Anaxyrus
Genus of true toads in the family Bufonidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anaxyrus, containing the North American toads, is a genus of true toads in the family Bufonidae.[1] The genus is endemic to North and Central America, and contains many familiar North American toad species such as the American toad, Woodhouse's toad, and the western toad.
| Anaxyrus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Woodhouse's toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii) | |
 | |
| American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Anaxyrus Tschudi, 1845 |
| Species | |
|
25, see text. | |
Most species in this genus were initially classified in Bufo, but were split due to their genetic divergence and geographic separation. Some authorities still consider Anaxyrus to be a subgenus within Bufo.[2][3] However, other authorities have disputed this classification, as doing so would also require all morphologically distinct Old World toad species to also be placed in Bufo.[1]
Species
The following fossil taxa are also known, all of which were also previously placed in Bufo:[4]
- †Anaxyrus defensor (Meylan, 2005) (Pliocene/early Pleistocene of Florida)
- †Anaxyrus hibbardi (Taylor, 1937) (Late Miocene of Kansas)
- †Anaxyrus pliocompactilis (Wilson, 1968) (Late Miocene of Kansas, possibly synonymous with Anaxyrus compactilis or Anaxyrus speciosus)
- †Anaxyrus repentinus (Tihen, 1962) (Mid-Late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) of Kansas, possibly synonymous with Anaxyrus woodhousii or Anaxyrus cognatus)
- †Anaxyrus rexroadensis (Tihen, 1962) (Pliocene/early Pleistocene of Kansas)
- †Anaxyrus spongifrons (Tihen, 1962) (Late Miocene of Kansas)
- †Anaxyrus suspectus (Tihen, 1962) (Pliocene/early Pleistocene (Blancan) of Kansas)
- †Anaxyrus tiheni (Auffenberg, 1957) (Late Miocene of Florida)
- †Anaxyrus valentinensis (Estes & Tihen, 1964) (Middle Miocene (Barstovian) of Nebraska)
