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Alytidae - Midwife Toads, Painted Frogs

common midwife toad

Classification

 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Chordata
 Subphylum: Vertebrata
 Class: Amphibia
 Order: Anura 
 Family: Alytidae
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Common Midwife ToadThere are 12 species in this family of frogs and toads. They are found in Western Europe and North Africa. They spend the day in underground burrows and come out at night.

Midwife toads and painted frogs have rounded tongues and are sometimes known as disc-tongued frogs. Most frog and toad species have long, slender tongues.

The midwife toad male attaches fertilized eggs to his legs and back and carries them around for up to a month. He has to keep the eggs moist, so access to water is important.

Midwife toads have warts on their backs that produce a venomous toxin that can kill predators like snakes.

galleryAlytidae Photo Gallery

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct Not Enough DataNot Enough Data
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist.


U.S. Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in US Endangered in US Endangered in US Introduced Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife. Click on U.S. status icon to go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife species profile.

New Hampshire Status Key
Threatened in New Hampshire Threatened in NH Endangered in NH Endangered in NH Breeds in NH Breeds in NH (birds)
Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Location Key
Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North America South America South America New Hampshire Species NH

More Info
More Info Click for More Info picture Click for Image

Resource Key
profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

New Hampshire Species

None

North/Central American Species

None

Species Around the World

Betic Midwife Toad - Alytes dickhilleni Vulnerable Europe Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info
Common Midwife Toad - Alytes obstetricans Least Concern Europe Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info
Iberian Midwife Toad - Alytes cisternasii Least Concern Europe Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info
Mallorcan Midwife Toad - Alytes muletensis Vulnerable Europe Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info
Moroccan Midwife Toad - Alytes maurus endangered Africa More Info
Iberian Painted Frog - Discoglossus galganoi Least Concern Europe Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info

Corsican Painted Frog - Discoglossus montalentii Near Threatened Europe Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info
Hula Painted Frog - Discoglossus nigriventer Critically Endangered  Asia Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info
Moroccan Painted Frog - Discoglossus scovazzi Least Concern AfricaEurope Picture More Info
Painted Frog - Discoglossus pictus Least Concern AfricaEurope Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info
Tyrrhenian Painted Frog - Discoglossus sardus Least Concern Europe Caribbean White-lipped Frog <em>(Leptodactylus albilabris)</em> More Info

Additional Information

Betic Midwife Toad - Alytes dickhilleni profile Photos Audio Vulnerable Europe
The Betic midwife toad is found in pine and oak forests and in open rocky areas in Spain.
Source:
AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Common Midwife Toad - Alytes obstetricans profile Photos Audio Least Concern Europe
The common midwife toad is found in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.
Source:
AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Common Midwife Toad - Alytes obstetricans profile Photos Least Concern Europe
The common midwife toad is fmostly terrestrial.
Source:
Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Corsican Painted Frog - Discoglossus montalentii Photos Near Threatened Europe
The Corsican painted frog is usually found in forest streamson the French island of island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea.
Source:
AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Moroccan Painted Frog - Discoglossus scovazzi profile Photos Least Concern Africa  Europe
The Moroccan painted frog is found in Morocco and Spain.
Source:
AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Hula Painted Frog - Discoglossus nigriventer profile Photos Critically Endangered  Asia
The Hula painted frog is found in Israel. It was thought to be extinct, but a female was found in the wild in 2011.
Source:
AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Iberian Midwife Toad - Alytes cisternasii profile Photos Audio Near Threatened Europe
The Iberian midwife toad is found in Portugal and Spain. The female Iberian midwife toads can produce up to four clutches every breeding season.
Source:
AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Iberian Painted Frog - Discoglossus galganoi profile Photos Audio Least Concern Europe
The Iberian painted frog is found in Portugal and Spain.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Mallorcan Midwife Toad - Alytes muletensis profile Photos Audio Least Concern Europe
The Mallorcan midwife toad is found in Spain.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Moroccan Midwife Toad - Alytes maurus profile Photos endangered Africa
One of the major threats to the Moroccan midwife toad is the introduction of the predatory eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) to breeding ponds.
Source:
AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Painted Frog - Discoglossus pictus profile Photos Least Concern Africa  Europe
The painted frog is found in Algeria, Italy, Malta, and Tunisia.
Source: EDGE Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Painted Frog - Discoglossus pictus profile Photos Audio Least Concern Africa  Europe
The painted frog is found near natural water bodies like rivers, ponds and swamps. It is also found near man-made water bodies like cisterns, irrigation pipes, and canals.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Tyrrhenian Painted Frog - Discoglossus sardus profile Photos Least Concern Europe
The Tyrrhenian painted frog is found in France and Italy.
Source: AmphibiaWeb Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School