Red-spotted Toads are found in the southwest, from central Texas, north to southwest Nebraska and west to southern California. There is a isolated population of them in southeastern Oklahoma. They are also found in northern Mexico. Red-spotted Toads inhabit desert shrub lands, prairies and rocky areas. They are often found close to either ephemeral or permanent (such as natural springs, livestock ponds) body of water.

General appearance will differ from different geographical areas. In same areas, the red-spots are very faint.

Diets include insects and other invertebrates.

The species is well known for their red or orange colored tubercles on their backs, along with rounder parotoid glands. Their bellies are white, with some small dark colored specks.

Like most toads, Breeding season starts at the first warm rains during spring but can last until early fall. Unlike other species of North American toads, Red-spotteds lay one egg at a time instead of a long string of eggs. The eggs will sink to the bottom of permanent or ephemeral bodies of water. T

Most North American toads are now placed in the genus name of Anaxyrus. There are some debates on if Anaxyrus is its own genus or a sub-genus of Bufo. This species was named by Spencer Fullerton Baird and Charles Frédéric Girard. in 1852. Since then, it has had common names such as Baird's Spotted Toad, Spotted Toad, Belding's Toad and Canyon Toad (Wright & Wright 1995). The current accepted common name is Red-spotted Toad.

In a study done on water absorption by the Red-spotted Toad, it was found that this species is able to detect poor water quality (Breeke el al. 1991).

Punctatus means "spotted," several North American vertebrates share this species name, such as the Channel Catfish and the Ringneck Snake.

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