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PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA

River Toad

River Toad (Phrynoidis asper). The river toad is a Southeast Asian bufonid; 'giant' is a relative common name, not a fixed size for every individual.

PanduanHewan·Updated 23 September 2026·Phrynoidis asper
About this guideThis guide was compiled from the listed species sources and observation records; it has not been reviewed by a taxonomic specialist. GBIF records are neither a census nor proof of native range.
Photograph of River Toad (Phrynoidis asper).
(c) Jannis Ackermann, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Photograph cropped for layout.

What is the River Toad?

River Toad refers to Phrynoidis asper, in the genus Phrynoidis, family Bufonidae, and order Anura. The scientific name follows the accepted taxon in the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Common names can vary between places; the scientific name distinguishes this species from relatives.

Evidence: GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — accepted taxon ↗

What is known about the River Toad?

The river toad is a Southeast Asian bufonid; 'giant' is a relative common name, not a fixed size for every individual.

Read that fact alongside the scientific name and species source, not as proof from an unclear photograph. Populations, ages and taxonomic limits can differ; when identification is uncertain, record the broader group.

Evidence: Species account — background reading ↗

Habitat and field observations of the River Toad

A West Sumatran survey found this toad particularly near forest streams, often active at night and sometimes by day. Those local observations do not establish its presence in every Indonesian river or stream.

Evidence: Teynié, David & Ohler (2010) — Western Sumatra herpetofauna field study ↗

How many Indonesian records name the River Toad?

When checked on 2026-09-23, the GBIF search returned 647 human-observation records from Indonesia under this species name for 2016–2026. That is a count of indexed records, not an estimate of population, abundance or unique individuals. Observation effort can vary by location, and the count may change as records are added or identifications revised.

Evidence: GBIF occurrence search — Indonesia, human observations, 2016–2026 ↗

Where were observations reported?

Place labels appearing in the results include Jawa Barat, Yogyakarta, Jawa Tengah. They are labels attached to records, not a complete range map or evidence that the species occurs only there. Some labels may be broad or inconsistent. Check the underlying records before using the location information for field decisions.

Evidence: GBIF occurrence search — Indonesia, human observations, 2016–2026 ↗

How can you observe the River Toad?

Observe in place without moving eggs, tadpoles or frogs. Images of the body and habitat, together with date and calls, can help specialists assess an identification; common names do not establish handling safety. A well-documented sighting helps others check the identification without turning one encounter into a conservation-status claim.

Explore related animals

To explore this group further, compare River Toad with Asian Common Toad, Green Paddy Frog, Poisonous Rock Frog. These links reflect a shared genus, family, order, class or catalogue group; taxonomic proximity does not imply identical habitat needs or conservation status.

Sources & references

  1. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — accepted taxon ↗
  2. GBIF occurrence search — Indonesia, human observations, 2016–2026 ↗
  3. Teynié, David & Ohler (2010) — Western Sumatra herpetofauna field study ↗
  4. iNaturalist — exact species taxon and community observations ↗
  5. Species account — background reading ↗

References can change. Check dates and context in the original source.