pigmentation aberrations in B.b. bufo

[Michal Szkudlarek]

Hi
Just wanted to share my observtion. In nearby gravel pit, on 20.06.2011, during wet and cloudy climate conditions among lots of freshly metamorphosed dispersing toads I found single melanistic specimen.






Comparison with typical pigmented one.






This spring I was once at that pond, but have only heared several males. Whereas in small lake close-by common toads were numerously gathered on 27 of March. Unfortunately I didn't find melanistic one but on 11 of June I managed to perceive several melanistic newly metamorphosed toads there:

Has anyone heared about melanism in this species before? Take also a look at this pics from http://www.biol.uni.wroc.pl/herp that shows albinotic spawn and tadpoles of B.b. bufo:

[Sandra Panienka]

Lovely observations. I've never seen albino tadpoles or albino spawn before. There is a picture of an adult albino common toad (wildlife) in one of the Draco magazine issues about native German amphibians which looks pretty neat. I also like the melanistic toadlet. I have not read about melanism in common toads anywhere but wouldn't rule it out as you can find individuals with black or really dark spots sometimes. I actually kind of wonder if their is a monography on common toads at all that covers interesting observations?
I think the pic with the many toadlets just shows normal looking dark brown and regular brown individuals.

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

I've never seen albino tadpoles or albino spawn before.

Peter (the guy from the Malaysian ladder snake hunt) has a spot with Rana arvalis, where he has found this in several years, I believe. Seems to hint that something more than just coincidence is going on(?).

[Sandra Panienka]

So you think there may be adult albino arvalis hopping about somewhere?

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

So you think there may be adult albino arvalis hopping about somewhere?

My bet is there survival rate would be a lot lower...

[Liam Russell]

You get a few albino temporaria in the UK reported every year. Mostly in urban garden ponds. Maybe predation is lower here, but lots of cats...