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, Helen Pheasey and Para La Tierra and is used with permission.
COPE´S TOAD Rhinella scitula
An uncommon little toad first described in 2003, very little is known about this species. It is one of the smaller members of its genus and is primarily associated with forested habitats in the cerrado zones of Paraguay and adjacent Brazil. Variable in colouration, some individuals have extensive dark markings on the upperparts. Amongst the Paraguayan toads though, the pig-like "snout" of the species helps to identify it. The first individuals of this species found in Paraguay were intially identified as Bufo (=Rhinella) diptychus, a species that was not referred to in comparison for the description of Rhinella scitula. The differences between R.scitula and R.diptychus remain unclear, but the Paraguayan specimens were referred to scitula by Brusquetti & Lavilla (2006) without comment on the criteria used for the change.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1a

FIGURE 1a
FIGURE 1b

FIGURE 1b
FIGURE 1c

FIGURE 1c
FIGURE 1d

FIGURE 1d
FIGURE 1e

FIGURE 1e
FIGURE 1a - (FPANF447PH) Adult lateral view, Arroyo Tagatiya, Departamento Concepción (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 1b - (FPANF448PH) Same individual dorsal (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 1c - (FPANF449PH) Same individual ventral (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 1d - (FPANF450PH) Same individual forefoot (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 1e - (FPANF451PH) Same individual hind foot (Paul Smith August 2011).
VIDEO - (FPANF460VI) Adult singing in chorus, PN Serrania San Luis, Departamento Concepción (Paul Smith August 2011).
Gallery 2: Colour variation in adult Rhinella scitula
Like many Anurans skin colouration of this species is highly variable. Above are some examples of photochromatism found in this species.
FIGURE 2a - (FPANF452PH) Golden adult lateral, PN Serrania San Luis, Departamento Concepción (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2b - (FPANF453PH) Same individual dorsal (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2c - (FPANF454PH) Black adult lateral, PN Serrania San Luis, Departamento Concepción (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2d - (FPANF455PH) "Dead leaf" adult lateral, PN Serrania San Luis, Departamento Concepción (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2e - (FPANF456PH) Same individual dorsal (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2f - (FPANF457PH) Uniform adult lateral, PN Serrania San Luis, Departamento Concepción (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2g - (FPANF458PH) Broadly striped adult lateral, PN Serrania San Luis, Departamento Concepción (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2h - (FPANF459PH) Same individual dorsal (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 2a

FIGURE 2a
FIGURE 2b

FIGURE 2b
FIGURE 2c

FIGURE 2c
FIGURE 2d

FIGURE 2d
FIGURE 2e

FIGURE 2e
FIGURE 2f

FIGURE 2f
FIGURE 2g

FIGURE 2g
FIGURE 2h

FIGURE 2h
Rhinella scitula Click the link to hear the call.
1 (FPANF665RE) Clasp call recorded Laguna Blanca, Departamento San Pedro (Helen Pheasey August 2010  - Para La Tierra).