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spadefoot

spadefoot

9.9
A toad that digs into the ground with hard, spade-shaped back feet
  • noun
  • /ˈspeɪdˌfʊt/
  • UK
translation icon : sapo pala
  • Cannibalistic spadefoot toad tadpoles, for instance, are less likely to avoid eating siblings when they are hungry than when they have just eaten (Figure 4).
  • spadefoot toad
  • spadefoot toad tadpoles

Examples

  • How long it takes tadpoles to develop for spadefoot toads and this is their body length when they come out of the pond.

  • And here I thought all you cared about was the Western Spadefoot because their secretions smell like peanut butter and can cause sneezing.

  • Well, I did it for the Western Spadefoot.

  • That kind of activity is devastating to the habitat of the Western Spadefoot!

  • In reality, Tayo's soul, as a reflection of the spirit of the pueblo people, can be compared to the desert Spadefoot Toad.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Spadefoot toad tadpoles possess a unique means of acquiring extra nourishment, thereby hastening development (Pfennig 1992).

    Academic text (1997)
  • The strongest support for this prediction comes from spadefoot toads, Spea, a desert-dwelling amphibian genus that breeds in rain-filled pools in western North America.

    Academic text (1997)
  • In two recent tests of this hypothesis, tiger salamander larvae and spadefoot toad tadpoles were found to be significantly more likely to express the cannibal phenotype in mixed sibship groups.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The spadefoot toad uses its strong hind feet to dig burrows in the sandy soil.

  • During spring rains, the spadefoot toad emerges from its underground hideout to breed.

Synonyms

toad
vsspadefoot
98 1.0

A small animal like a frog with a thick body and dry, bumpy skin

is the specific northern burrowing type with hard digging projections
spadefoot toad
vsspadefoot
  • UK
8.6

A toad that digs using a hard, spade-shaped part on each back foot

is the shorter name for the exact same animal
plains spadefoot
vsspadefoot
  • Specialized
8.4

A small toad that lives in the plains and river valleys of central North America east of the Rocky Mountains

is the general northern burrowing species rather than this regional one
Scaphiopus bombifrons
vsspadefoot
  • Specialized
9.9

A small toad that lives in dry plains, digs holes, and breeds in temporary pools

is the broader northern burrowing group, not only this species
western spadefoot
vsspadefoot
  • US
8.8

A small toad from California that burrows and has spade-shaped feet

is the general northern burrowing type, not limited to California
Scaphiopus hammondii
vsspadefoot
  • Specialized
9.9

A California toad that burrows and makes a loud call

is the wider northern burrowing group, not this particular species
Scaphiopus multiplicatus
vsspadefoot
  • Specialized
9.9

A toad with spade-shaped feet that digs and lives underground in dry parts of the southwestern United States

is the general northern burrowing animal, not only arid-adapted types
southern spadefoot
vsspadefoot
  • US
9.5

A small toad with spade-shaped back feet that lives in dry parts of the southwestern United States

is the broader northern burrowing group, not just this regional species

Compounds

plains spadefoot
  • Specialized
8.4

A small toad that lives in the plains and river valleys of central North America east of the Rocky Mountains

A small toad with spade-shaped back feet that lives in dry parts of the southwestern United States

A toad that digs using a hard, spade-shaped part on each back foot

A small toad from California that burrows and has spade-shaped feet

Surface Forms

spadefoot singular
spadefoots plural

Morphology

spadefoot = spade + foot (semi-transparent) = spade + foot

The components 'spade' and 'foot' are clear, but the specific meaning of a toad with a spade-like foot is a specialized biological term.

Etymology

Spadefoot comes from the simple words spade and foot. The toad's back foot has a hard, 'spade'-shaped part like a small garden spade for digging, so a spadefoot is a toad that digs into the ground with its 'spade' foot.