Frog vs. Toad

Frogs and toads are two closely related amphibians. They are distinguished mainly by their skin (frogs are moister) and habitat (water vs. land).

A frog is any of a variety of amphibian belonging to the order Anura (and family Ranidae) and having smooth, moist skin. It begins life as a tadpole, but eventually loses its tail and grows legs. Frogs usually live in water, but can live on land. They have webbed feet for swimming and strong hind legs for leaping.

A toad is any of a variety of amphibian belonging to the order Anura (and family Bufonidae) and having rough, dry skin. They generally live on land, though they begin life in the water. Some varieties of toad can be poisonous. Toads have shorter, weaker hind legs than frogs, which results in hopping rather than leaping.

The most notable difference between frogs and toads is the smooth, moist skin of frogs versus the rough, dry skin of toads. Both live on a diet of mainly insects, worms, and the like.