spadefoot

[speyd-foot]

noun

plural

spadefoots 

1. spadefoot toad.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spadefoot¹

First recorded in 1835–45; spade ¹ + foot

Example Sentences

Under the right conditions, the spadefoot tadpole will transform into a voracious predator of its own species.

From Scientific American

They include the black bear, Western scrub jay, California flannel brush, California bumble bee, California halibut, Northern elephant seal, Dungeness crab, California bay tree, Western spadefoot toad, and the endangered black abalone.

From Los Angeles Times

The study also highlights how certain conditions make some young amphibians such as tiger salamanders and spadefoot toads turn into supercannibals.

From Science Magazine

It turns out that Kathy was witness to something special: an explosion of Eastern spadefoot toads.

From Washington Post

Eastern spadefoot toad populations have declined dramatically in the state in recent decades.

From Washington Times