Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for June 08, 2016

Ahhhh, warts!

There are many species of both toads and frogs. But there isn’t a cladistic difference between them, and there are a few species that could be called one or the other..Nevertheless, in my circles, you’d be laughed at if you called a critter a “toad frog”.

chassimmons@3If you use “cladistics” in a sentence, you’d better know who Willi Hennig was.

Hint for the quiz: autapomorphic characters ;^) ;^) ;^)

fusilierJames :4

Is that Montgomery Wart?

Jimmy, I think, has achieved another first. As far as I know, this is the first time that “pee” has appeared in a comic strip.

Best I remember, frogs have an ear spot (tympanum) and the toad does not.<><me

All toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads . . .

Who cares species, genus or whatever. I’m with Janis – they are both worthy of an “EEK”

i happily welcome toads into my garden.

I thought Janis was a gardener! She should be happy to see either, as they eat insects.

I don’t mind toad frogs outside…it’s when they come inside that they freak me out! (Brought one inside when I brought a potted plant back inside from thoroughly watering it.)

toads are kinds cute…compared to me.okay, okay, they’re kinda cute any way

Well, after all the debate about the differences between toads and frogs, I still don’t get it. WHY WOULD SHE TELL HIM TO PEE ON IT? Gross!

Frog’s response: “Pretty kinky. Okay, but it’s gonna cost ya’. Four flies and a beetle.”

What a cliche. I’m disappointed.“Eek! A mouse. Eek! A toad.”What crap.

Toads, frogs, spiders, preying mantises (mantisi?)…..If they eat insects, they are my friends.

Nobody likes a smart-Arlo.

“On a moonlight night you got your dead toad frog…..”.L. Wainwright

There is a superstition that if a toad pees on you it will give you warts.

Here in Phoenix, we get toads upward of 8" across. The problem is if you have pets. They have a substance in their skin that is poisonous to dogs and cats.

As a biology professor, I am quite familiar with a variety of frog and toad species. I find them very pleasant and interesting. But, I tend to especially like the toads. But, in my neck of the woods, it is not uncommon for a lot of non-sciencey folks to call them toad frogs. So, to me, it is common to hear.

You don’t see either toads or frogs as much as you used to. I like them both. I was told as a kid that if you touch a toad you’ll get warts. It never stopped me from at least stroking them a few times!

It’s a toad. She kissed a frog once and got Arlo.

“Aren’t you tired of calling me “wrong again” and being wrong yourself?”.Some things never get tiresome..Regardless, while taxonomists are free to come up with reasonable and rational names of things, that does not compel others to accept their nomenclature..For example, we are assured kumquats are not citrus even though they cross with all citrus plants to produce fertile offspring..We can accept their teachings while chuckling behind their backs at what still seems obviously wrong...“Taxonomists do not use cladestics in the area of speciation.”.And while they have gotten away from it due to new information coming in from genetics and before that based on protein similarities, many classifications were up until very recently based on “It looks like a duck, so I’m agonna call it a duck.” type of thinking..More importantly, if Arlo wants to live long and prosper, he will avoid correcting Janis — especially when she is wrong.

I bet that was the same type of humor that made Arlo fall for her….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn1CXbf2xF8

Janis don’t know much about frogs…jes’ what she been toad.

I have never heard or seen the term “toad frog” before. And I’m with Arlo.

When you are about seven you read books about animals and learn the differences. Gorillas and Chimpanzees are apes, not monkeys. Whales are mammals, not fish. And so forth.

If you get these things wrong after the age of nine, you are too ignorant to bother with.