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Glite Dictionary
Bufo americanus

Bufo americanus

8.2
A small brown toad that lives in eastern North America
  • noun
  • /ˈbuːfoʊ əˈmɛrɪkənəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Bufo americanus
  • After a rainstorm, you might find a Bufo americanus sitting on the sidewalk, looking for insects to eat.

Examples

  • Species used for experimental studies included the spotted salamander, American toad (Bufo americanus), gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor), and wood frog.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The Bufo americanus is known for its prominent warts and loud call during mating season.

  • Photo (color): A toad, probably Bufo americanus

    Academic text (1997)

  • Naturalists often study the Bufo americanus to learn about the health of ecosystems in North America.

Synonyms

American toad
vsBufo americanus
  • US
4.0

A common brown or grey toad with bumpy skin found in North America

is the common name for the same species native to North America

Surface Forms

Bufo americanus singular
Bufo americanuses plural

Morphology

Bufo + americanus

This is a Latin binomial combining the genus Bufo (a toad) with the species epithet americanus, which clearly marks origin/association with America, so the meaning 'American toad' is compositionally derivable. Even though 'americanus' may not appear in English dictionaries, its relation to 'American' is obvious to learners and the naming pattern is regular, making the overall sense transparent to someone who knows the constituent meanings.

Etymology

Bufo americanus is a Latin name used by scientists: Bufo means 'toad' and americanus means 'American', so it literally names the American toad.