Habitat and Range
The Houston toad today lives exclusively in pine and oak woodlands and savanna with forbs and bunchgrasses present in open areas. Vegetation of its preferred habitat includes loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), post oak (Quercus stellata), bluejack oak (Quercus incana), yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), curly threeawn (Aristida desmantha), and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). They are generally found in areas with loose, sandy soils greater than 40 in (100 cm) in depth. Slow-moving or still bodies of water that last at least 30 days are needed for breeding and tadpole development. The toad's original range covered 12 counties in Texas; currently, it is often reported to occur in nine counties. However, choruses have only been actually reported in three counties since 2000, representing a seventy-five percent overall reduction in twenty years.
Read more about this topic: Houston Toad
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