Texas - Houston Toad - Bufo Houstonensis

	Houston Toad - Bufo Houstonensis
STATUS: Endangered with critical habitat. CRITICAL HABITAT: Texas: Areas of land, water, and air space as follow: (1) in Bastrop County, from the junction of a line corresponding to 30°12'00" N. and Texas State Highway 95 east along a line corresponding to 30°12'00" N. to where it intersects a line corresponding to 97°7'30" W. and south along a line corresponding to 97°7'30" W. to where it intersects the Colorado River, west and northwest along the north bank of the Colorado River to the due southward extension of Texas State Highway 95, and north along that extension and Texas State highway 95 to where it intersects a lin corresponding to 30°12'00" N. and (2) Burleson County, a circular area with a 1-mile radius, the center being the north entrance to Lake Woodrow from Texas FM 2000. DESCRIPTION: A small (2-3.25 inches long) toad similar in appearance to the American toad. General coloration varies from light brown to gray or purplish gray, sometimes with green patches. Pale ventral surfaces often have small, dark spots. Males have dark throat. HABITAT: Requires deep sand or loamy sands for burrows/aestivation, and breeds in ephemeral rain pools, flooded fields, and permanent ponds. Males call from shallow water or small mounds of soil or grass surrounded by water. Males also call from woods in wooded habitat within 100 m radius of breeding sites. Pairs sometimes come to breeding sites already in amplexus (copulatory embrace of frogs and toads). DISTRIBUTION: Present: Austin, Bastrop, Burleson, Colorado, Freestone, Lavaca, Lee (presumed but not confirmed), Leon, Milam, and Robertson Counties, in Texas (Freestone, Lavaca, Leon, Milam, and Robertson Counties are relatively new records). Historic: Austin, Bastrop, Burleson, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, and Liberty Counties. THREATS AND/OR REASONS FOR DECLINE: Habitat degradation/destruction caused by land use changes including agricultural and urban expansion, reduction of suitable habitat by watershed alteration, and failure to reproduce and survive during drought. OTHER INFORMATION: Recovery plan completed in 1984. Majority of diet is insects and other invertebrates. Breeds from January to June, followed by aestivation until the next spring rains. Toads will only emerge to breed if conditions are adequate. Toads, especially first-year toadlets and juveniles, are active year-round under suitable conditions. Non-flowing pools that persist for at least 30 days are needed for breeding including egg and tadpole life stages. Toads may emerge outside of the breeding season. Recovery Plan undergoing revision.. REFERENCES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. August 1992. Threatened and Endangered Species of Texas. Endangered Species Office, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Houston Toad - Bufo Houstonensis

STATUS: Endangered with critical habitat.

CRITICAL HABITAT: Texas: Areas of land, water, and air space as follow: (1) in Bastrop County, from the junction of a line corresponding to 30°12'00" N. and Texas State Highway 95 east along a line corresponding to 30°12'00" N. to where it intersects a line corresponding to 97°7'30" W. and south along a line corresponding to 97°7'30" W. to where it intersects the Colorado River, west and northwest along the north bank of the Colorado River to the due southward extension of Texas State Highway 95, and north along that extension and Texas State highway 95 to where it intersects a lin corresponding to 30°12'00" N. and (2) Burleson County, a circular area with a 1-mile radius, the center being the north entrance to Lake Woodrow from Texas FM 2000.

DESCRIPTION: A small (2-3.25 inches long) toad similar in appearance to the American toad. General coloration varies from light brown to gray or purplish gray, sometimes with green patches. Pale ventral surfaces often have small, dark spots. Males have dark throat.

HABITAT: Requires deep sand or loamy sands for burrows/aestivation, and breeds in ephemeral rain pools, flooded fields, and permanent ponds. Males call from shallow water or small mounds of soil or grass surrounded by water. Males also call from woods in wooded habitat within 100 m radius of breeding sites. Pairs sometimes come to breeding sites already in amplexus (copulatory embrace of frogs and toads).

DISTRIBUTION:

Present: Austin, Bastrop, Burleson, Colorado, Freestone, Lavaca, Lee (presumed but not confirmed), Leon, Milam, and Robertson Counties, in Texas (Freestone, Lavaca, Leon, Milam, and Robertson Counties are relatively new records).
Historic: Austin, Bastrop, Burleson, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, and Liberty Counties.

THREATS AND/OR REASONS FOR DECLINE: Habitat degradation/destruction caused by land use changes including agricultural and urban expansion, reduction of suitable habitat by watershed alteration, and failure to reproduce and survive during drought.

OTHER INFORMATION: Recovery plan completed in 1984. Majority of diet is insects and other invertebrates. Breeds from January to June, followed by aestivation until the next spring rains. Toads will only emerge to breed if conditions are adequate. Toads, especially first-year toadlets and juveniles, are active year-round under suitable conditions. Non-flowing pools that persist for at least 30 days are needed for breeding including egg and tadpole life stages. Toads may emerge outside of the breeding season. Recovery Plan undergoing revision..

REFERENCES:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. August 1992. Threatened and Endangered Species of Texas. Endangered Species Office, Albuquerque, New Mexico