacteristics":null,"elementManagement":{"elementGlobalId":105658,"eoManagementGroupName":null,"stewardshipOverview":null,"impacts":null,"restorationPotential":null,"siteConservationPlansConsidered":null,"managementMethods":null,"monitoringMethods":null,"managementProgramContacts":null,"monitoringProgramContacts":null,"managementResearchPrograms":null,"managementResearchNeeds":null,"biologicalResearchNeeds":null,"additionalTopics":null},"occurrenceViabilities":[{"eoRankSpecsDetailId":107079,"eoRankSpecsGroupName":null,"locationUseClass":{"id":1,"locationUseClassDescEn":"Not applicable","locationUseClassDescEs":"No se aplica","locationUseClassDescFr":"Sans objet","displayOrder":1},"excellentViability":null,"goodViability":null,"fairViability":null,"poorViability":null,"viabilityJustification":"Use the Generic Guidelines for the Application of Occurrence Ranks (2008).<br>The Key for Ranking Species Occurrences Using the Generic Approach provides a step-wise process for implementing this method.","versionDate":null,"versionAuthor":null,"versionNotes":null,"lastModified":"2020-05-14T02:29:33.840719Z"}],"references":[{"id":137372,"citation":"Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Behler and King","shortCitationYear":1979,"referenceCode":"B79BEH01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T14:38:24.173666Z"},{"id":112779,"citation":"Blackburn, L., P. Nanjappa, and M. J. Lannoo. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Copyright, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.","shortCitationAuthor":"Blackburn et al.","shortCitationYear":2001,"referenceCode":"B01BLA01EHUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T14:38:24.173666Z"},{"id":128951,"citation":"Bragg, A.N. 1965. Gnomes of the night. the spadefoot toads. 127 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Bragg","shortCitationYear":1965,"referenceCode":"B65BRA01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:12:45.726277Z"},{"id":104608,"citation":"Conant, R. and J. T. Collins. 1991. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 450 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Conant and Collins","shortCitationYear":1991,"referenceCode":"B91CON01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:11:51.303794Z"},{"id":943912,"citation":"Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]","shortCitationAuthor":"Crother","shortCitationYear":2017,"referenceCode":"B17CRO01EHUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:11:53.413199Z"},{"id":119796,"citation":"Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of  Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Frost","shortCitationYear":1985,"referenceCode":"B85FRO01HQUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T14:38:24.173666Z"},{"id":1054360,"citation":"Frost, D.R. 2020. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Online: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html","shortCitationAuthor":"Frost","shortCitationYear":2020,"referenceCode":"W20FRO02NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T19:41:47.447453Z"},{"id":169036,"citation":"García-París, M., D.R. Buchholtz, and G. Parra-Olea. 2003. Phylogenetic relationships of Pelobatoidea re-examined using mtDNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 28:12-23.","shortCitationAuthor":"García-París et al.","shortCitationYear":2003,"referenceCode":"A03GAR01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:12:45.726277Z"},{"id":138394,"citation":"Hammerson, G. A. 1982b. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver. vii + 131 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Hammerson","shortCitationYear":1982,"referenceCode":"B82HAM01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:12:18.040312Z"},{"id":104501,"citation":"Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Second edition. University Press of Colorado, Boulder. xxvi + 484 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Hammerson","shortCitationYear":1999,"referenceCode":"B99HAM01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:12:18.040312Z"},{"id":132014,"citation":"Mulcahy, D. G., and K. W. Setser. 2002. Geographic distribution: <i>Scaphiopus couchii</i>. Herpetological Review 33:64.","shortCitationAuthor":"Mulcahy and Setser","shortCitationYear":2002,"referenceCode":"A02MUL01NAUS","lastModified":"2021-07-03T04:16:38.472725Z"},{"id":1153425,"citation":"Nicholson, K. E. (ed.). 2025. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Ninth Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 87 pp. Online database available at: https://cnah.org/SSARnames.aspx","shortCitationAuthor":"Nicholson","shortCitationYear":2025,"referenceCode":"B25NIC01NAUS","lastModified":"2026-06-06T01:36:32.018241Z"},{"id":144435,"citation":"Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Stebbins","shortCitationYear":1985,"referenceCode":"B85STE01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:11:51.08501Z"},{"id":462976,"citation":"Stebbins, R.C. 1985b. A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, Massachusetts.","shortCitationAuthor":"Stebbins","shortCitationYear":1985,"referenceCode":"B85STE0100LA","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:22:02.313079Z"},{"id":266629,"citation":"Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.","shortCitationAuthor":"Stebbins","shortCitationYear":2003,"referenceCode":"B03STE01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:11:51.08501Z"},{"id":107848,"citation":"Tocque, K. 1993. The relationship between parasite burden and host resources in the desert toad (<i>Scaphiopus couchii</i>), under natural environmental conditions. J. Anim. Ecol. 62:683-693.","shortCitationAuthor":"Tocque","shortCitationYear":1993,"referenceCode":"A93TOC01NAUS","lastModified":"2021-07-03T04:16:38.472725Z"},{"id":155991,"citation":"Wasserman, A.O. 1970. <i>Scaphiopus couchii</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 85:1-4.","shortCitationAuthor":"Wasserman","shortCitationYear":1970,"referenceCode":"A70WAS01NAUS","lastModified":"2021-07-03T04:16:38.472725Z"}],"otherCommonNames":[{"id":151684,"name":"Couch's spadefoot","language":"EN"}],"speciesGlobal":{"elementGlobalId":105658,"cites":null,"cosewic":null,"fwsRegion":null,"genusSize":{"id":3,"genusSizeDescEn":"Small genus","genusSizeDescEs":"Género pequeño","genusSizeDescFr":"Petit genre"},"jurisEndem":{"id":5,"jurisEndemDescEn":"occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations","jurisEndemDescEs":"Se encuentra en varias naciones (de manera regular, como un taxón nativo)","jurisEndemDescFr":"Se trouve dans plusieurs nations (de façon régulière, tel un taxon indigène)"},"nomenclaturallyEst":null,"usesa":null,"informalTaxonomy":{"informalTaxonomyId":3,"level1":"Animals","level2":"Vertebrates","level3":"Amphibians","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"parentId":2,"distributionStatus":"complete","displayOrder":1060},"parentSpecies":null,"infraspecies":false,"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Craniata","taxclass":"Amphibia","taxorder":"Anura","family":"Scaphiopodidae","genus":"Scaphiopus","americanFisheriesStatus":null,"americanFisheriesStatusDate":null,"saraStatus":null,"saraStatusDate":null,"cosewicDate":null,"interpretedCosewic":null,"cosewicComments":null,"usesaDate":null,"interpretedUsesa":null,"usesaComments":null,"completeDistribution":true,"synonyms":[{"id":108576,"synonym":"Scaphiopus varius","synonymAuthor":null,"formattedSynonym":"<i>Scaphiopus varius</i>"},{"id":108577,"synonym":"Spea laticeps","synonymAuthor":null,"formattedSynonym":"<i>Spea laticeps</i>"}],"infraspeciesList":[],"ebarId":null,"ebarCanadianScope":false,"ebarGlobalScope":false,"ebarKbaGroup":"Amphibians and Reptiles","caGeneralStatusId":null},"speciesCharacteristics":{"elementGlobalId":105658,"reproductionComments":"These toads emerge from the ground and breed explosively after heavy rains in spring or summer. Breeding choruses usually last only 1 day. Females produce a clutch of up to several hundred eggs, divided among several clusters. Eggs and larvae develop quickly, and toadlets leave the pools in only about 1-2 weeks, if breeding pools do not dry up sooner than this. A newly laid Couch's spadefoot egg can develop into a tiny land-dwelling toadlet in only 1-2 weeks.","ecologyComments":"Monogenean parasite infection may reduce spadefoot reproduction and/or survival (Tocque 1993).","habitatComments":"Habitat includes arid and semi-arid shrublands, shortgrass plains, mesquite savanna, creosote bush desert, thornforest, cultivated areas, and tropical deciduous forest (Mexico). These toads spend most of their time underground or in rodent burrows, except when rains stimulate activity and bring them to the surface. Females attach eggs to vegetation in shallow ephemeral water resulting from heavy rains.","generalDescription":"Vertically elliptical pupil (in bright light); single hard, black, sickle-shaped spade on each hind foot; parotoid glands present but indistinct; adult snout-vent length often 6-7 cm, rarely up to 9 cm. Mature male: greenish yellow with scattered dark spots; dark patches on the inner three digits of mature individuals during breeding season; expanded vocal sac large and evenly rounded; breeding call a croaking yeow. Female: greenish yellow; coarse dark mottling of juveniles becomes a finer dark reticulation in adults. Larvae: dorsum usually bronze, dark brown, or dark gray to black (black in preservative); body typically wider in rear than in front; tail fin clear with fine scattered dark dots and lines that are most numerous in dorsal fin; eyes dorsal; intestine visible through skin; jaws serrated, never cusped; lower mandible striated; labial tooth rows usually 4/4, 4/5, or 5/5; oral papillae completely encircle mouth (narrow dorsal gap may be present); no keratinized area on roof of mouth; anus on midline at front end of ventral tail fin; usually not more than 3.5 cm total length. Eggs: black on top, whitish underneath, diameter 1.3-1.6 mm, surrounded by one jelly envelope; deposited as a cluster, cylindrical mass, or string of several to more than 100. 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