This page lists 31 species: 27 from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries's Amphibians of Louisiana and 4 named in other official sources.
3 are nonnative.
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
Usually 6 to 8 inches long (NCWRC); can reach 8 inches or more and weigh over 2 pounds (CDFW). Missouri gives 3.5 to 6 inches snout to vent, occasionally to 8.75.
How to recognize it
No ridge (dorsolateral fold) down each side of the back
Large round eardrum: about twice the eye in males, about eye-sized in females
Fully webbed hind feet, longest toe extends past the webbing
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
2 to 3.5 inches long (NCWRC: up to 4 inches); females are larger than males.
How to recognize it
Dark spots on the back hold only a few large warts; the similar Fowler's toad has three or more. Agencies give different counts for the American toad (TWRA: one or two; Ohio DNR: one, two or three; Georgia DNR: usually no more than one), so wart count alone does not settle it; check the head crests too (see lookalikes).
A large, kidney- or bean-shaped parotoid gland behind each eye that usually does not touch the bony ridge (cranial crest) above the eye, or touches it only by a short spur.
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
Most are 1.5 to 2.5 inches long (not counting legs); adult females can exceed 6 inches. Any Florida treefrog over 3 inches is almost certainly a Cuban treefrog.
How to recognize it
Very large toe pads, much larger than native treefrogs'.
Large 'bug eyes'.
Warty back but no warts on top of the head; skin on the head fused to the skull once the frog is over about 1 inch long.
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
Usually 1.6 to 2.9 inches (SREL), with official ranges up to 3.5 inches (Virginia DWR) or 4 inches (Alabama); island populations can reach 4.4 inches. FWC: maximum of about 3 to 4 inches. Females are larger than males.
How to recognize it
High ridges (cranial crests) on the head that end in raised knobs in front of the glands behind the eyes, giving a "horned" look. NCWRC: this is the easiest way to tell it from American and Fowler's toads.
Large, elongated (Alabama: kidney-shaped) parotoid glands behind the eyes; UF/IFAS describes them as small and oval compared with the cane toad's large triangular glands.
A faint light stripe may run down the middle of the back.
The difference official sources agree on is at the head: in the American toad the ridge (cranial crest) behind each eye is separate from the parotoid gland or joined to it only by a short spur; in Fowler's toad the two touch. Fowler's toad also has three or more warts in each of the larger dark spots, while the American toad has fewer (TWRA: one or two; Ohio DNR: one, two or three; Georgia DNR: usually no more than one). Fowler's toad has a whitish belly, often with a single dark spot on the chest; the American toad's belly is peppered with dark spots. The two can hybridize, so some toads cannot be told apart.
The oak toad is tiny (never over 1.5 inches, UF/IFAS) with a bold light stripe from snout down the back and indistinct head crests; NCWRC notes young southern toads are often mistaken for oak toads.
Fowler's toad has smaller cranial ridges than the southern toad; the southern toad's crests end in large knobs. They may hybridize where ranges overlap.
The southern toad is most easily told by the large knobs on its pronounced head crests; its trill is shorter and higher-pitched than the American toad's. They may hybridize where ranges overlap.
The difference official sources agree on is at the head: in the American toad the ridge (cranial crest) behind each eye is separate from the parotoid gland or joined to it only by a short spur; in Fowler's toad the two touch. Fowler's toad also has three or more warts in each of the larger dark spots, while the American toad has fewer (TWRA: one or two; Ohio DNR: one, two or three; Georgia DNR: usually no more than one). Fowler's toad has a whitish belly, often with a single dark spot on the chest; the American toad's belly is peppered with dark spots. The two can hybridize, and hybrids have intermediate features.
The eastern spadefoot has no cranial crest and has vertical pupils.
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When frogs and toads are active in Louisiana
Records of frogs and toads in Louisiana peak in March to May and July to August. They show when people record frogs and toads, not how many there are (about month bars).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2,114 records of frogs and toads in Louisiana by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
How to report
Nuisance alligators: contact an LDWF field office, or Operation Game Thief 800-442-2511 after hours and weekends. Sick/injured/stranded sea turtles or marine mammals: 844-SEA-TRTL (844-732-8785). Rabies: Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, 1-800-256-2748. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
About this list
The species list comes from Amphibians of Louisiana (LDWF poster, 2022) (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2022). 4 more entries come from other official sources named on each card.
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
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