Bufo bufo

• Main Author: Elmberg, Johan
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Amphibia; Anura; Bufonidae; Bufo; Bufo bufo; Arctic; Bonden; Lule Lappmark
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/8030418; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8030418

Common Toad Bufo bufo (Linneaus 1758) Distribution (Figure 4). Included records from Artportalen (N=1325): all reports have been included from the Southern, Middle, and Northern Boreal. However, in the Alpine region inexperienced observers may confuse this species with locally dark and short-limbed Rana temporaria. Therefore, only records of calling males, those made by known experienced observers or documented by pictures have been included from the Alpine region and adjacent uppermost parts of the Northern Boreal. Widespread and common throughout the Southern and Middle Boreal, scarce but widespread in lower altitudes of the Northern Boreal north to Lule lappmark. The documented northern distribution limit runs near the Arctic Circle but could be farther north (Figure 4). As expected, the highest records are from the southern part of the Scandic Mountains (580 m altitude; Tjovre, Jämtland). Farther north, the highest records in Lycksele lappmark are at 475 m, and at 270 m in Lule lappmark, where the northern range limit bends east towards Finland. Summertime occurrence and reproduction are known from many far offshore islands along parts of North Sweden’s coast, indicating a very high dispersal capacity over brackish water. This is the only amphibian known from the tiny and extremely isolated islet Bonden (Ångermanland, 63°25’55.0”N, 20°2’19.4”E; Figure 4), more than 15 km from the mainland. There are no indications of changes in distribution over the last 50 years. The more extensive occurrence to the north presented here (compared to in Gislén & Kauri 1959) and the first records from Härjedalen do not represent range expansion but are merely due to the species having been overlooked there before. Note, however, that all older and also recently claimed records in the Alpine region (e.g., Holm 1921, Gislén & Kauri 1959; Frislid & Semb-Johansson 1981; Artportalen) are likely due to confusion with Rana temporaria. Based on current knowledge, the species does not occur in the Alpine region in North ...