Midwife Toad (Alytes obstetricans)

AmphibianToadEurope

Overview

Midwife toads (genus Alytes) are small, plump, mostly nocturnal toads of western Europe and North Africa, best known for one of the most devoted forms of fatherhood in the animal world. The common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans), shown here, takes its name — and its scientific name obstetricans, “midwife” — from the male's remarkable parenting: he wraps the strings of fertilised eggs around his own hind legs and carries them with him, on land, for weeks until they are ready to hatch.

This is highly unusual among frogs and toads, most of which simply lay their eggs in water and leave them. The male midwife toad becomes a walking nursery.

Note: there are several midwife toad species; details here use the common midwife toad as a reference. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Midwife toads live in a variety of habitats in western Europe and northwest Africa — woodland, farmland, gardens, quarries, and rocky or sandy areas — usually not far from the ponds, pools, or slow streams where the tadpoles develop. They shelter by day in burrows, under stones, or in crevices, and come out at night to feed.

Diet

Midwife toads are insectivores that eat insects, spiders, worms, slugs, and other small invertebrates, hunting at night on the ground. They are slow, deliberate foragers that snap up small prey they encounter.

Behavior

After an on-land courtship, the female passes the eggs to the male, who fertilises them and then carefully winds the egg-strings around his back legs. He carries them for several weeks, keeping them moist (visiting damp spots or water as needed) and protected from drying out and from many predators. When the tadpoles are ready, he goes to a pool and releases them into the water to finish developing. Males also give a soft, bell-like call, and the toads use a foul-smelling skin secretion as a defence against predators.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Midwife toads are harmless and engaging amphibians, valued by naturalists for their extraordinary paternal care, and they sometimes live in gardens and quarries near people. Like all amphibians they are sensitive to habitat loss, pollution, and disease (including the chytrid fungus), and some populations are of conservation concern. Consult AmphibiaWeb and the IUCN Red List for current status.

More photos of the midwife toad