The Toad: External Anatomy

Objective: To examine & identify the external parts/features of the toad and relate these structures with
those of other vertebrates.

Materials: Live Adult Toad, short bondpaper, pencil, Dissecting Pan (from the Gen Lab)

The external features of the toad are divided into two parts, namely: the head and the trunk. Study and
identify the following structures under each division.

Parts of the head:

1. Snout a protruding region of the head ending in more or less triangular borders.
2. Mouth the largest (anterior) opening of the head.
3. Eyes two round shiny balls each one found posterior the snout, and at the dorsal side of the head.
4. Nostrils or external nares two small openings near the tip of the snout.
5. Tympanic membrane membrane-covered small round area behind each eye.
6. Parotid gland or poison a large swelling at each side of the head behind the tympanic membrane.
7. Upper eyelid the fleshy immovable part above each eye.
8. Lower eyelid the narrow lower fold below each eye.
9. Nictitating membrane a thin, almost transparent extensible membrane directly in contact with eye.

Parts of the trunk:

1. Abdomen the ventral portion of the trunk.

2. Sacral hump - marked elevation on the mid dorsal surface of the trunk near the posterior end.
3. Anus, vent or cloacal opening - at the posterior end of the body through which undigested food, wastes,
urine and eggs or sperm are discharged. Serves as the opening of the alimentary tract.
4. Forelimbs two extensions on the anterior end of the trunk. Each consist of the upper arm, forearm,
wrist and hand with 4 digits or fingers. During the breeding season, the thumb is swollen in the males.
5. Hindlimbs two on the postero-lateral end of the trunk. Large and long adapted for swimming and
jumping, folded when the toad is at rest. Each consists of the thigh, shank or middle portion, ankle,
foot, digits with five toes. A sixth toe, known as prehallux maybe felt in the inner side of foot near the
most proximal toe or hallux.

Draw your toad on a short bond paper in its dorso-lateral aspect, properly label (no crisscrossing of lines)
with all the parts described above.

Guide Questions:
1. What causes the sacral hump? Find out what skeleton is mounted on the mid dorsal surface of the trunk
near the posterior end.
2. Notice the uneven distribution of pigment in the skin. Which side of the body is more pigmented? Why?
3. Classify the toad according to the following:
Phylum, Subphylum, Class, order, Family, Genus, Species
4. Differentiate the toad from the frog based on the external anatomy and buccal cavity or mouth. Tabulate
your answers using 3 columns only.