Pelobates fuscus
Silhouette: Dmitry Bogdanov (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Pelobates fuscus is a species of toad in the family Pelobatidae, native to an area extending from Central Europe to Western Asia. It is commonly known as the common spadefoot, garlic toad, the common spadefoot toad and the European common spadefoot.
The common spadefoot grows to a length of approximately 6.5 centimetres (2.6 in) for males and 8 centimetres (3.1 in) for females. The skin colouration varies depending upon habitat, gender and region, but is usually light-grey to beige-brown on the dorsal surface. The skin is mottled by darker marks that differ between individuals. The belly is white, sometimes with grey mottling. Albino specimens have been observed.
Two subspecies are traditionally recognised: Pelobates fuscus fuscus (from central Europe) and Pelobates fuscus insubricus (from Northern Italy). In reality there is no physical or behavioural character allowing to distinguish these supposed subspecies. A recent study showed that there is no haplotype segregation for the populations of Northern Italy, that, therefore, are not to be ascribed to a different subspecies. Haplotypes from some Northern Italian valleys are very characteristic and support a different conception in terms of conservation: not for a different taxonomic position but, instead, for a peculiar differentiation. Populations from eastern Europe appear sufficiently different that they may warrant a separate species status (Pelobates vespertinus).
When alarmed, it emits a very loud call (alarm call) and it can exude a noxious secretion which smells like garlic, hence its common name. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Spadefoot sighting in Berlin on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 5th most-seen of the 8 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–April and June–August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Spadefoot in Berlin on a given day, against under 5% in May and September–February, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Spadefoot sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Common Spadefoot sightings, Berlin has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Moscow (Russia, under 5%).
Same order: Anura
The closest relatives of the Common Spadefoot that you can see in Berlin (order Anura, Frogs and Toads) are European Toad (about 20%), European Common Frog (about 10%) and Pool Frog (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Spadefoot is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Berlin (18 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
