Oriental Fire-Bellied Toad

ANIMAL:
Oriental Fire-Bellied Toad Bombina orientalis

Type of Animal:
Frog

Habitat:
Streams, wetlands, ponds, pools, paddy fields, springs, ditches, puddles, lakes, bogs, marshes, mixed forest, mixed coniferous-broadleaf forest, coniferous forest, broadleaf forest, open meadows, river valleys, swampy bushland, swamps, high elevation deciduous forest, spruce forest, pine forest, leafy forest

Location(s):
Korea, NE China, SE Russia. Introduced population near Beijing.

Appearance:
Bright green w/ black mottling in dorsal region, complexion can darken to brown/black depending on background scenery, bright yellow to red (typically bright reddish-orange) ventral region mottled w/ dark brown to black, males smaller than females

Food/Diet:
Adults/toadlets eat insects, insect larvae, worms, mollusks, springtails, spiders, & guppies. Tadpoles eat detritus, algae, fungi, plants, & protozoans.

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Breeding in zoos, aquariums, & herpetoculture

Lifestyle:
Groups of 6-60 toads, more males than females typically seen at breeding sites

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young: Tadpole
Group: Knot

Weight:
Male: 1 oz
Female: 2 oz
 
Gestation:
3-10 days 

Life Span:
12-20 years

Body Length:
Male: 1.5 in
Female: 2 in
Young: 0.69 in

Main predators are birds, fish, larger amphibians, snakes, foxes, cats, & lizards.
 
Breeding seasons lasts from mid-May to July.
 
Mating typically occurs at night w/ male grasping female just in front of hind limbs (amplexus).
 
Males float on top of water w/ legs splayed, calling w/ sound similar to gentle tapping of musical triangle-“ting ting” sound lasting only 15 seconds.
 
Females deposit 35-260 eggs either individually or in small clumps each season.
 
Skin poisonous, being harmful if rubbed in eyes/mouth/on broken skin. Hands should always be washed before/after handling. Nonetheless, they’re very popular pets.
 
Hatch out as tadpoles, w/ hind legs breaking through at 3 weeks old, & “arms” appearing a week later. At 5 weeks old, they metamorphose from tadpoles to toadlets, reaching maturity at 6 months old. When tadpole gills change to lungs, also grows feet & tail shrinks. Once it reaches toadlet stage, tail is gone.
 
They hibernate from late September to mid-May-long hibernation due to cold climate.
 
When in danger, they’ll arch back or even flip on back exposing brightly colored belly.
 
Also called Chinese Fire-Bellied Toad, Bombina Toad, & Tuti Toad.

Fun Fact(s):
Frogs/toads don’t give people warts-warts caused by human papillomaviruses.
 
Males work themselves into such a frenzy during breeding season, they’ll attach themselves to other male toads, other frog/toad species, newts, floating twigs, plants, fish, & even human fingers.
 
Unlike many other frogs/toads, they can’t extend tongues. To feed, they leap forward & catch prey w/ mouths.
 
Though called toads, they’re technically frogs & most closely related to Painted Frogs & Midwife Toads.

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