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Unusual Toad behaviour: |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 02 Jun 2003
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Caleb Forum Coordinator Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 448  View other posts by Caleb |
Posted: 03 Jun 2003 On a vaguely related note... I saw quite a few toad tadpoles in the river Wear, south of Durham, last weekend- the river's probably 10-15m wide at this point. I don't know whether they spawned here, or if they spawned in a smaller stream and were washed in- maybe a visit at spawning time is in order! |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 05 Jun 2003 Just curious , how do you tell the difference between a frog tadpole , and a toad tadpole? I know you can tell the difference when it's spawn as toads lay in strings , but not when they are tads Alan O-> O+> |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 05 Jun 2003 Hi Alan, both start off pitch black as you're probably aware. Common Frog tadpoles then become more brown with golden speckles in good light after only a week or so, Common toad remain pitch black. They are also different in habit. Common Frog tadpoles are "lurkers and loaners" often to be found on the bottom feeding and popping up for air, or in very small groups feeding on a single item, Common Toad taddies often form large groups or shoals and swim about at the surface, oblivious to predators on account of their foul taste, though I've never tried one There are more subtle differences that are reconisable in their anatomy, but the above is usually enough to distinguish them. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 05 Jun 2003 Hi Gemma , Thanks for that info. I grew up in Shepperton Middx right next to all the gravel pits. We only found toadspawn once , though the young were always about year after year, so i've never done much toadie tad' observation. Thanks, Alan O-> O+> |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 05 Jun 2003 Hi Alan, I'll be at a good toad pond in Essex on Sunday, I'll see if I can get some pictures of them shoaling, it's amazing when you see it, hundreds of them moving around in co-ordinated swirls. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57 View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 06 Jun 2003 your right gemma i saw this once, some years ago, in a large pond at kidbrook NR in south-east london _really impressive john |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 06 Jun 2003 Excellent, Good luck on Sunday , I'd love to see a pic'. Thanks, Alan O-> O+> |
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- Unusual Toad behaviour |
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