Far Eastern toad. Far Eastern toad - Bufo gargarizans. Types of toads, names and photos

IN Soviet times toads of the Russian Far East were considered a subspecies of the gray toad, and today they are considered a separate species based on geographic isolation from others gray toads, morphological, karyological and biochemical differences. There are 2 subspecies of the Far Eastern toad. The nominative subspecies occurs in Russia Bufo gargarizans gargarizans Cantor, 1842.

Appearance and structure

Very similar to the gray toad. It differs from it in its smaller size (body length 56-102 mm), the presence of spines on the outgrowths of the skin and a wide stripe running from the parotid gland to the side of the body, torn into large spots in the back. The eardrum is very small or covered with skin. The upperparts are dark grey, olive-gray or olive-brown with three wide longitudinal stripes. The underside of the body is yellowish or grayish, without a pattern or with small spots in the rear.

The signs of sexual dimorphism are the same as in the common toad. In addition, the male's back is often greenish or olive; Gray or brown spots on the back may be present. The female is larger than the male, her hind legs are relatively shorter and her head is slightly wider.

Distribution and habitat

Its range includes northeastern China, Korea and Russia. Range in Russia: Far East north to the Amur River valley. There the species is distributed from west to northeast from the mouth of the Zeya River to the mouth of the Amur in the Khabarovsk Territory. Inhabits Sakhalin and islands in Peter the Great Bay: Russky, Popova, Putyatina, Skrebtsova and others. Also known from the Baikal region.

Far Eastern toad lives in forests various types(coniferous, mixed and deciduous), and also in meadows. Although she loves moist habitats, in shaded or waterlogged coniferous forests It is rare, but inhabits floodplains and river valleys. Can live in anthropogenic landscapes: in rural areas, as well as in parks and gardens of large cities (such as Khabarovsk). Not found in mountain tundras.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Far Eastern toads eat mainly insects, preferring hymenoptera and beetles.

They winter from September-October to April-May. They can winter both on land in underground cavities, under logs and tree roots, and in reservoirs.

Reproduction

Far Eastern toads spawn in lakes, ponds, swamps, puddles, oxbow lakes, ditches and streams with standing or semi-flowing water. They breed in April-May, in some places until the end of June. Occasionally, vapors may form on the way to the pond. Amplexus axillary. Like gray toads, it occasionally happens among Far Eastern toads that several males try to mate with one female, forming a ball of toads. To release sexual products at the same time, the male and female stimulate each other with tactile and vibration signals. The eggs are deposited in cords that wrap around underwater objects (mostly plants) at depths of up to 30 cm.

Far Eastern frog - Rana chensinensis David, 1875
(= Rana dybowskii Gunther, 1876; Rana temporaria - Nikolsky, 1918 (part.); Rana semiplicata Nikolsky, 1918; Rana zografi Terentjev, 1922; Rana japonica - Terentyev and Chernov, 1949)

Appearance. frogs average sizes; maximum body length 96 mm. Head relatively wide, muzzle not pointed. The dorsal-lateral folds bend towards the eardrum; sometimes not expressed. Hind limbs generally of moderate length. If they are folded perpendicular to the axis of the body, then the ankle joints overlap. If the limb is extended along the body, the ankle joint extends beyond the eye, and in some individuals even beyond the edge of the muzzle. Interior calcaneal tubercle equal on average to 1/3 of the length of a finger.

2 - articular tubercles, 3 - external calcaneal tubercle, 4 - internal calcaneal tubercle

Paired inner side resonators males have them. Marriage callus on the first finger it is divided into 4 parts.

Leather smooth or covered on the back and sides with tubercles of different sizes and shapes, but grainy, like Siberian frog, No. Coloring the upper part is very variable, from slightly gray-greenish to light or dark brown, fawn, reddish. Many individuals have a pronounced ^-shaped figure ( chevron). Dark spots of different sizes and shapes on the back and sides often coincide with the tubercles and chevron, but sometimes they are not solid, but only border them, forming eyes (for example, in some South Kuril frogs). The light stripe along the middle of the back, if expressed, is unclear. Individuals without spots and stripes are often found (especially in the south of Primorye). Dark temporal spot clearly visible. The place where the sides and hips meet is colored yellow-greenish. The belly may be covered with rusty, reddish, pinkish-yellow and bluish spots, especially in females. In males it and the throat are often white, without spots, and reddish only in the back and on the limbs; in young individuals with mottling.

Spreading. A widespread species that lives in the Russian Far East, in North Korea, Japan (Hokkaido - see below), China (west to eastern Xinjiang and Tibet, south to Sichuan, Hubei and Jiangsu provinces), southern and eastern Mongolia. In Russia, the range of the Far Eastern frog extends west to the city of Zeya (about 127° E), north to the lower reaches of the Aldan River in southeastern Yakutia (about 63° N) and north Khabarovsk Territory. In the east, frogs inhabit Sakhalin Island and southern Kurile Islands(Kunashir, as well as Shikotan and other islands of the Small Ridge).

Taxonomy of the species. The taxonomy of the species still remains unclear. Perhaps, in reality, we are dealing with a series of species, outwardly very similar friends on a friend. There are also nomenclatural difficulties. Recently, frogs of Hokkaido Island (Japan) were isolated as an independent species Rana pirica Matsui, 1991. If we recognize its reality, then frogs from the southern Kuril Islands should also apply to it. However, a number of data do not confirm the species status. On the other hand, the relationship between the frogs of Primorye, from where a number of forms were described (see list of synonyms), and central China, where the species was described from Rana chensinensis (Qin-ling mountains). Geographical variability across its vast range is also unknown. Thus, there is a need for extensive re-research, first of all, of brown frogs of China using modern methods (molecular genetics, etc.), and not just museum collections.

The Far Eastern frog belongs to the group brown frogs(group Rana temporaria). Subspecies, including those described by Chinese herpetologists, have not yet received recognition.

Habitat. Mostly forest a species very characteristic of the Far East. In general, the species is ecologically very plastic, populating both wet and dry habitats; leads a terrestrial lifestyle, moving a considerable distance away from bodies of water. It is found both on the plain and on the slopes of hills, on watersheds and passes, except for the alpine zone, rising into the mountains to an altitude of more than 1000 m above sea level (in Tibet and Sichuan almost up to 4000 m). Inhabits broad-leaved, cedar-broad-leaved, small-leaved and coniferous forests, preferring edges, clearings, clearings. It also lives in floodplains and valleys of rivers and lakes, along sea ​​coasts, in shrub thickets, in mixed-grass meadows, in overgrown burnt areas, swampy larch forests (pigweeds). In the south of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, it lives in thickets of bamboo and tall grass, and even near hot springs. Frogs are often found in forest plantations, reclaimed fields, agricultural lands, parks, orchards, and vegetable gardens; found in towns and cities. They avoid continuous thickets of bamboo, dense tracts of coniferous forest, and tundra landscapes not crossed by rivers.

Activity. Frogs can be found at any time of the day. During the day they are found in shaded places under the forest canopy or among tall grass in rainy and cloudy weather. The greatest occurrence of individuals is observed at dusk, in the first half of the night and early in the morning, while the dew has not yet dried. In case of danger, frogs hide under dead wood, in the forest floor, under stones and other lying objects, in grass, and in rodent holes. In hot, dry times, they can dig small burrows 8-12 cm long at a depth of 5-10 cm from the surface.

Reproduction. Frogs in spring are awakening, when the snow has not yet completely melted and the reservoirs are partially covered with ice. The air temperature at this time can be 1-5°C, water temperature 1-3°C. Adults appear in the Primorsky Territory in late March - mid-April, in the south of Sakhalin and Kunashir in the first ten days of April - the first ten days of May, in the Middle Amur in mid - late April, in Yakutia in late April - May. Immature individuals emerge from wintering grounds later. Males, sometimes even overcoming areas of snow, occupy reservoirs first. In a couple of days they're throwing loud parties concerts, heard from afar. In breeding areas, frogs sometimes form very large clusters.

As spawning grounds various reservoirs are used, for the most part temporary, less often permanent. Frogs breed in puddles, pits, roadside ditches, in depressions filled with melt and rainwater, in flooded meadows, in oxbow lakes, on fresh shallow outskirts of large lagoon lakes, in reclamation ditches, swamps, and small ponds. Sometimes spawning occurs even in streams, river branches, but not in the stream itself, but in small branches where there is almost no current. The depth of reservoirs is usually small, usually up to 0.7-1.0 m; the banks and bottom may be covered with vegetation or, less commonly, bare. Breeding reservoirs can be located either on a plain in a floodplain or valley, or in hills, in a forest and in an open place (meadows, seashore). In some reservoirs the water is brackish.

Breeding period extended for at least a month, since the migration of individuals from wintering areas occurs in two or three waves. Pairing begins 2-6 days after leaving the winter at a water temperature of 5-11°C. Vapors sometimes form several tens of meters before the reservoir and last for 4-10 hours. Males in a pond try to grab any moving object. The process of actually laying eggs by a couple lasts about 5 minutes. The female lays from 300 to 3800 eggs with a diameter of 5-7 mm (ovum diameter 2.0-2.4 mm) in a well-warmed area, often with vegetation, at a depth of about 20 cm. Spawning occurs in batches (600-800 eggs each), but if on Sakhalin there is a time gap between portions are very small and all portions stick together into one lump, then in Primorye the intervals can be up to 2-3 days. In the Amur region, as a rule, eggs are laid at a time. After spawning, frogs leave water bodies.

Embryonic development lasts 4-18 days in Primorye, 4-6 days in the Amur region, 10-12 days in Yakutia, no more than 10-23 days on Sakhalin. A large number of eggs and larvae is dying from drying up of water bodies. The length of the larvae after hatching is 5-8 mm. Larval development covers 52-98 days. Tadpoles active during the day. Their length before metamorphosis is about 44 mm (including tail). On the oral disc, the denticles are located in 4 rows above and below the beak. The entire period of subject-morphotic development (from eggs) is 70-75 days in the Amur region, 78-110 days in Primorye, 60-121 days in the south of Sakhalin and 65-70 days in Kunashir. To stage fingerling no more than 3% of laid eggs survive. Fledglings with a length of 10-12 mm or more appear in the middle - end of June - July, less often in early August with a body length of 12 mm or more.

Sexual maturity occurs at the age of three years with a body length of about 54 mm. Maximum life expectancy in nature for at least 6 years.

Nutrition. The main foods of frogs include terrestrial invertebrates: beetles, butterfly caterpillars, orthoptera, spiders, snails, and less commonly earthworms(in young of the year, mainly springtails and mites). The composition of feed depends on the habitat, season, and size of the frogs. On the Kunashir coast, frogs go out into the seaweed emission zone in the evening and catch amphipods there. During the breeding season they can feed. Tadpoles consume mainly various algae, as well as protozoa, rotifers, small crustaceans and oligochaetes, and insect eggs.

Frogs eat vipers and snakes, crows, birds of prey and water birds, a number of mammals. Eggs and tadpoles are destroyed by larvae of caddisflies, dragonflies and swimming beetles.

Wintering. They leave for the winter in October. During migrations, hundreds and thousands of individuals sometimes move simultaneously to wintering sites. The duration of wintering in the south of Sakhalin is 180-210 days. They winter in non-freezing flowing reservoirs with a water temperature of 3-5°C - mountain rivers, springs with clean water and rocky bottoms, drainage ditches and only occasionally in stagnant bodies of water (quarries, ponds). Frogs hide from the current behind stones, shore ledges, in holes at the bottom, under snags. Sometimes they spend the winter in rivers polluted with garbage, under which they hide (for example, under iron sheets, tin cans etc.). Several hundred thousand individuals can accumulate in favorable reservoirs. Frogs under the ice move from time to time both with the current and against the current and at this time, apparently, obtain food. In the event of a decline in water in winter, severe freezing of areas to the bottom, or death, many frogs die.

Abundance and conservation status. Far Eastern frog - pretty numerous view. Found in a number of nature reserves. There is no threat to the existence of the species. Not included in the Red Books of the USSR and Russia.

Far Eastern toad(Bufo gargarizans)

Class - amphibians
Squad - anurans

Family - toads

Genus - toads

Appearance

Body length 56-102 mm. very similar to the common toad ( Bufobufo); differs mainly in the presence of spines on the tubercles of the skin of the back and a wide stripe extending from the outer surface of the parotida to the side of the body. The eardrum is very small or covered with skin. The bumps on the skin of the back are large.

Above, dark gray, olive-gray or olive-brown with three wide longitudinal stripes. A wide dark stripe runs from the inner surface of the parotida to the side of the body. This stripe in the rear is torn into large spots. The belly is grayish or yellowish, without a pattern or with small spots in the rear. Sex differences are the same as in the common toad. In addition, the male's back is often greenish or olive; There may also be gray or brown spots on the back. The male is smaller than the female; the relative length of its hind legs is somewhat longer, and its head is somewhat narrower.

Habitat

It lives in northeastern China, Korea and Russia. In Russia, inhabits the Far East to the north to the river valley. Amur.

The Far Eastern toad inhabits the forest zone. Within its boundaries, the species lives in coniferous, mixed and deciduous forests and on their edges, as well as in meadows. Although she prefers biotopes with high humidity, rare in shaded or waterlogged coniferous forests. At the same time, it is found in floodplains and river valleys. Does not avoid anthropogenic landscapes: it lives not only in rural areas, but also in parks and gardens major cities(for example, Khabarovsk: Tagirova, 1984). Absent in mountain tundras. Population density is high.

Lifestyle

Active at dusk and at night, although rainy weather They are also found during the day, especially young individuals. Wintering from September - October to April - May. Cavities in the ground, between tree roots and under logs are used as land shelters. Toads also overwinter in rivers and lakes.

Adult toads eat mainly insects, especially beetles and hymenoptera. Their diet is dominated by slow-moving land animals, such as slugs.

Reproduction

Reproduction occurs in April - May in lakes, ponds, swamps, puddles, oxbow lakes, ditches and streams with standing or semi-flowing water, usually with dense herbaceous vegetation. Sometimes pairs form on the way to the breeding pond. Linear dimensions individuals, coloration, pattern of movement and contrast with the surrounding background are important parameters for distant recognition of a female by a male. If the female is not ready to mate, she pushes the male away and twists her body to free herself; if the female is ready to mate, she does not try to free herself. Amplexus axillary. Like common toad, several males sometimes try to mate with one female, and balls of toads form. To synchronize the release of sperm and eggs, the mating male and female stimulate each other with tactile and vibration signals. Females spend less time in water bodies than males. Egg cords wrap around underwater plants and other objects at a depth of up to 30 cm.

The daily activity cycle of tadpoles is similar to that of other toad species. It is easier to assess it based on the daily dynamics of nutrition. The feeding intensity, assessed by the digestive tract filling index (the ratio of food weight to body weight without food), increases from morning to evening, when tadpoles accumulate in the warmed-up shallow water of the reservoir. At dusk, the clusters become less dense, because tadpoles migrate to the deep parts of the reservoir. At night they stay at the bottom. Tadpoles begin to rise from the bottom 3 hours before sunrise and disperse in the water layer. Soon after sunrise they become less active and begin to group together. The rhythm of the feeding activity of tadpoles coincides with the daily dynamics of their spatial distribution, which is determined by the course of temperature and illumination.

Various are used for feeding. It is highly advisable to introduce earthworms and slugs into the diet. Toads quickly produce conditioned reflexes- for example, “knock on glass” - food. After 2-3 weeks, the animals will get used to this signal and will gather at the feeder. You can teach them to take food from tweezers or from your hand.

Date: 2011-05-31

I. Khitrov, Moscow

Toads They have always been popular among terrarium enthusiasts, especially those that come from the tropics. For some reason, it is believed that equatorial aborigines are more exotic, brighter and more interesting, and therefore more preferable for keeping at home.
However, attractive animals are not only found in tropical countries. On Far East, north of the Amur River, lives an amazingly beautiful toad. Previously, it was considered a subspecies of the common toad, but in Lately All researchers agree that this is a completely independent species. At one time the animal was called the Asian toad, but in latest works Another designation was finally established - the Far Eastern toad (Bufo gargarizans).
This is a medium-sized animal, up to 10 cm long. The color is gray or brown with three brighter stripes on top. On the sides there are wide dark stripes; the abdomen is light. Males are noticeably smaller than females and brighter in color.

Photo of Far Eastern toad

In nature Far Eastern toads inhabit forest zones with high humidity, preferring deciduous forests. They are active at dusk and at night, although in rainy weather they are also found during the day, especially young individuals. After wintering, they appear at the end of April - early May, and after 1-2 weeks they begin to reproduce. Spawning is spread out over time and can last until June. Eating various types invertebrates; their diet is dominated by slow-moving land animals, such as slugs.
Terrarium for keeping Far Eastern toads equipped as a “corner of the forest”. The area required for two individuals is 40x25 cm. The soil is leafy soil covered with a layer of sphagnum or forest moss. Availability of shelters is required; in their absence, amphibians bury themselves in the ground. To decorate the terrarium, you can use stones, pieces of bark, tree cuts and live ones. Temperature - from 12 to 28°C; humidity - about 80%. It is advisable to spray it daily with cool (15-18°C) water; in this case, a pond is not necessary. Lighting is moderate, using fluorescent lamps.

Photo of Far Eastern toad

Various invertebrates are used for feeding. It is highly advisable to introduce earthworms and slugs into the diet. Toads quickly develop conditioned reflexes - for example, “knock on glass” - food. After 2-3 weeks, the animals will get used to this signal and will gather at the feeder. You can teach them to take food from tweezers or from your hand.
To stimulate reproduction, artificial wintering is used with a decrease in temperature to 4-6°C or warm sprinkling (water temperature 30-35°C); the use of hormonal injections is also widely practiced.
The breeders, ready for spawning, are transferred to an inclined aquarium, partially filled with water. Caviar in the amount of several thousand (from 2000 to 7000) pieces is deposited in the form of cords. The water temperature in the spawning area is 12-18°C. Tadpoles hatch in 4-15 days, depending on the temperature, and leave the pond after about two months. They are fed scalded nettles, lettuce and dry food for herbivorous fish. After metamorphosis, the toads eat tubifex, bloodworms and small insects.

Description

Taxonomy

In Soviet times, the toads of the Russian Far East were considered a subspecies of the gray toad, and today they are considered a separate species based on geographic isolation from other gray toads, morphological, karyological and biochemical differences. There are 2 subspecies of the Far Eastern toad. The nominative subspecies occurs in Russia Bufo gargarizans gargarizans Cantor, 1842.

Appearance and structure

Very similar to the gray toad. It differs from it in its smaller size (body length 56-102 mm), the presence of spines on the outgrowths of the skin and a wide stripe running from the parotid gland to the side of the body, torn into large spots in the back. The eardrum is very small or covered with skin. The upperparts are dark grey, olive-gray or olive-brown with three wide longitudinal stripes. The underside of the body is yellowish or grayish, without a pattern or with small spots in the rear.

The signs of sexual dimorphism are the same as in the common toad. In addition, the male's back is often greenish or olive; Gray or brown spots on the back may be present. The female is larger than the male, her hind legs are relatively shorter and her head is slightly wider.

Distribution and habitat

Its range includes northeastern China, Korea and Russia. Range in Russia: Far East north to the Amur River valley. There the species is distributed from west to northeast from the mouth of the Zeya River to the mouth of the Amur in the Khabarovsk Territory. Inhabits Sakhalin and islands in Peter the Great Bay: Russky, Popova, Putyatina, Skrebtsova and others. Also known from the Baikal region.

The Far Eastern toad lives in forests of various types (coniferous, mixed and deciduous), as well as in meadows. Although it loves wet habitats, it is rarely found in shaded or waterlogged coniferous forests, but inhabits floodplains and river valleys. It can live in anthropogenic landscapes: in rural areas, as well as in parks and gardens of large cities (such as Khabarovsk). Not found in mountain tundras.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Far Eastern toads eat mainly insects, preferring hymenoptera and beetles.

They winter from September-October to April-May. They can winter both on land in underground cavities, under logs and tree roots, and in reservoirs.

Reproduction

Far Eastern toads spawn in lakes, ponds, swamps, puddles, oxbow lakes, ditches and streams with standing or semi-flowing water. They breed in April-May, in some places until the end of June. Occasionally, vapors may form on the way to the pond. Amplexus axillary. Like gray toads, it occasionally happens among Far Eastern toads that several males try to mate with one female, forming a ball of toads. To release sexual products at the same time, the male and female stimulate each other with tactile and vibration signals. The eggs are deposited in cords that wrap around underwater objects (mostly plants) at depths of up to 30 cm.

Population status

The Far Eastern toad is a common and numerous species in the Far East of our country. In the Amur River valley, it ranks third in number among amphibians (after frogs Rana nigromaculata And Rana amurensis). After severe droughts and frosty winters, the population of Far Eastern toads drops sharply, but then recovers.

Notes

Links

The Bastak State Nature Reserve was founded in 1997 on the territory of the Jewish Autonomous Region (JAO). It is located north of the city of Birobidzhan to the administrative border of the Jewish Autonomous Region with the Khabarovsk district of the Khabarovsk Territory. Its territory covers the southeastern spurs of the Bureinsky ridge and the northern edge of the Middle Amur Lowland.

In accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated April 21, 2011 No. 302 “On the expansion of the territory of the state nature reserve“Bastak” reserve includes lands of the forest fund with an area of ​​35323.5 hectares, the former regional reserve “Zabelovsky”. On March 13, 2014, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree classifying 35.3 thousand hectares of land in the Jewish Autonomous Region as the territory of the Bastak state nature reserve; the corresponding document was published on the government website.

Currently protected area consists of two separately located plots with a total area of ​​127,094.5 hectares. Along the boundaries of the reserve in 2002 and 2003. A security zone has been created, which is 15,390 hectares within the Jewish Autonomous Region and 11,160 hectares in the Khabarovsk Territory.

Bolshoi Pelis is an island in the southwestern part of Peter the Great Bay Sea of ​​Japan, the largest of the islands of the Rimsky-Korsakov archipelago. Located 70 km southwest of Vladivostok. Administratively it belongs to the Khasansky district of Primorsky Krai. It is part of the Far Eastern Marine Reserve (DVGMZ). There is no permanent population on the island; in the summer-autumn period the island is occasionally visited by tourists and vacationers (without going ashore).