THE ANIMAL FILES

European fire-bellied toad

Bombina bombina

A quiet back can hide a bright warning.

The European fire-bellied toad has a muted back and a red-and-black belly. When threatened, it can expose this normally hidden surface. It feeds among shallow wetlands and vegetated margins, where adults and tadpoles face different predators.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
European fire-bellied toad
Image: Marek Szczepanek · Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Back
Variable gray, brown or green coloration[1]
Belly
Red with dark mottling[1]
Habitat
Lowland ponds, marshes and lake margins[1]

Turning a hidden surface outward

When threatened, the toad can raise its limbs and expose the contrasting belly, a response called the unken reflex. This warning display is associated with its defensive secretions. The bright colour becomes visible through a change of posture.[1]

Edges rather than open depths

Lowland ponds, marshes and vegetated water margins provide habitat. Small invertebrates supply food, while snakes, birds and other animals prey on the toads.[1]

A different early stage

Eggs develop into tadpoles before metamorphosis produces the frog-like body. Fish and leeches can prey on the tadpoles. Development changes both the animal’s anatomy and the predators it encounters.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Is the red belly always displayed?

No. Posture changes its visibility. A warning display can reveal a surface that is less obvious while the animal rests.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why could two photographs show a dull and a bright-looking animal without a color change?

Reveal the explanation

They may show different body surfaces or postures. A hidden bright belly can be exposed without changing its pigment.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Bombina bombina (adapted and translated; exact revision)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Bombina bombina (identity and game lineage)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Common toadA quiet night walk leads back to a crowded breeding pond.Bufo bufo ↗Cane toadA toad with a remarkably broad menu.Rhinella marina ↗American bullfrogA pond chorus is a moving social scene.Aquarana catesbeiana ↗