Toothless Predator

Part of the Frogs: A Chorus of Colors exhibition.

Most frogs have short, pointed teeth for gripping prey. But "true toads" in the family Bufonidae have no teeth at all. These bold predators catch prey with their sticky tongues and swallow it alive. Some large toads eat almost anything they can fit in their mouths, including mice, birds, snakes, and other frogs.

Smooth-sided toad

Bufo guttatus

Class: Amphibia
Family: Bufonidae
Size: Up to 9 inches
Food: Insects, small mammals
Range: Northern South America
Habitat: On the ground in tropical forests
Life Cycle: Active day and night hunting prey on the forest floor, this species is one of the few toads with smooth skin.