midwife toad

American  

noun

1. a European toad, Alytes obstetricans (family Discoglossidae), noted for its unusual breeding habits, in which mating occurs on land and the male broods the egg strings by wrapping them around his legs.

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midwife toad British  

noun

1. a European toad, Alytes obstetricans, the male of which carries the fertilized eggs on its hind legs until they hatch: family Discoglossidae

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Etymology

Origin of midwife toad

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Steve Allain presented work done on the midwife toad colony recently discovered in Cambridge.

From Scientific American • Dec. 24, 2017

The Mallorcan midwife toad was only discovered in the 1970s, and then only its fossilised remains were discovered.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2012