Couch's Spadefoot
Scaphiopus couchii
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAmphibia (Amphibians)
- OrderAnura (Frogs and Toads)
- FamilyScaphiopodidae (North American Spadefoots)
- GenusScaphiopus (Southern Spadefoots)
- SpeciesScaphiopus couchii (Couch's Spadefoot)
About the Couch's Spadefoot
Couch's spadefoot toad or Couch's spadefoot (Scaphiopus couchii) is a species of North American spadefoot toad (family Scaphiopodidae). The specific epithet couchii is in honor of American naturalist Darius Nash Couch, who collected the first specimen while on a personal expedition to northern Mexico to collect plant, mineral, and animal specimens for the Smithsonian Institution.
Unlike other toads which have horizontal pupils, spadefoot toads have vertical pupils. On the underside of the hind foot is a hard, dark "spade" that gives spadefoot toads their name. The length of this spadefoot ranges from 5.5 to 9 cm (2.2 to 3.5 in), and body color being yellow to yellow-green, with darker mottling. These "spades" are used by the toads to burrow into the ground to prevent water loss and hide from predators. There are two spadefoot species in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and California. Couch's spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus couchi) has a sickle-shaped "spade", whereas the western spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii) has a rounded "spade". Contrary to the name, spadefoots are not true toads
Couch's spadefoot is native to the United States southwest of southeastern... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Couch's Spadefoot in Big Bend National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Big Bend National Park
Mexican Spadefoot
Spea multiplicata
Red-spotted Toad
Anaxyrus punctatus
Rio Grande Leopard Frog
Lithobates berlandieri
Texas Toad
Anaxyrus speciosus
Canyon Tree Frog
Dryophytes arenicolor
American Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
Green Treefrog
Dryophytes cinereus
Green Toad
Anaxyrus debilis
Western Narrow-mouthed Toad
Gastrophryne olivacea
Cliff Chirping Frog
Eleutherodactylus marnockii
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Couch's Spadefoot in Big Bend National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Couch's Spadefoot sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 69 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Couch's Spadefoot in Big Bend National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Couch's Spadefoot in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.