Main Characteristics of Fire-Bellied Toads
- There are 10 species of fire-bellied toads.
- Five of them are found in Europe, while the other five are located in China.
- In Germany, the red-bellied toad and the yellow-bellied toad can be found.
- They are listed on the Red List of endangered species.
- Fire-bellied toads are quite small. Most of them only reach a length of 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm).
- The largest fire-bellied toad is the large-webbed bell toad. It measures 3 inches (7.5 cm) in body length.
- Unlike other toads, they have a distinctly flat body.
- Their top side is darkly spotted and serves as camouflage.
- The belly is brightly colored and serves to deter enemies.
- The Unkenreflex is a term that refers to the defensive posture they adopt, where they lie on their backs, display their brightly colored bellies, and play dead. Unke is the German word for fire-bellied toad.
- In young animals, the belly is not yet colored; it is white.
- Fire-bellied toads secrete a fluid that irritates the skin and eyes.
- They can produce enough fluid to cover its entire body surface – it appears like a white foam.
- Due to their skin-irritating fluid and bright colors, toads are also known as fire toads.
- Despite this, they have many enemies: grass snakes, dice snakes, white storks, crows, and magpies.
- Fire-bellied toads are usually active at night, but sometimes they can also be active during the day.
- They are adapted to life both on land and in water.
- Fire-bellied toads are carnivores. They feed on mosquito larvae, beetles, ants, spiders, and small invertebrates.
- They cannot stick out their tongues; instead, they snap at their prey with their strong jaws.
- Their pupils of toads are either triangular or heart-shaped.
- The call of a toad sounds like a long, sorrowful wail.
- In Germany, it was once said that someone "unks" when they say something negative ("Unke" is the German word for fire-bellied toad).
