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Western Spadefoot Toad

Western Spadefoot Toad line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Western Spadefoot Toad full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The Western Spadefoot Toad was completed on 2.10.10. Generally, I don't associate amphibians with the desert. But hiking outside of Phoenix I came across a pond that hand hundreds of young Spadefoot toads hovering around it. I chose an immature toad for the illustration because the patterns are a little nicer in the sub-adults. The drawing is based on a photo by Bob Barber.

Information about the Western Spadefoot Toad:

The Western Spadefoot Toad is a semi-smooth skinned species of amphibian of the western areas of North America. They're generally found in areas with elevated substrate moisture levels including vernal pools. They're active during the wet season, or summer storms. Unlike other toad species, the western spadefoot has less  skin secretions and are more easily handled. However, these secretions may cause sneezing in some.