Bufo gargarizans Cantor, 1842

Taxonomy and Naming

The Asiatic toad, also called the Chusan Island toad, is a toad species with the scientific name Bufo gargarizans, endemic to East Asia. This species was previously classified as Bufo bufo gargarizans, a subspecies of the common toad.

Distribution in China

It is common across many regions of China, specifically Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, and Zhejiang.

Distribution in Russia

It also lives in parts of the Russian Far East, ranging north to the Amur River valley and Sakhalin Island, and east to Transbaikalia in Siberia.

Distribution in Korea and Japan

It is relatively rare on the Korean Peninsula. Asiatic toads are also present on the Miyako Islands of southern Japan, though they have been eliminated from some islands in recent years, possibly including Okinawa.

Japanese Subspecies

The Miyako subspecies, Bufo gargarizans miyakonis, is also known as the Miyako toad.

Habitat Preferences

The Asiatic toad avoids dense forests, but can be found in most other habitats, including grasslands, open forests, meadows, and cultivated areas. It prefers humid areas, and is rarely found at altitudes above 800 meters.