Amphibians of Ontario & Quebec

These two provinces, with their abundance of large freshwater lakes and rivers, are the clear leaders in the number of amphibians in Canada with 25 species.

Most of these amphibians are found in other provinces. Some of them, however, are limited in their range to one province. The five species in bold are not found in any other Canadian province.

• Mudpuppy 
• Jefferson's salamander - Ontario only 
• Blue-spotted salamander 
• Spotted salamander 
• Smallmouth salamander - Ontario only 
• Eastern newt 
• Dusky salamander 
• Allegheney Mountain dusky salamader - Ontario only 
• Northern two-lined salamander 
• Northern spring salamander - Quebec only 
• Four-toed salamander 
• Redback salamander 
• American toad 
• Fowler's toad - Ontario only 
• Blanchard's cricket frog - Ontario only 
• Gray treefrog 
• Spring peeper 
• Boreal chorus frog 
• Western chorus frog 
• Bullfrog 
• Green frog 
• Pickerel frog 
• Northern leopard frog 
• Mink frog 
• Wood frog 

Jefferson's Salamander photo courtesy of CARCNET

Creature Feature

Fowler's Toad Bufo fowleri

These little toads inhabit open sandy areas near marshes, lakes and ditches. Loose sand is essential to their survival, as they burrow into it during hot, dry periods, and in winter. They are threatened by the recreational use of beaches, and severe storms that wash away the shoreline.

Fowler's Toad is a large yellow, green or brown toad with a light stripe down the middle of the back and large dark blotches.

-inhabit backwater marshes from the shoreline of Lake Erie, ON, south to the Gulf Coast

-were previously considered a subspecies of Woodhouse's Toad

-throat of the male turns black in breeding season

-call sounds like the crying of a baby or a nasal "waaa", lasting 2-5 seconds

-if roughly handled, they may lie on their back and pretend to be dead

-sometimes hibernate in groups in underground chambers

-eat almost exclusively insects

-cool weather may disrupt the breeding season, with young being born and changing into adults at different times

-3000-10,000 eggs laid at one time

-tadpoles use tooth-like structure to scrape algae off rocks

-known lifespan up to four years

-preyed upon by garter snakes, water snakes and raccoons

-species considered vulnerable in Canada