20 



Egg-laying is at night, and they usually breed in temporary 

 ponds. The tadpoles reach 55 mm total length in Morocco. 

 Distribution 



Morocco, northern Algeria, and northern Tunisia (Fig. 14). 



Bibliography 



Doumergue (1901), Dubois (1982), Galan (1931), Pasteur and 

 Bons (1959), Stemmler (1972), Stemmler and Hotz (1972), Werner 

 (1931) . 



Family Bufonidae/ 



This family of true toads encompasses more than 365 living 

 species, with an almost cosmopolitan distribution, absent only 

 from Madagascar and the Australian region. Their skin is 

 usually thick with numerous glands. Most have well developed 

 paratoid glands on head. They are generally terrestrial or 

 digging species. Most produce numerous small eggs. 



Two species are endemic in North Africa: Bufo mauritanicus 

 and Bufo brongersmai . Two widely distributed palaearctic 

 species also live here, Bufo bufo and Bufo viridis. A species 

 that lives south of the Sahara - Bufo xeros - is also present. 

 In addition, Bufo pentoni, a sahelian species, occurs nearby 

 and probably occurs here. 



Bufo bufo spinosus Daudin, 1803 (Figs. 6d, 15-16) 



Bufo vulgaris : Boulenger, 1891:159. Doumergue, 1901:349. 

 Bufo bufo spinosus : Pasteur and Bons 1959:141. 



Diagnosis 



Large, uniform dark brown colour, sometimes yellowish 

 toad. Without tarsal folds. Large tubercles present between 

 corner of mouth and paratoid gland. No tibial gland. Distal 

 subarticular tubercle of the fourth toe double. Posteriorly 

 diverging paratoid glands. Small tympanum. 



Size 



Snout-vent lengths to 110 mm in males and 150 mm in 

 females . 



Description 



Head very wide, with round snout. Interorbital space flat 

 or somewhat concave. Tympanum conspicuous, its diameter less 

 than half that of eye. Paratoid glands large and elongated 

 diverging at their posterior end. Short digits, third longest; 

 second and fourth of equal length and somewhat shorter than 

 first. Skin warty. 



Subarticular tubercles paired in fore and hindlimbs, 

 although in old individuals fused. Two palmar tubercles and 

 two metatarsal tubercles. Colour greyish brown, more or less 

 pale, sometimes with dark patches on dorsum, sometimes 

 yellowish or reddish. Venter yellowish or pale brown. Iris 

 reddish or copper-coloured with black spots. 



