Overview

Bufoides is a genus of true toads in the family Bufonidae. It is currently monotypic, represented by the species Bufoides meghalayanus. The taxon is most commonly associated with the Khasi Hills of northeastern India and is known in common usage as the Mawblang Toad or Khasi Hills Toad. References to the genus can be found in broader amphibian checklists and regional faunal accounts (genus overview).

Characteristics

Members of this genus, as with other true toads, display the rough, warty skin typical of Bufonidae and a squat, robust body form. Diagnostic features used by herpetologists to separate Bufoides from related genera include details of cranial crests, parotoid glands, and limb proportions. Listed below are commonly noted traits:

  • Warty, granular dorsal skin texture.
  • Distinct but variable parotoid glands behind the eyes.
  • Short limbs adapted for walking or short hops rather than long leaps.
  • Terrestrial habits with breeding tied to local water bodies.

Distribution and habitat

The known range of Bufoides is restricted to parts of northeastern India, principally the Khasi Hills and surrounding highland areas. Specimens have been recorded in montane forest and nearby open areas where moisture and breeding sites such as pools or slow-moving streams are available. The region’s seasonal monsoon climate and mosaic of forested slopes and plateaus provide the microhabitats these toads use.

Taxonomy and history

Bufoides was established as a distinct genus based on morphological characteristics that separate it from other Asian bufonids. Taxonomic treatments emphasize skeletal and skin traits as the basis for its recognition. Because the genus contains only one widely accepted species, much of the genus-level discussion overlaps with the natural history and classification of B. meghalayanus.

Conservation and significance

As a taxon with a limited geographic distribution, Bufoides attracts conservation interest. Threats in its range include habitat alteration, deforestation, and changes to water regimes, which affect breeding habitats. Conservation assessments stress the need for habitat protection and targeted field surveys to clarify population status. The species also has value for regional biodiversity studies and provides insight into amphibian evolution in the Indian subcontinent (northeastern India).

Notable facts

  • Common names: Mawblang Toad, Khasi Hills Toad.
  • Monotypic genus: only one widely recognized species at present.
  • Important for understanding montane amphibian diversity in northeast India.