European Fire-bellied Toad
Encyclopedia
The European Fire-bellied Toad Bombina bombina is a fire-bellied toad
native to mainland Europe
.
These toads are slightly toxic sometimes to humans. When they shed their skin, they bloat themselves and make a coughing sound, then start to tear the old skin off with their mouth, and eat it for nutrition, to reveal newer, brighter skin.
Fire-Bellied toads have a bright lime green dorsal traversed by black spots, and orange to bright red bellies with black bars and stripes. The skin is mildly bumpy, the eyes set high to suit a semi-aquatic life style, and also well webbed back feet. Color and body variations will be described for each of the other 3 species commonly sold as or mistaken for Oriental Fire-Bellied Toads
. They are the largest of the bombina family
.
Fire-bellied toad
The Fire-bellied Toads is a group comprising eight species of small toads belonging to the genus Bombina...
native to mainland Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
These toads are slightly toxic sometimes to humans. When they shed their skin, they bloat themselves and make a coughing sound, then start to tear the old skin off with their mouth, and eat it for nutrition, to reveal newer, brighter skin.
Fire-Bellied toads have a bright lime green dorsal traversed by black spots, and orange to bright red bellies with black bars and stripes. The skin is mildly bumpy, the eyes set high to suit a semi-aquatic life style, and also well webbed back feet. Color and body variations will be described for each of the other 3 species commonly sold as or mistaken for Oriental Fire-Bellied Toads
Bombina orientalis
The Oriental Fire-bellied Toad, is a small semi-aquatic frog species found in Korea, north-eastern China and adjacent parts of Russia. An introduced population exists near Beijing. They are commonly kept as pets in land and water vivariums...
. They are the largest of the bombina family
Bombinatoridae
Bombinatoridae are often referred to as Fire-bellied toads because of their brightly colored ventral sides, which show that they are highly toxic to humans. This family includes two genera, Barbourula and Bombina, both of which have flattened bodies.Bombina are warty, aquatic toads about in...
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