Spea

Taxobox
name = Western Spadefoot Toad

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image_size = 240px
image_caption = Western Spadefoot Toad, "Spea hammondii"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Anura
subordo = Mesobatrachia
familia = Scaphiopodidae
genus = "Spea"
genus_authority = Cope, 1866

"Spea" is a genus of North American amphibian commonly referred to as the western spadefoot toad. They differ greatly from true toads (those of the family Bufonidae) by having eyes with vertical pupils, no parotid gland, and relatively smooth skin. Their most distinctive feature is a spade-like projection on their hind feet, which their common name is derived from. This projection enables spadefoot toads to dig in loose soils with ease.

Species

"Spea" species were once classified with their European cousins in the family Pelobatidae, but have since been reclassified to their own family, Scaphiopodidae with other North American species. There are four species in the genus "Spea":

*Plains Spadefoot Toad, "Spea bombifrons" (Cope, 1863)
*Western Spadefoot Toad, "Spea hammondii" (Baird, 1859)
*Great Basin Spadefoot Toad, "Spea intermontana" (Cope, 1863)
*Mexican Spadefoot Toad, "Spea multiplicata" (Cope, 1863)Eats Mostly insects

Related species

*Genus "Scaphiopus":
*Couch's Spadefoot, "Scaphiopus couchii" (Baird, 1854)
*Eastern Spadefoot, "Scaphiopus holbrookii" (Harlan, 1835)
*Hurter's Spadefoot, "Scaphiopus hurterii" (Strecker, 1910)

References

*ITIS|ID=206988|taxon=Spea|year=2006|date=1 May