Bufo latastii

Description and biology

As a member of the toad family, Bufo latastii exhibits the general bufonid body plan: a robust, squat body with dry, textured skin and prominent parotoid glands behind the eyes that can produce defensive secretions. Its coloration is typically cryptic and helps camouflage the animal among leaf litter and soil. Reproduction follows the typical amphibian pattern of aquatic egg-laying; eggs are deposited in standing or slow-moving water and develop through a free-swimming tadpole stage before metamorphosis into terrestrial juveniles. Diet consists mainly of invertebrates, making the species an important predator of insects and other small arthropods.

Habitat and distribution

Bufo latastii has been recorded from temperate forest habitats, intermittent rivers, freshwater marshes and ponds, and it can also be found in arable land where suitable breeding water is available. The species' range is confined to parts of India and Pakistan, where local occurrences are influenced by the availability of wetland breeding sites and suitable terrestrial refuges. For distribution details, see regional summaries and databases here.

Conservation and threats

Populations of Bufo latastii are affected by a suite of pressures common to amphibians worldwide. Principal concerns include habitat loss through agricultural expansion, urbanization and drainage of wetlands, pollution of breeding waters, and the fragmentation of the landscape that isolates breeding sites. Disease and introduced predators can also pose risks in some areas. Because amphibians have permeable skin and complex life cycles, they are often regarded as indicator species for environmental health.

• Main threats: loss and modification of wetland and forest habitats, water pollution, habitat fragmentation.
• Conservation measures: protection of breeding ponds and surrounding terrestrial habitat, pollution control, and monitoring of populations to detect declines.

Taxonomy and significance

Taxonomy of Asian bufonids has been subject to revision, and many regional species have been reassigned among genera over time as new research appears. Bufo latastii remains of interest to herpetologists studying the diversity and biogeography of South Asian amphibians. Beyond its scientific value, the species plays an ecological role by controlling insect populations and forming part of food webs in wetland and forest ecosystems.

Because published information on Bufo latastii can be fragmented, researchers and conservationists encourage targeted surveys and habitat protection to clarify its status and preserve local amphibian biodiversity.