50 BULLETIN 160, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



BUFO DEBILIS Girard 



Figure 10 



1854. Bufo debilis Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 7, p. 87, 

 May. 



1854. Btifo insidior Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 7, p. 88, 

 May (Chihuahua, Mexico). — Baird, 1859, Report on the United States and 

 Mexican Boundary Survey, vol. 2, Reptiles, pp. 26, 35, pi. 41, figs. 13-18. 



1889. Bufo debilis Cope, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 34, p. 264, fig. 61. — Dickerson, 

 1906, The frog book, p. 112. — Strecker, 1922, Sci. Soc. Sau Antonio Bull. 4, 

 p. 10, fig. — NiEDEN, 1923, Das Tierreich, Lief. 46, Amphibia, Anura I, pp. 

 73, 109. 



Type locality.— "In the lower part of the valley of the Rio Bravo 

 (Rio Grande del Norte), and in the province of Tamaulipas, Mexico." 

 Range. — From Mexican boundary southwest 

 ^^jtsea^-gj^f^^M^''* through the States of Tamaulipas and Chihuahua 

 ^^^ l^^i^ij^^lP"'' to Mazatlan in Sinaloa, and south along Pacific 

 ^=^«s!^^>i' coast at least as far as Acaponeta in Nayarit. 



This small toad has a rather peculiar distribution 

 in the United States. The northern limit seems 

 to be extreme southwestern Kansas (Morton and 

 Grant Counties). It has been taken in the Wich- 

 ita Mountains (Comanche County), Oklahoma^ 

 and in eastern New Mexico (Cuervo, Guadalupe 

 Countj^). Cope reports that it occurs in the 

 panhandle district of Texas. It occurs in the 

 middle district of Texas from the Upper Wichita 

 ^ River south through McLennan, Burnet, Comal, 



Figure lo.-Head of Bufo Bcxar, Bee, Rcfugio, Duval, and Nueces Counties 

 2624) from Delaware to thc Rio Grande, and along the Rio Grande 

 Creek, cuibersoncounty, fpom Brownsvillc (Camcron County) to the mouth 

 6, dorsal view ' of the Pccos RivcT (Val Vcrdc County). It has 



been recorded from Delaware Creek (Culberson 

 County) in western Texas and also from Grant County in south- 

 western New Mexico. 



Remarks. — Rough skin, small size, and greenish coloration usually 

 will identify this toad in life, and doubtful specimens will be identified 

 by transverse black bands across the upper eyelids. Although it is a 

 burrowing species, the sole tubercles are insignificant; the body is 

 small, less than 2 inches in length; the parotoid glands are large, and 

 diverge posteriorly; and the legs are short. 



These little green toads seem to prefer the open country and are 

 generally found on mesquite-covered flats. They emerge after dark 

 from their burrows under the roots of the mesquite and other shrubs. 

 They breed during April and May in shallow depressions or ditches 

 filled by heavy rains. 



