Bufo melanostictus (spectacled toad)

Family bufonidae

With a length of 6 to 10 centimeters, the bufo melanostictus (spectacled toad) has a tubby body, a brown back, black hardened wart tips on warty skin, and raised, black, bony ridges over eyes meeting at the nose. Often showing its appearance in ground level and low altitude areas, it feeds on invertebrate animals like insects and earthworms. Its glands behind the eyes and warts contain poison. But unlike snakes, it doesn’t use its venom as a weapon to forage and keep enemies away. Rather, it is forced to release the venom when under attack.

　　Photographed by Wang Chien-de