One of my most unique characters, Curtis Curlytail, is set to star in his own movie, a production by the Tucson-based animation movie company, Luck Dragon. Curtis, with his distinctive features, was an obvious choice for the protagonist. But who could match his uniqueness as the antagonist? It had to be someone truly evil yet relevant to a story set in The Bahamas with environmental overtones. That’s when I suggested an invasive species, the cane toad Rhinella marina, a character as unique and intriguing as Curtis himself.
The cane toad, a perfect embodiment of evil: robustly built, up to 10 inches long, and can weigh over two pounds! They don’t hop very fast, but that’s not a problem since they have effective poison glands. They are poisonous at all stages of their life cycle and can even squirt their poison. The toxin is deadly, capable of causing death in people and animals. Even in death, they remain a threat. The cane toad, a truly dangerous character, is the perfect villain for my story.
Toad vs. Frog
But what makes a toad different from a frog? Toads are tough. Frogs are fragile. The main difference between frogs and toads is only skin deep. Or rather, it is skin deep.
Frogs have thin, permeable skin that allows for the passage of water and oxygen. If they are deprived of a moist environment, they can dry out or desiccate. To help with this issue, frogs have a mucus coating, making them feel slimy and very slippery.
In contrast, toads have thicker, drier skin, particularly on the top of their bodies. The tougher skin helps retain water, although toads can absorb water through thinner skin on their bellies.
Toads, with their thicker skin, are often found in terrestrial habitats that are dryer than frogs. Their ability to retain water due to their tougher skin allows them to live in drier environments, including the Sonoran Desert, where the Sonoran Desert Toad (Incilius alvarius) thrives. This toad, with its remarkable adaptability, prefers to be most active during the summer monsoons. The Sonoran Desert Toad is also known as the Colorado River Toad and Sapo Grande.
A few additional differences between frogs and toads include noses (frogs pointy and toads broader), webbed feet (frogs yes, toads no), and sticky tongues (frogs yes, toads no). And finally, toads have poisons on their skin.
The Sonoran Desert toads exude very effective defensive toxins from glands. Unfortunately, the chemicals have very adverse effects on dogs. However, humans take toad interaction one step further: these are the toads involved in “toad-“icking.” Yes, “people lick toads to ingest bufotenine, which can have a hallucinogenic effect. However, bufotenine and other compounds in the secretions can cause cardiac arrest and kill a person.
Yes, toads, even though critical to environmental wellness, can make the perfect villains.
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