spadefoot toad
noun
spade·foot toad
ˈspād-ˌfu̇t- 
: any of a family (Pelobatidae) of burrowing toads having the inner bone of the tarsus edged with a strong horny sheath with which they dig
Examples of spadefoot toad in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This 1958 album captures the sounds of dozens of species from across North America: spadefoot toads, Mexican leaf frogs, canyon treefrogs, hybrid treefrogs, squirrel treefrogs.
—
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2023
Female plains spadefoot toads start seeking out not the duckish quacks of their own species but the baritone trills of the Mexican spadefoot toad.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 July 2022
When the Land Comes to Life To survive the dry times, the spadefoot toad will spend years of its life burrowed down in the mud beneath the playa floor.
—John Richard Saylor, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2021
Though the story of spadefoot toad cannibalism has been well researched, it is not fully resolved.
—Bill Schutt, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2019
Female plains spadefoot toads start seeking out not the duckish quacks of their own species but the baritone trills of the Mexican spadefoot toad.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 July 2022
However, the court rejected arguments from environmentalists that new homes posed dramatic threats to the gnatcatcher, a type of songbird, and the spadefoot toad.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2022
Pfennig’s spadefoot toads in Arizona have ever-shorter time frames to grow from tadpole to toad as the western U.S. sees more droughts and wildfires.
—Starre Vartan, National Geographic, 26 June 2019
In another study, one Texas feral hog was found with 49 eastern spadefoot toads in its stomach.
—Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2018
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2023
Female plains spadefoot toads start seeking out not the duckish quacks of their own species but the baritone trills of the Mexican spadefoot toad.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 July 2022
When the Land Comes to Life To survive the dry times, the spadefoot toad will spend years of its life burrowed down in the mud beneath the playa floor.
—John Richard Saylor, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2021
Though the story of spadefoot toad cannibalism has been well researched, it is not fully resolved.
—Bill Schutt, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2019
Female plains spadefoot toads start seeking out not the duckish quacks of their own species but the baritone trills of the Mexican spadefoot toad.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 July 2022
However, the court rejected arguments from environmentalists that new homes posed dramatic threats to the gnatcatcher, a type of songbird, and the spadefoot toad.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2022
Pfennig’s spadefoot toads in Arizona have ever-shorter time frames to grow from tadpole to toad as the western U.S. sees more droughts and wildfires.
—Starre Vartan, National Geographic, 26 June 2019
In another study, one Texas feral hog was found with 49 eastern spadefoot toads in its stomach.
—Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Spadefoot toad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spadefoot%20toad. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share