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Male fire-bellied toad

In the breeding season calling males inflate a single, gular vocal sac.

(photo: Bálint Halpern)

The dorsal surface of the FIRE-BELLIED TOAD is usually gray, blackish or sometimes dark green with more or less prominent irregular darker spots and small, rounded wart-like tubercles which are smooth to the touch. The black ventral side has white pinpoints and orange to dark red clearly separated spots, which do not spread to the toes, which are usually uniformly dark.  Their pupils are triangular. The male has internal vocal sac, a slightly larger head and, during the breeding season, black nuptial pads on the 1st and 2nd fingers and on the inner surface of his forearm. The adult toads grow to 35-50 mm, in the larval stage they are 15-38 mm. The tadpoles has two yellowish longitudinal stripes at the two sides of their back.

Distibution map by our National Herpetological Mapping Program:

Male fire-bellied toad

It floats easily due to its broad, flattened shape, and could not spend much time under water.

(photo: Bálint Halpern)

Green-backed fire-bellied toad

This form occurs mixed with the normally coloured specimens.

(photo: Bálint Halpern)

Fire-bellied toad ventral pattern

In most cases the red spots cover smaller area than the blackish background.

(photo: Bálint Halpern)

Female fire-bellied toad

Red-spotted individuals are rare in Hungary. Most of tham has orange or ochre spots on their belly.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Male fire-bellied toad

The vantral pattern could have sharp edges or it could be more blurred.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Male yellow-bellied toad and female fire-bellied toad

Although the fire-bellied toad (on the right) could also have yellowish spots, the yellow area is never as extensive as in its relative. (balra) 

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Male fire-bellied toad

Its back side is covered with flat, lenticular tubercles.

(photo: Gábor Szelényi)

Fire-bellied toad tadpoles

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(photo: Ákos Baracsy)